Oftentimes, there’s a specific reaction someone will get when they talk about what they plan to major in going into college. Whether it be chemistry, biology, physics, or math, people going into a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related major are often viewed by their peers as more academically inclined, simply because of an implicit bias that STEM classes are more rigorous than humanities courses. At Berkeley High School, and in educational systems all over the world, students like to put themselves into two different groups: those who like rule-oriented STEM, and those who prefer the more abstract side of academics: humanities. While the misconception that STEM-leaning students are more academically talented or “smarter” than those who lean towards the arts and humanities is widely believed, this is not the case. Inclination towards either field is not an indication of intelligence, and this fallacy harms arts and humanities students by framing their intellectual abilities as inferior to their science or math-loving peers.
There is no official data that shows an IQ basis related to people’s proficiencies in STEM vs. the humanities. It’s an inclination, and society plays a big role in it starting from our earlier years of education. There’s an idea that one or the other must be chosen, and this is directly translated to our later years of education. When taking the SAT, you are scored based on your abilities in math and English. Colleges judge you on the two subjects you are supposed to have studied your entire academic career. Admissions officers often compare students’ scores in either section to their intended majors, possibly affecting admissions chances if it’s lower than a particular major’s average. However, standardized test scores do not reflect a student’s passion and drive in any given field.
Matt Carton, an Academic Choice (AC) English teacher, explained that 20 years ago, there was never a stigma around the amount of work it took to be in a specific major, or how that could possibly relate to your intelligence. According to Carton, the Advanced Placement (AP) System and College Board have done nothing but confirm the fallacy that English is easier. “What the College Board has done to the humanities, in particular, since they changed the rubrics on the English side for AP Language and Composition and AP Literature back in 2019-2020, where you don’t have to finish an essay (which) makes it a lot easier,” he said. It’s now easier to get a five on the AP Language and Composition exam than it is on the AP Chemistry exam.
The upsetting aspect of this is that the assumption is so ingrained in students that it’s rarely questioned, leading to the belief being perpetuated and students continuing to feel doubtful of their abilities. “Seeing how quickly a lot of my other classmates understood these science and math concepts and viewed them as easy, I quickly signed myself off as being ‘bad at STEM’,” Lilla Lukacs, a BHS junior, said, “This made me feel like I shouldn’t take hard math and science classes, like maybe they aren’t for me. ... I’ve always written off careers that involve math and science because I think they’re too hard for me, and I would be incapable of understanding.”
“Some may find that (passion for what they’re learning) in their STEM classes, and if that’s the case, great, you know, vaya con dios. But if somebody says they want to major in English and you give them the side eye, my question to you is, what’s your problem?” Carton said.
The stigma of STEM students being more capable than humanities students only has negative effects on all parties involved. Academia is a fluid environment — students need not feel forced to fit themselves into the STEM or humanities boxes based on the classes they’re passionate about, and even if they do, their abilities should not be assumed because of their choice.