With the lack of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) today, these industries are now asking what can be done to close the large gender gap. It seems like much of the emphasis is focused on trying to get more women interested in pursuing STEM-related degrees in college. However, studies reveal that emphasizing these careers have to start as early as elementary and middle school.

This new infographic reveals how societal perceptions of gender play a big role in how young girls view STEM. Girls start off by taking a higher number of math and science classes and even get better grades. But they start losing confidence at some point. The percentage of young girls who feel confident in themselves drops from 72% in 6th grade to 55% in 10th grade. More surprisingly, when asked to specify their gender on a test, girls have shown to score 20% lower. These feelings continue into college, which results in the lack of women in STEM-related fields today.

Created by: EngineeringDegree.net

Special thanks to guest blog writter, Jen Rhee, for sharing this article with us.