Some said they preferred the less structured, pressurised environment of arts subjects.
Arts subjects are seen as more prestigious, and only about 15% of university students graduate each year in science or technical subjects.
The research suggests teacher trainees in arts subjects such as history and English were more likely to have good degrees than those training to teach maths or science.
There have been several lobbying campaigns to add further subjects to the English Baccalaureate - including arts and religious education - with concerns that subjects outside this group could be marginalised.
Ninety miles northwest of Detroit, Michigan State started as the nation's pioneer land-grant university, charged with using public land to teach practical subjects to augment the liberal arts tradition.
It would include a range of A-levels, with an expectation that pupils would study a less narrow selection of subjects - such as studying sciences with an arts subject.
But the University and College Union (UCU) said the launch of the new college - and state funding cuts for arts, humanities and social sciences - would result in the subjects becoming the preserve of a "select few".
They also recommend that students should study a wider range of subjects, following the example of Singapore where students who study arts or humanities must also take a maths or science subject.
She also said the plan might have the unintended consequence of reducing the number of students studying science, technology, engineering and maths - the so-called STEM subjects - because students tend to get higher grades in the arts and humanities.
BBC: Top students expansion plan 'could hit social mobility'
About 18% of the academics were from the physical sciences, 21% from engineering and technology, 22% from the social sciences, 15% from clinical subjects, 13% from life sciences and 11% from the arts and humanities.
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