The Observer, April 28, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 26
Just in CASE...
...you have plans after graduation
Ask Amy: I'm a graduating senior and have noticed recently that the Career Center wants me to complete something called the First Destination Survey which I understand asks me to report my post-graduation plans. Why are they interested in knowing this?
Dear Graduating Senior: Each year, the Career Center administers the First Destination Survey which is designed to capture the post-graduation plans (employment, graduate school, etc.) of all graduating seniors. The reason for this is twofold: 1) it aids the Career Center in improving its programs and services; and 2) it provides valuable information to the academic departments to help them understand how their students are doing in regards to outcomes.
For example, last year we learned that those students who participated in an internship, co-op, or practicum were 30 percent more likely to be gainfully employed than those who didn't, underlining the importance of experiential learning. In addition, compared to other institutions, a greater percentage (43 percent last year) of Case students continue their studies in either graduate or professional schools. Knowing this helps the Career Center align its programs with students' plans and also assists employers in setting realistic goals in regards to how many Case students they can expect to hire.
Some other interesting findings from last year's survey include the following:
–The most common experiential activity for students who reported going onto graduate school was research (40 percent).
–Eighty percent of students who reported being employed indicated that the position they found required a college degree and is related to their field of study.
–The number of students planning to attend medical school from the class of 2005 was 53 (or 22 percent of those planning to continue their studies).
If you're a graduating senior and have yet to complete the First Destination Survey, there's still time. You can access the survey by going to the Career Center's website at http://studentaffairs.case.edu/careers/. Those seniors who complete the survey during the month of April are eligible to win one of two iPods that the Center is giving away.
