STEM summer camp follow up study: Effects on students' SAT scores and postsecondary matriculation

Postsecondary matriculation is important for a young person's future financial and social positioning. Matriculation can be attendance at a four-year institution, two-year program, or a trade school of some kind. Scores on standardized tests such as the SAT are often components of a student's application to attend a postsecondary education institution. This is a follow up study to one in which students (n=35) from the same school attended a STEM summer camp. The STEM camp lasted 13 days and engaged students in project based learning activities 8 hours per day. Students attended classes on robotics, bridge building, solar power, and other challenging, informal learning activities. The results of that study found statistically significant gains for both reading and writing, although not for math. This study followed up with 27 of those students by obtaining their SAT scores and matriculation to postsecondary education data. Correlations between SAT and matriculation, confidence intervals for SAT results, and effect sizes are given. Further research recommendations are discussed.