The annual Seton Hall Survey of Baccalaureate Graduates collected data for the Class of 2011 online after a problem with Internet Explorer at cap-and-gown pick up that caused data from graduating seniors to become lost.
The survey collects data on baccalaureate graduates pertaining to career status, future employment, graduate school acceptance, satisfaction with first professional position and utilizations of The Career Center, according to Jacqueline Chaffin, Director of the Career Center.
The response rate for this survey averages anywhere from 75 to 85 percent completion by graduates each year, also according to Chaffin.
"We obtain a higher return rate than the national average for this type of senior exit survey because of our method of data collection. I anticipate that we will maintain a high response rate this year as well," Chaffin said.
Questions in the survey also inquire about starting salary, participation in career-based experiential education programs while at Seton Hall and professional employment offers as a result of said career-based experiential education.
Chaffin also said the Career Center has taken extra efforts to ensure that data is collected from as many graduates as possible after the problem encountered this year.
"This year's outcomes will be similar to 2010," said Chaffin. "However, I anticipate that the employment rates will be slightly higher and the percentage of graduates who participated in career based-experiential education programs such as internships will have increased as the economy and job markets have strengthened since 2010."
Also according to Chaffin, the reporting needs of accreditation and ranking entities include consistent survey questions about starting salary, employment and graduate school acceptance rates.
These core career status questions pertaining to employment and graduate school admission remain the same for comparison purposes each year, Chaffin said.
However, some of the survey questions are changed slightly each year to obtain additional insights and response on The Career Center's utilization rate and services, according to Chaffin.
An extensive report from the baccalaureate survey is shared with and reported to accreditation and ranking agencies as well as the leadership of the University, deans, department chairs, and faculty.
The Career Center also shares some of the data with current students as well as prospective students.
Some of the collected data can also be found on the Career Center website.
Charlotte Lewis can be reached at charlotte.lewis@student.shu.edu.
