Employment rates of grad schools?

[justanotherlostgrrl]

Anyone have any reputable sites that give you the employment rate of graduates, ideally in design related programs? I'm evaluating several schools and want to see what data is available - but they're cagey on their Web sites about showing how many graduates are employed in their chosen field, and while written reviews of a school are useful, I want some data that lets me know that x number of grads have found work.

[wildlifer]

Is there a way you could maybe find alumni of the program(s) you're looking into? Like a list of recent graduates? That might be a way of getting the information you're seeking. /shrug Just an idea! 

[lyrehc]

What about the academic/professional organization for your field?  Many of them list school acceptance, completion, and placement rates.

[justanotherlostgrrl]

What about the academic/professional organization for your field?  Many of them list school acceptance, completion, and placement rates.

 

That's a good idea to check - unfortunately it's a lot of 'x is a great schoo that has a great reputation', but less around placement rates and hard numbers.  I will look into it, though... thank you!

[justanotherlostgrrl]

Is there a way you could maybe find alumni of the program(s) you're looking into? Like a list of recent graduates? That might be a way of getting the information you're seeking. /shrug Just an idea! 

 

That is a good idea... I'm trying to find the right alumni to contact, and have found a few of them on Facebook.  I'm specifically trying to find ones who were hesitant on applying to grad school just so I can confirm if it's the right decision for me.

[juilletmercredi]

I don't think you will find a clearinghouse of this kind of information.

 

First of all, the schools would have to collect them.  But many programs do not, either because they are unable (in that they don't have the resources or time to devote to that) or unwilling (because their placement rates are not good or they simply don't want to know and want to advertise in other ways).  If the schools are cagey on their OWN websites, then they are very unlikely to release that information to a neutral website to publish it out there for all to see.  Some schools do collect the data and just refuse to release it publicly - they use it to help them make decisions about new course offerings, certificate programs, and career services, but not necessarily to give to others.

 

Secondly, the school would have to be honest about the information and not twist it to their own favor.  For example, law schools are required to release this information because of the ABA's standards, but it's well-known that many law schools find ways to inflate the numbers.  One is by counting people who have any kind of employment - even if it's as a barista or retail manager.  Another is by giving graduates jobs just long enough to count then as employed in the survey (e.g., if the survey is employment 6 months after graduating, the law school gives them a low-paying internship from month 6 to month 12 or something, then cuts them loose).

 

So yes, I think you are unlikely to find this kind of information on the web and be able to trust that it is accurate and meaningful.  With that said, though, I agree with the suggestion to contact alumni.  They won't have hard numbers, but they might have a sense of at least how many from their own social circle were able to get employment from the program, and how long it took them.

 

But I wouldn't expect their answers to help you confirm whether grad school is right for you - that's a decision that you really have to make on your own.  Every body goes through a different decision-making process, and just because one or a few alumni were originally hesitant, changed their minds and now are infinitely glad they did doesn't mean that you will be, too.

[justanotherlostgrrl]

I don't think you will find a clearinghouse of this kind of information.

 

First of all, the schools would have to collect them.  But many programs do not, either because they are unable (in that they don't have the resources or time to devote to that) or unwilling (because their placement rates are not good or they simply don't want to know and want to advertise in other ways).  If the schools are cagey on their OWN websites, then they are very unlikely to release that information to a neutral website to publish it out there for all to see.  Some schools do collect the data and just refuse to release it publicly - they use it to help them make decisions about new course offerings, certificate programs, and career services, but not necessarily to give to others.

 

Secondly, the school would have to be honest about the information and not twist it to their own favor.  For example, law schools are required to release this information because of the ABA's standards, but it's well-known that many law schools find ways to inflate the numbers.  One is by counting people who have any kind of employment - even if it's as a barista or retail manager.  Another is by giving graduates jobs just long enough to count then as employed in the survey (e.g., if the survey is employment 6 months after graduating, the law school gives them a low-paying internship from month 6 to month 12 or something, then cuts them loose).

 

So yes, I think you are unlikely to find this kind of information on the web and be able to trust that it is accurate and meaningful.  With that said, though, I agree with the suggestion to contact alumni.  They won't have hard numbers, but they might have a sense of at least how many from their own social circle were able to get employment from the program, and how long it took them.

 

But I wouldn't expect their answers to help you confirm whether grad school is right for you - that's a decision that you really have to make on your own.  Every body goes through a different decision-making process, and just because one or a few alumni were originally hesitant, changed their minds and now are infinitely glad they did doesn't mean that you will be, too.

 

Thanks so much for this, julietmercredi.  It's funny because I do see lots of statistics and data from community colleges and other private educational 'professional training' companies that do focusing on how well grads have done in finding work in their industry.  The school has a great reputation, and I see that a lot of the alumni are working in my field at great companies - it's just a huge life change and I want to make sure that this part of the answer of if it's for me is answered.  It's a big motivating factor for me - that it's a well thought of program, and that graduates are successful, but it's one thing to read happy stories - it's another thing to see the figures   Now the tough part is contact alumni to get their views on the school and even to find out what I want to ask them.

Edited September 19, 2014 by just another lost girl