Highlights
from the Graduating Senior Survey
December 2000- August 2001
Find out what our recent graduates say about the following areas by clicking each of the links:
Over 90% of graduating seniors reported that faculty were good or excellent in setting high expectations for them to learn, encouraging them to be actively involved learners and to devote sufficient time and energy to their coursework, developing opportunities for them to learn cooperatively with fellow students, and caring about their academic success and welfare.
Almost 90% of graduating seniors reported that faculty were good or excellent in respecting the diverse talents and ways of learning of them and their classmates, encouraging student-faculty interaction, in and out of the classroom, and giving them frequent and prompt feedback.
Overall graduating seniors rated faculty as good or excellent on all measures (93.4%).
Over 75% of graduating seniors reported advising was good or excellent concerning sufficient time with their advisors, accurate information about degree requirements, and advisor knowledge of campus policies. Slightly less (72%) reported good or excellent access to their academic advisor.
Over 90% of graduates reported library hours of operation, staff responsiveness, access to databases and collections as excellent or good.
At least 90% reported good or excellent access to the Internet, hours of operations for labs, etc., access to up-to-date facilities, and overall services. Over 80% of graduates reported good or excellent training classes and access to trained staff for help.
Of those graduates that used Career Services, 81% reported that their opportunity for career assistance was good or excellent. Approximately 80% of graduates reported the resources for career options and information available to them on internships, etc. was good or excellent. Eighty-seven percent reported that information available through computers was good or excellent. Seventy-six percent of graduates reported access to employment opportunities and resume preparation as good or excellent. Eighty-three percent reported career-related services as good or excellent.
Western's Contribution to Basic Skill Areas:
Over 90% of graduates reported that Western contributed very much or somewhat to their writing, listening, speaking, comprehension, analytic skills, and the ability to function as part of a team.
At least 85% reported that Western contributed very much or somewhat to developing computer skills, recognizing and acting on ethical principals, applying scientific methods or inquiry, and working with people from diverse backgrounds.
Three-fourths of graduates reported Western contributed very much or somewhat to using math skills and 83% reported that Western contributed to appreciating racial equity.
Student Services/Opportunities/Offices:
Reporting Good/Excellent |
||
Process |
Staff |
|
| 1. Registration | 81% |
82% |
| 2. Financial aid | 78 |
78 |
| 3. Campus food | 36 |
56 |
| 4. Campus health | 68 |
74 |
| 5. Campus counseling (not career) services | 72 |
75 |
| 6. Business services/cashier/student accounts | 72 |
75 |
| 7. Campus residence life programs for students living in university-owned housing | 58 |
63 |
| 8. Opportunities to participate in campus recreational and other extra-curricular or co-curricular activities | 79 |
|
| 9. Opportunities to participate in community service projects | 70 |
|
| 10. Opportunities to develop leadership skills | 74 |
Graduates were least satisfied with campus food services citing price for the quantity of food received as one of the major factors.
As seniors, 42% of graduates reported that they worked 20 or more hours per week for pay during their last year at Western. Of those working, 26% reported that they used most of the income for room and board followed by entertainment (22%) and other (18%). Seventy percent of graduates reported living off-campus during their senior year.
One-third of graduates reported that at graduation they were still seeking a job, while 28% reported that they had accepted a job and 8% reported continuing in their current job. Thirteen percent reported continuing their education in graduate school either full-time or part-time.
Ninety-five percent of graduates reported that the overall quality of instruction in their major was excellent or good while 85% reported the overall quality of instruction as excellent or good. Ninety-four percent reported that the overall education they received at Western was excellent or good.