Student Perceptions of Computer Science: A Retention Study Comparing Graduating Seniors vs. CS Leavers

Students who develop a strong interest in another field can hardly be fair target for retention efforts. There are others, however, who might do very well in this field but who leave computer science because of misunderstandings about and a negative experience in this academic major. Retention literature suggests and provides numerous examples of initiatives that improve student retention. To determine how best to impact student retention in your computer science department, a comprehensive understanding of the student experience of your major is essential. Not only is it important to know why students leave your major, but an understanding of why they stay can be useful in developing high impact initiatives. The current study involves a comparative examination of students who graduated from the computer science (CS) major at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia (Stayers) with students who chose to leave the major (Leavers). Specifically, perceptions and experiences of computer science as a field in general and the climate of the major were studied. Comparative data collected provided insights into reasons why they entered into the major, about belief of adequate preparation and confidence going into the major, definitions of CS and other related factors. Results were analyzed to identify potential target areas and concrete implementation strategies are suggested for improved retention in the computer science major at this institution.