First-year engineering student persistence amidst COVID-19 interruptions: evidence from two diverse institutions in the United States

This study examined the persistence of first-year engineering students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) pre- and mid-COVID-19 interruptions and whether their characteristics (race/ethnicity, financial need status, first-generation status, SAT scores) predicted their persistence. Using logistic regression, we compared the persistence of three cohorts (i.e. cohorts 1 and 2: pre-COVID-19 cohorts; cohort 3: mid-COVID-19 cohort) at both institutions. Before adjusting for student characteristics, the logistic regression results indicated students in the mid-COVID-19 cohorts had better persistence than most pre-COVID-19 cohorts at the HSI and HBCU. Additionally, at both institutions, after controlling for the variables in the model and regardless of cohort, students with higher SAT math scores (HSI) and higher SAT composite scores (HBCU) were more likely to persist in engineering. Also, after controlling for other variables in the models, persistence was not related to financial need or first-generation status, and these relationships were consistent across cohorts and institutions. Implications and limitations are discussed.