Check placement rates before committing to OSU

MarcusOSU
Mon, 29 Feb 2016 04:12:42 +0000

I think the issue also has to do with the fact that people approach pre-professional majors with a skewed set of expectations–that majoring in X hot thing will guarantee a job. Unfortunately, our economy is such that not even business or engineering majors get a free pass anymore. Being unemployed for a year after college is not unusual in this day and age, even for engineers.

Having said that, I do agree that these weak placement rates are probably related to some systemic problems at Ohio State–that the sheer size of the school makes it difficult to make connections, get recommendations, and network effectively. You are truly a number at OSU.

It’s not surprising to me that the schools that actually have the best track records for cultivating great STEM talent are the “Oberlin 50.” Percentage wise, they produce more people who go on to get doctorates than R1 schools. (I know that getting a doctorate is not the same thing as getting a job, but I point this out because I think it demonstrates that smaller schools set students up for long-term success). http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/