Impact of Exam Retakes on Introductory Physics Courses

Introductory physics is a roadblock for many aspiring engineers at the University of Illinois. The overall attrition rate in our introductory mechanics and E&M courses is approximately 15%, however that rate doubles for some under-represented populations. Students who do poorly on the first midterm often chalk it up to “a bad day". Offering a retake gives students a chance to see if it really was a bad day, or if they need to make a change in how they are studying. This talk will show the impact that offering the retake exams has had on students in our calculus based introductory physics courses.