Five years after graduation, the overwhelming majority of the members of the State System of Higher Education’s Class of ’92 rate the quality of education they received as “good” or “excellent.”
Most say that if they had it to do all over, they would choose to attend the same university again, citing the quality of the classes they took, the convenient locations of the institutions, the cost of attending and the “positive personal experiences” they had while in college.
How good was the education they received?
Ninety-three percent of those who responded to a recent alumni survey reported they are working, most in their chosen field. Of those who aren’t currently employed, nearly all said they have stopped working outside of the home either to raise children or to attend graduate school. Fewer than 1 percent said they cannot find jobs.
“The results of this survey indicate that our 14 state-owned universities are achieving their missions of providing high-quality, affordable education to Pennsylvania residents,” said State System Chancellor James H. McCormick. “Our alumni know us best. The fact that so many of them would choose one of our institutions again, and that the vast majority are working within their chosen field of study -- and remaining in Pennsylvania -- is the strongest possible endorsement of the System.”
The alumni survey was conducted on behalf of the System by Millersville University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Opinion Research. Nearly 2,500 graduates of the 14 state-owned universities were contacted by telephone last fall for the survey. A similar survey of still-enrolled students was conducted for the State System in 1996.
The largest employment category reported by the alumni who participated in the latest survey is education, with one-third of the 1992 graduates saying they are working as teachers. Eighteen percent said they are working in the service industry, and 10 percent each reported being employed in management or professions.
Slightly more than half of the survey respondents said they have taken additional college classes since graduating, with about 30 percent saying they since have earned an advanced degree, a professional license or professional certification.
About three-fourths of the alumni said the State System school they attended was their top overall choice during their college search. Most of those said they would choose the same institution again, and likely would choose the same major. Seventy-nine percent of the respondents said they believe the university they attended did an “excellent” or “good” job of preparing them for a career.
Most of the alumni reported that their undergraduate experience met or exceeded their expectations.
Three out of every four graduates continue to live in Pennsylvania. Only New Jersey (5 percent), Maryland (4 percent) and Virginia (3 percent) have more than two percent of these alumni living within their borders. Three in five ’92 alumni own their own home and more than two-thirds had total household income above $30,000 in 1996. One in five earned more than $50,000.
Eighty-five percent of the survey respondents said they are registered voters and three-fourths reported voting in the 1996 presidential election. Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) perform volunteer community service.
There is a strong similarity between the results of the alumni survey and the student satisfaction survey conducted in 1996.
Sixty-nine percent of the students surveyed said the institution they were attending was their top choice, and 81 percent said they would attend the same university if they could start college over.
The State System of Higher Education comprises 14 universities throughout the Commonwealth, and is the largest provider of higher education in the state. One of every 29 Pennsylvanians is attending or is a graduate of a System university. The State System is the 17th largest employer in the state, with more than 11,700 employees.
The 14 state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers.