Chapter: 2 Science & Engineering Indicators 93
Planned Majors of National Merit Scholars
Are the best and brightest students interested in pursuing S& E fields? One indicator for determining the answer to this question is the stated choice of major of National Merit Scholars. These students represent the top 0.5 percent of the Nation's high school graduates in terms of academic achievement. In 1992, over 40 percent of all National Merit Scholars were
interested in majoring in either the natural sciences or engineering. (See appendix table 2-13.) Interest in the biological sciences, physics, and mathematics and statistics increased, while plans to
major in the social sciences and business decreased. Between 1985 and 1989, National Merit Scholars showed a declining interest in all S& E fields except the social sciences. From 1989 to 1992, however, this trend was somewhat reversed, as Merit
Scholars expressed an increasing interest in majors in the natural sciences and engineering. (See figure 2-10.)
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