Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering

ISSN for PRINT: 1072-8325

For Online Access

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2007, Volume13

Issue 1

98 pages

DOI: 10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.v13.i1

Issue price - $58.00

Donald A. Bar
Stanford University, USA

Stan Wanat
Stanford University, USA

Mariaelena Gonzalez
Stanford University, USA

Most graduate training programs in the biomedical sciences try to attract qualified candidates from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups; however, some universities have more success than others in enrolling students to whom admission is offered. In order to better understand how students select the school they will attend from those offering admission, we studied the experience of two cohorts of applicants to a doctoral program in the biomedical sciences at Stanford University. Based on interviews with 59 students, we conclude that students use different criteria in deciding the schools to which they will apply than they do in selecting the school they will attend from those offering admission. While we found striking consistency across racial and ethnic groups in the criteria used in selecting schools for application, we found clear differences in the factors affecting the choice of school to attend. Especially for Latino and African American students, the perceived quality of the interpersonal environment and a sense of inclusion were key determinants in selecting the school to attend. In this regard, Latino students found the environment at Stanford more welcoming than African American students did.

DOI: 10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.v13.i1.20 Download article, 23-36 pages

Article price - $35.00

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