Background: Prior research on a culturally responsive summer computer science (CS) program for high school students found that demographic disparities remained in students’ likelihood of pursuing CS.

Purpose: This study investigates why such disparities might have emerged by exploring factors that may differentially influence students’ motivation to pursue CS. We center students’ perspectives and aim to offer recommendations for educators to create equitable and impactful CS learning experiences.

Methods: We interviewed nine high school students from the summer CS program and qualitatively analyzed their responses using a theoretical framework that identifies factors that shape students’ motivation to pursue CS.

Findings: Our analysis identified five potential influences on our participants’ motivation including: perceptions of their own and others’ CS ability, concerns about the climate in CS environments, stereotypes about computer scientists, competing interests in other careers, and narrow understandings about what CS can be used for.

Implications: Based on our findings, we offer the following recommendations to educators: (i) emphasize that CS ability is not innate and encourage collaboration among students with different experience levels, (ii) foster and highlight inclusive CS environments, (iii) challenge stereotypes about who belongs in CS, (iv) acknowledge students’ varied career interests, and (v) connect CS to students’ creativity, values, and personal interests.