---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to research done by Mitchell…"
description: "\"“According to research done by Mitchell Chang of the University of California, the likelihood of someone completing a STEM degree—all things being equa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/malcolm-gladwell-348_education_according-to-research-done-by-mitchell-c_1344682.jpg"
---

#  According to research done by Mitchell Chang of the…

![“According to research done by Mitchell Chang of the University of California, the likelihood of someone completing a STEM degree—all things being equal—rises by 2 percentage points for every 10-point decrease in the university’s average SAT score.4 The smarter your peers, the dumber you feel; the…” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/malcolm-gladwell-348_education_according-to-research-done-by-mitchell-c_1344682.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/malcolm-gladwell-348_education_according-to-research-done-by-mitchell-c_1344682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/malcolm-gladwell-348_education_according-to-research-done-by-mitchell-c_1344682.jpg)

> ““According to research done by Mitchell Chang of the University of California, the likelihood of someone completing a STEM degree—all things being equal—rises by 2 percentage points for every 10-point decrease in the university’s average SAT score.4 The smarter your peers, the dumber you feel; the dumber you feel, the more likely you are to drop out of science.””

[Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Students surrounded by high‑performing peers may feel inadequate, increasing dropout risk despite their own abilities.

**In simple terms:** Smart peers can lower confidence.

Key Takeaway

Seek supportive learning environments.

Themes

education confidence peer influence

Mood

analytical concerned

Type

observational informative

When to use this quote

- college classrooms
- study groups
- STEM programs

Key Concepts

sociology self‑efficacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can institutions foster collaboration over competition?
- What personal habits counteract feelings of inadequacy?

A Different Perspective

Being among top students isn’t always beneficial for motivation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Average Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-sat-4553382/) [Completing Stem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completing-stem-4553381/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Sat Score](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat-score-4467686/) [Stem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stem/) [Stem Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stem-degree-4553380/)

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