JEFFERSON TWP — Adapt. That's the advice Knoch High School women graduates have for their younger counterparts, who still are in the district and interested in pursuing STEM careers, those in science, technology, engineering and math.

The South Butler School District hosted a round-table discussion Tuesday to give the next generation of STEM women an idea of what to expect from college.

Perhaps the most echoed sentiment was that women in STEM classes must adjust to a more difficult college environment.

The round table was hosted by STEMinism, a new group at South Butler that tries to make the sciences more accessible to girls and encourages the pursuit of scientific study, according to Colleen Smith, a parent involved with the club.

“There's a reason not everyone is in these STEM fields: because they are difficult,” said Tena Pettit, a junior at Penn State University studying architectural engineering. “Have a vision in your head of your future. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

The leap from high school to college can be a significant transition for any student, but especially for STEM students, who must face the drastically different rigor of classes, according to Rachel Reid, a senior majoring in chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.

Sarah Scott, a 2012 Knoch graduate, is a senior at Gettysburg College majoring in math and English. With a minor in education, her plan is to become a teacher, meaning she needs a deep understanding of more abstract mathematics concepts, she said.

There comes a point in college where math no longer comes naturally to almost anyone, she said. Even the best students can struggle with abstract math concepts, but the amount of effort they put in is the key to breaking through that barrier.

“It's the willingness to push through,” Scott said.

Some of the Knoch graduates admit they did not know how to study when they left high school, which became a disadvantage for them in college.

Reid said she put significant pressure on herself to get A's in high school, which was not entirely realistic in college.

In fact, Rachel Stockert, a freshman at University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, said lower grades should not discourage girls from continuing on with science classes.

“Don't let one bad grade determine your future,” she said, having received a poor grade in a physics course her first semester at college.

Stockert looked to her father for advice, which gave her the motivation to continue pursuing civil engineering and technology, she said.

Just because a woman is not a natural at something is no reason for her to rule out the possibility, according to Sara Mills, a senior at Mercyhurst University majoring in chemistry with a minor in physics.

“I could not do chemistry worth anything (in high school),” she said. “It didn't come easy to me, but it was something that I wanted to put the time into.”

Smith believes women too often underestimate their abilities, she said, with women being more likely to feel as though they do not belong in a science-related field after they perform badly once.

Scott stressed the need to separate one's personal identity from school performance, she said.

Pettit seconded that, explaining that pursuing STEM classes in college also means adjusting your expectations.

“It takes some re-evaluation of your expectations,” Pettit said, explaining straight A's may no longer be feasible. “You also need to realize that once you're in college that it's a whole new game.”

But that's still not to say women can't put in all of the long hours and hard work needed to be a successful STEM student, the graduates stressed.

“Don't sell yourself short and keep plugging away,” Scott said.

The Knoch graduates did not promise the girls a smooth ride, but they did promise that it would be rewarding.

“What you're doing is worth it,” Scott said.

For Pettit, her knowledge and skill set can help increase the quality of life for others.

“You can use your education to help people who don't have what you have, to have what you have,” Pettit said.

Over her upcoming spring break, she will travel to Honduras to work on a water system project.

And that's not the only opportunity to take science out of the classroom, Smith said.

Mills will visit Switzerland and Germany to see a particle accelerator in the next few weeks. Scott was able to study in South Africa, using mathematic models to chart how a virus such as Ebola could spread in a given population in real time.

Reid will leave college with more than a year of real-life work experience, having worked for Cardno ChemRisk, a Pittsburgh scientific consulting firm, as part of her college's program.

Casey Fischer, who is a junior studying computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, had an internship with Google in California over the summer and hopes to return.

While Fischer told the younger girls they really should seek out opportunities themselves, STEM students are highly desired, she said.

“At some points, you don't even have to look for a job,” Fischer said. “They will look for you.”

Another piece of advice was to find a successful woman in STEM fields to be a role model, to show what is realistic and possible.

Lastly, younger women should not be intimidated by the males in the classroom, Pettit said.

“As you go on, you don't notice it. You're equal,” she said.