<p>The above story discusses the difficulties recent grads are having getting jobs and that many are getting jobs that do not require a college degree bringing up the recent thoughts and articles about whether or not a college degree is still worth having.</p>
<p>I'm posting this here because I would like to hear of "success" stories of recent Smith grads who have found real jobs post graduation (and not just going on to grad school).</p>
<p>I'm keeping my fingers crossed that in 4 years the economy will be better so that my own daughter will have some real prospects for a meaningful career!</p>
<p>It’s disheartening, but perhaps not appropo except for ADAs. The average undergraduate student in the U.S. is 24.7 years old; the average graduate older than that. The largest university in the U.S. by far is the University of Phoenix (graduating as many students itself as the top 30 liberal arts colleges). </p>
<p>The job market IS tough. There are variations by geographical area (where there were few layoffs to begin with, the market for new hires may be stronger) and in certain industries (there was a huge consolidation in banking and financial services).</p>
<p>My eldest graduated from Colgate in 2008. She was employed for 6 months, then laid off. She was unable to find another job - she even started applying for jobs waiting tables, which she had experience at during college! She decided to return to school Fall 2009, just graduated with a second bachelors this past weekend, and is now going to grad school.</p>
<p>Her brother will graduate next week from Stevens with a BE in Biomedical Engineering. He has a job offer at a biomedical firm (he did his co-op there) waiting for him after graduation.</p>
<p>My Smithie is a rising Junior, and I have an incoming Lehigh Freshman, so we will see how it is for them.</p>
<p>My elder daughter just graduated from Seton Hall and had an interview yesterday and has another coming up. Hopefully she’ll get something quickly to help with those student loans!</p>
<p>My younger one’s biggest problem (American U. 2011) has been figuring out how to turn jobs down. She is an accounting graduate with an international slant, and is working this summer at a very high paying internship at KPMG. Then graduate school for an M.S. and a CPA in the fall. Thus far, she has turned down all offers to work while in grad school, though some have paid very well indeed. But I know this is not the norm.</p>
<p>The Times article talks about it being hardest for those in the humanities. Accounting, engineering, computer majors, etc. seem to be having the best experience post grad, as always. My d has always been worried about finding a job after college and was drawn to Northeastern because of their co-op program. I know that Smith is a much better fit, but I hope we don’t regret her not going to a school with a co-op program which gives students such great real-world experience, not to mention, job contacts.</p>
<p>That is what drew my son in the end to decide for Northeastern-I have heard so many success stories and when he was making his decision that was finally the last tipping point. But he also felt it was the best overall fit for him so it all worked out-who knows until they go though, right?</p>
<p>Remember though, we are also talking about this year-your daughter won’t be graduating and looking for a job for four years, my son at least four and possibly five depending on how many co-ops he does. Things will not be the same-they may be worse, or they may be better.</p>
<p>I would think if Smith was a much better fit she made the right choice. :)</p>
<p>USM, between the Smith alumni network and the internships, etc., I think your D will do as well as anyone and better than most. I think being a dual-threat—having both good writing skills and some level of quant skills to go along with critical thinking—increases your odds, even for humanities majors.</p>
<p>Students at non-coop schools have nearly as many opptys (3 summers as opposed to 4 quarters an N’eastern) via internships. Also, many of the on-campus jobs provide excellent experience. For 3 years, D had campus job related to her major and last year she worked in development (experience that has come in handy now that she has begun to apply for jobs). Many of D’s classmates already have jobs; D does not, but she hasn’t begun her search in earnest (she never even went to CDO . . . ).</p>
<p>I think the real diff is that unis offer professional degrees and LACs do not. A Smith student majoring in arch really graduates w/ a BA in Art - - not the first professional degree in arch (BArch). OTOH, pre-professional study is so specific/targeted, that if you change you mind about your major, it will take at least an addit year to graduate. Also, even among LAC grads, those w/ STEM majors/prep fare better than those who majored in soc-sci or humanities.</p>
<p>It can be a struggle, both my '07 & '09 grads are presently employed, although it wasn’t easy due to layoffs and temp jobs. I am hoping our '13 & '14 will have an easier time.</p>
<p>It has always been a rough go for those kids with liberal arts or other majors that do not land you directly into a field hungry for applicants. Nursing, other health field careers, many engineers, accountants were doing well in the job hunts even when things were virtually at a standstill in our economy. But I am finding, living here in a well to do area, that a number of the kids getting jobs tend to have family contacts to get them the first foot in the door, and it really doesn’t matter where those kids went to college. The exception to this is getting a degree that is sought after. The acctg majors from the SUNYs and CUNYs are doing better than many of the ivy grads, a lot in great sounding internships that are not paying them a living wage and are not serious career track positions. </p>
<p>That same article could have been written any year in the last 40 years since I was in college.</p>
<p>The Smith CDO gave all of us seniors in 2009 (when the recession was even worse than it is today, by quite a bit) good advice: Yes, it’s hard. But you have the best possible tools for success here. You should not be afraid. But you should use this as a challenge a wake up call. </p>
<p>Basically, they were telling us that even in a really tough market, a Smith degree can get you places. But you can’t be lackadaisacal about it. If we wanted jobs, they wanted us to know that we would need to fight for them, much harder than ever before. And they would be there to arm us with the best possible preparation, not just academically, but in terms of the things that make you sucessful in the career marketplace: having a well crafted resume and cover letter that exhibits you to your best advantage, being practiced and comfortable with interviews, having a strong network of contacts to draw on. </p>
<p>All I can say is that nearly all of my friends from the class of 09 are gainfully employed, and were employed either before or shortly after graduation. Not all of us are working in the field we studied or the field we imagined we would be in, but we’re in jobs that let us be self sufficient and help us build toward our goals. </p>
<p>I got a great job right out of college in the deep middle of a recession thanks to contacts I made while at Smith in the Picker Semester in Washington program.If anything, the economy has improved since then and (hopefully) will continue to improve.</p>
<p>“even in a really tough market, a Smith degree can get you places. But you can’t be lackadaisacal about it”</p>
<p>One of D’s classmates reported that, last year, an alum chided her (the classmate) for not having been more assertive in and commited to her search for an internships. The classmate took the alum’s words to heart, re-wrote her resume/comer letter, reviewed both w/ CDO, took advantage of a number of CDO services, applied to jobs in Boston, found an apt in Boston (via craigslist) - - and had rec’d a job offer just before graduation! The classmate - - ever gracious - - credited the alum with kick-starting (jumpstarting?) the entire process.</p>
<p>I think the CDO preps Smith grads-to-be better than most. I’ve seen some resumes that have been prepared under the supervision and review of counselors at other institutions. <glyph of=“” tossing=“” cookies=“”></glyph></p>
<p>One piece of advice I offer is: don’t confuse quantity of applications with quality.</p>
<p>Both SMP and FP offer great anecdotes that job-seekers of any age should take to heart. Too many people think that doing a co-op/internship or attending “the” school is the magic ticket to a well-paying job. The education and experience merely lay the groundwork for it, and it’s up to the student to work hard and network to get there. Some people (again, not just young adults) see the eggs, butter, and flour on the counter and expect them to come together to make a cake. They don’t consider that they have to find the recipe, learn the techniques, and do the work to bake the cake.</p>
<p>Attending Smith or any other college is not going to get you a job. But I think that the skills, support, and network at Smith go a long way toward helping students find employment.</p>
<p>The same thing was true for me mini. I also attend a tier 4 school that most people on this forum would sneer at. I still get phone calls from CPA firms all over California. The BS in Accounting prepares you for the real world of accounting. Leadership experience and internship experience with good grades makes you stand out. </p>
<p>College in many fields does a poor job of preparing you for the real world. A liberal studies graduate with a >3.5 gpa and no work experience is going to wait tables for a very long time. I have a few friends that went to stanford and berkely that work as waiters, retail clerks and manual laborers. They all majored in art, asian studies, english, and other unmarketable degrees. </p>
<p>I also have friends that have associated degrees in correctional science that work as prison guards pulling down 120k a year at age 22. I know one that made over 160k at age 28. Take that Harvard grads!!!</p>
<p>The same thing was true for me mini. I also attend a tier 4 school that most people on this forum would sneer at. I still get phone calls from CPA firms all over California. The BS in Accounting prepares you for the real world of accounting. Leadership experience and internship experience with good grades makes you stand out. </p>
<p>College in many fields does a poor job of preparing you for the real world. A liberal studies graduate with a >3.5 gpa and no work experience is going to wait tables for a very long time. I have a few friends that went to stanford and berkely that work as waiters, retail clerks and manual laborers. They all majored in art, asian studies, english, and other unmarketable degrees. </p>
<p>I also have friends that have associate degrees in correctional science that work as prison guards pulling down 120k a year at age 22. I know one that made over 160k at age 28. Take that Harvard grads!!!</p>