Understanding Students' Experiences in a STEM Living-Learning Community

The retention and graduation of college students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is critical to the continued development of the United States. Many students in the U.S. who begin college in a STEM field do not end up graduating with such a degree. There are many strategies to improve the retention and graduation rates of STEM students, with living-learning communities (LLCs) being one of them. LLCs positively impact students' retention both at the institution and in the STEM fields; however, less is known about the potential disadvantages of such communities. After interviewing 23 former STEM students who participated in a living-learning community during their first year of college, we found academic, personal, and social advantages and challenges for those who participated in an LLC community.