2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This research paper investigates the critical relationship between the mathematics beliefs and confidence of first-year engineering students and their subsequent academic performance and retention. Foundational mathematics is integral for understanding core concepts in all engineering disciplines. First-time-in-college students come to college with varying levels of mathematical abilities, and their confidence in their abilities can differ significantly.

To address this challenge, a ten-day immersive summer transition program was developed and implemented at a public four-year university in North Carolina. The program's core goal was to enhance mathematical readiness and foster collaborative learning among peers and peer mentors. While marketed toward students starting in College Algebra or Precalculus, the program was open to all incoming first-year engineering students. A cohort of 64 students participated in the program before the start of the fall 2024 semester.

Data collection occurred both before and after the intervention. Participants completed a pre-assessment mathematics quiz covering algebra and geometry concepts, and a math autobiography where students wrote a reflective letter detailing their prior beliefs, confidence, and experiences with mathematics. These reflective narratives were coded using Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy. Additionally, the study utilizes program data with first-term GPA, first math course grades, and retention to the second year.

Data analyses focused on determining how students’ pre-college math beliefs correlate with their starting university math course placement, their academic performance in that course, overall first-term GPA, and their eventual retention in the engineering program. Program participants showed a higher retention rate than non-participants. Students across all self-efficacy categories showed improvement from the pre-assessment to their final math course grades. Notably, the program effectively mitigated math-related anxiety for students in the "Emotional/Physiological" group, who saw marked academic gains.

Ultimately, the study suggests that such targeted interventions can successfully bridge competency gaps and bolster student confidence, providing a scalable framework for engineering institutions to improve the academic success and persistence of first-year engineering students.