An Exploratory Study of Improving Career Readiness in Higher Education: The Recent College Graduate Perspective

• In Event: 56.081 - Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 56.081-12 - Sources of Support for Students Across the Educational Pipeline

Abstract

Given the increasing need for colleges to better prepare students for their post-college careers, this exploratory study aimed to determine some potential areas in which colleges can improve in fostering students’ career-readiness, based on the student perspective. Recent college graduates who responded to a survey about college habits and post-college outcomes were asked at the end of the survey to identify ways their school could have better prepared them for their careers. Responses were coded manually and also compared based on respondents’ performance on the CLA+, a test of higher-order thinking skills, as well as school sector. Common themes among responses are discussed.

Author

• Olivia Rose Cortellini, Council for Aid to Education