What Happened to the Class of 2009?

Results from National Association of Colleges and Employer’s 2010-11 Career Services Benchmark Survey show that:

• On average, less than 64 percent of the Class of 2009 had jobs within six to seven months of graduating, down substantially from the Class of 2008 (68 percent) and the Class of 2007 (75 percent) for the same timeframe.
• Although nearly 26 percent of the Class of 2009 anticipated going to graduate or professional school (source: 2009 Student Survey), only 22 percent actually did so. In comparison, 23.8 percent from the Class of 2008 actually went to graduate/professional school, closely matching expectations (23.8 percent reported such plans, in the 2008 Student Survey).
• Faced with a tough job market and, apparently, not able to wait it out in graduate school, more members of the Class of 2009 opted to start their own businesses than was the case in 2008. The percent reporting engaging in entrepreneurial activities rose from 2.5 percent among Class of 2008 graduates to 3.9 percent for the Class of 2009.

The 2010-11 Career Services Benchmark Survey for Four-Year Colleges and Universities was conducted September 15 through November 30, 2010. A total of 750 career centers took part, for a response rate of 54 percent.

Source: Spotlight for Career Services Professionals, February 2, 2011