Equity-Focused Admissions Strategies

We are reinventing the relationship between pre-college STEM programs and college admissions to improve college-going and persistence in STEM for Black, Latina/o/e, and Indigenous youth

STEM PUSH Network programs are out-of-school time intensive programs that are equity focused and free for qualifying students. Pre-college STEM Programs (PCSPs) positively affect students’ analytical and critical thinking skills, STEM content knowledge and exposure, and self-efficacy through STEM-focused enrichment and research experiences.

In places where pre-college STEM programs weren’t considered on students’ applications, we are advocating for students’ out-of-school STEM learning to be recognized and valued in their applications.

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Learn how you can improve recognition of these programs in your admissions process, starting now.

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In places where pre-college STEM programs may have already been noticed, we are advocating to increase the value and significance of these students’ work through colleges more actively recruiting, valuing, and retaining these students at their institutions. Some of our admissions partners are now systematically flagging STEM PUSH PCSP students for holistic review of their applications, offering scholarships and/or fee waivers, and building pathways to award credit for prior learning in STEM PUSH PCSPs.

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Amplify your institution’s commitment to recruiting, valuing, and retaining STEM PUSH students through undergraduate study.

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How do you know whether a student participated in a local pre-college STEM program? Are your admissions readers looking for out-of-school STEM experiences for students who don’t have access to high quality STEM in their high schools?

Are you hoping to diversity your STEM-interested student population and contribute to broadening equity in STEM? Is out-of-school STEM accomplishment factored into your academic score in admissions review (e.g.research products, engineering design fairs, intensive STEM apprenticeship, etc.)?

Our Network has documented that there are highly qualified STEM students who are not recognized in the admissions process at all institutions. Many of our students don’t know that their STEM experience is valued and desired by various institutions when they begin to apply to college.

Join the STEM PUSH Admissions Network

Access a more diverse pool of students with STEM potential AND demonstrate your interest directly to these students through partnering with our Network.

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STEM PUSH is Recruiting Higher Education Partners

To better understand the current and potential role for pre-college STEM program experiences in students’ admissions process and undergraduate trajectory.

To incorporate STEM PUSH pre-college programs (and soon with accreditation) into their admission process

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my support of increasing access to STEM beyond my institution through my involvement with STEM PUSH. Every meeting I am delighted by what I learn from equity-minded peers and am hopeful about STEM PUSH’s ability to make a significant impact on the STEM enrollments of students from racially minoritized backgrounds.”

Emily Roper-Doten

Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Assistance, Clark University

Interested in Learning More?

To do this, we are pursuing the following efforts:

Build new pathways between STEM programs and IHE admission

Working with our Admissions Advisory Council and 40+ pre-college STEM programs, we are aligning STEM program strengths and IHE admissions priorities including engaging with quality STEM content and skills, tracking program outcomes over time, and communicating programs’ equity-focused instructional strategies.

STEM PUSH is fostering place-based connections between programs, STEM networks and Ecosystems, and nearby institutions of higher education

STEM PUSH is building partnerships with equity-focused admissions organizations to share resources and advocate for change

Credential Quality Programs for their ability to broaden participation in STEM through an equitable Accreditation process

All STEM PUSH Network programs are aligning to our quality standards. These include a stated goal of broadening participation in STEM, recruiting underrepresented minoritized youth, engaging in quality STEM experiences through culturally sustaining pedagogies, proactively identifying and addressing youth’s barriers to success, demonstrating meaningful student growth, and supporting college-going pathways.

Built around these quality standards, STEM PUSH has partnered with Middle States Association to build a “next-generation accreditation system” that centers equity in broadening access and participation in STEM.

Design and promote IHE admissions strategies that could broaden participation in STEM

Recognize pre-college STEM programs as educational experiences in students’ college applications.

Track STEM PUSH pre-college STEM program students through their application process to better understand their admissions and persistence experience within a particular higher-ed institution.

Reinvent and research the role for pre-college STEM program experiences to be leveraged in equity-focused admissions strategies within the radically changing admissions landscape.

Study outcomes and impacts of STEM PUSH programs and efforts on IHE admissions

STEM PUSH is conducting the first-ever, large, cross-program, NSF-funded research study of the impact of pre-college STEM programs on student matriculation and persistence in STEM post-secondary education. Read more here.

Our goal is to study the effects of this work over time.

STEM PUSH Pre-College STEM Programs Bring Quality

Pre-college STEM Programs (PCSPs) have been shown to positively affect students’ analytical and critical thinking skills, STEM content knowledge and exposure, and self-efficacy through STEM-focused enrichment and research experiences.

Additional research suggests that PCSP experiences are key influencers in students’ pursuit of STEM majors and careers.

Given this, and the high enrollment of students from underrepresented groups in PCSPs, STEM PUSH is working to leverage PCSPs in admissions decisions to maximize college access and career outcomes.

Our goal is to have the value of these PCSPs elevated in Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) admissions considerations and decisions.