Why are young adults dropping out of STEM fields?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/12140410/Kids-dont-like-physics-and-maths-study-finds-out-why.html

By Mine G.

In the article within the link above, Rebecca Burn-Callander mentions how kids are dropping out STEM fields. STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is a very important discourse that is key to understand within our world. It is also true that the more scientists and STEM field professions can help benefit the world. However, the worry among young kids is very similar to worries around college kids today, that STEM field majors create dead-ends, because the social standard is that these kids would never be able to get a job within STEM fields, or become something "boring," such as a scientist.

Young people “see STEM as a career dead-end”, the report warned, and the ever-increasing pressure on pupils to achieve high grades is also driving them away from these subjects.

“When moving from GSCE to A-Level, students fear that it’s harder to get a good grade in maths or science,” said Ms Dunn, adding that fear of failure was even more prominent among young girls.

“We are increasingly measure-driven in our school system,” said Ms Dunn. “Data on grades is published and this is used almost exclusively to show performance.”

However, motivations and socialization between young adults are not the main issue. Our society's use on arbitrary letter grades also hurts our young students. This would not be a problem, but our society, and especially future employers put too high of a focus on these letter grades, instead of the subjects studied. While grades are important, it allows us to ignore that material within chemistry is much different to students than material within american history or writing classes, and can create a different atmosphere for each child. 

We need to change the atmosphere, not only around science majors, but also all STEM majors. STEM is a very key field for creating changes within the world, and for our local communities. To do this, not only must we change the way that we look at professions through science, but also change our unhealthy focus towards grades and start looking at the classes as well.