RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
Mathematical Vanishing Act: Why Students are Walking Away
Page: 616
This study explores the crucial issue of attrition in the undergraduate mathematics major. In this report, we thoroughly examine open-response survey data from seven former mathematics majors describing why they chose to major in mathematics as well as when and why they chose to leave. We situate these data within findings from the 2019 study Talking About Leaving Revisited. Findings from the present study indicate students may leave mathematics because they are intrinsically drawn to a new discipline, or they may feel pushed out of mathematics due to perceived poor instruction and/or lack of outreach and support.