The Millennial College Graduate Report was directed by Dr. Larry Chiagouris, author of “The Secret to Getting a Job After College” and a leading national authority on marketing, higher education and employment. The study found that contrary to a frequent narrative that has been reported in recent years, a majority of college graduates value the education that they received. Most also report that their degrees prepared them for employment and they would not change the decision they made to attend college.
However, the survey does reveal that a sizable minority hold less than positive views which indicate there is more work to be done by colleges and students to obtain greater career-related value from their education. In many instances, millennials acknowledge their own culpability in not taking more advantage of career services, advice from professors and internships.
The survey was conducted among 1,023 millennial college graduates. Key findings include:
· Two-thirds of respondents agreed that obtaining a degree prepared them for employment and about 61% would recommend the college that they graduated from to friends or colleagues.
· However, more than 33% of the respondents agreed that their college overpromised and under delivered how well prepared they would be for employment after graduation.
· The responsibility for career progress, or lack of it, also resides with the graduates. Only about half of respondents made extensive efforts to seek career advice from their professors and only 40% fully utilized the services offered to them through their college/university career services department.
· 58% stated that they wish they had taken more advantage of internship opportunities during their college years and 69% admitted they did not do enough career planning before accepting their first job.
Download the full report: The Millennial College Graduate Report