Follow-Up Study of 1982 Harper Career Alumni. Volume XII, No. 15 [microform] / John A. Lucas

As part of an ongoing evaluation of the career programs at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC), a follow-up study was conducted of 1982 program graduates and results were compared with those from earlier surveys. Questionnaires were sent to 634 students who graduated from career programs in 1981-82, requesting demographic information, current education or employment status, and views of WRHC programs and services. Study findings, based on responses from 80.1% (N=508) of the graduates, revealed: (1) Nursing and Data Processing programs continued to graduate the greatest number of students; (2) compared to previous years, a greater percentage of the respondents (47.4%) were employed full-time and not in college and a lower percentage (36%) were continuing their education a year after graduation; (3) 42.9% of the 1982 alumni were working in fields identical to their major at WRHC; (4) of those not working in their field of study, 36% said they could not find a job in their field, 41% preferred or could earn more money in another field, and 18% were still enrolled in college; (5) the average annual salary of employed alumni was $16,734 per year, representing an 18% increase over that of 1980 survey respondents; (6) the characteristics of the college rated most highly by the respondents were the survival skills course, the teaching faculty, the learning resources center, disabled/hearing impaired services, and the selection of courses; and (7) 88.5% of the respondents never took part in extracurricular activities while in college. The questionnaire and extensive data tables detailing results are included in the report. (HB)