Work in progress - gender and preconceptions of undergraduate computer science

Plummeting freshman interest in computer science and a growing gender gap motivates our qualitative study of pre-major undergraduates enrolled in an introductory computer science course. Analysis of ongoing interviews suggests potential themes in student perceptions of computer science, its attractive and unattractive features, and the sources of these preconceptions. We also examine the effectiveness of recruitment programs in challenging popular, negative stereotypes of computer science