2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This full research paper investigates retention in engineering by examining how underrepresented women experience an engineering major admissions process. While engineering degree attainment for women has increased to 23% over the last decade, white women are disproportionately represented, earning over half of those degrees. In 2023, only 11.4% of engineering bachelor’s degrees were awarded to non-white, non-male students. Current research on retention of underrepresented students in engineering focuses on recruitment, pre-college preparation, sense of belonging, and similar factors. Few consider the role of engineering admissions processes, especially secondary admissions processes that act as gateways to upper-level coursework. In a search of the literature, only one study was found that focused on the effect of an engineering admissions process on retention. This IRB-approved study utilizes self-efficacy, the belief one has that they can accomplish a task, as a framework to address the following research question: How do non-white, non-male students experience a major admissions process in an undergraduate engineering program in a large, public institution? The data for this project were collected through phenomenological interviews with 6 non-white women studying engineering at a large, public 4-year institution. Data analysis included inductive and deductive coding to develop themes and provide policy recommendations to administrators. The data revealed three themes that shape experiences of the secondary major admissions process: frustration and confusion, extra burden, and timing. These findings demonstrate challenges to self-efficacy and barriers to retention. They also identify the need for assessment of and transparency in admissions processes, and the importance of resources to support students that encounter barriers that make admissions processes more stressful. This study highlights the experiences of non-white women to consider how major admissions processes may act as a mechanism in the retention of underrepresented students in engineering.