So true! I actually asked some people if they ever received a survey or something asking them about their career and earnings after graduation and some of them said they did, but never filled it out and sent it in. And others said that they never received anything of the sort that they know of. My school has never sent anything, but you can go on their website and fill something out…but not everyone is going to take the time to do that.
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we need to start with the realization that self-reported anecdotes are not data. (AP Stats)
Not even sure how a college coudl “reasonably verify” the graduate outcomes. Are they asking teh graduate to send in a copy of their first pay stub? Do they even have the staffing for that?
It’s mostly GIGO, yet students and parents on cc continue to compare colleges based on a somehow derived salary “survey”
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We looked at this only when comparing 2 similar colleges and took it as just one data point. First, my student is not going into a high paying career necessarily and second the salary numbers can change a lot based on region and how many kids go into business. We noted outcomes for women’s colleges lagged. Why? Because sadly women still make less at the same jobs, and many more go into career fields like education. We noted colleges in the northeast posted the best “outcomes” because salaries are just higher in NYC and Boston. So, I agree that outcomes stats are problematic.
What do people here think of career outcome reports for professional school programs such as law schools, as summarized at LawHub — Law School Transparency ?
law school grad data is solid as much of its based on publically-available school reports required by the ABA. Of course, a school could cheat its regulator, and it happens from time to time, but cheating in academia is a big no-no and would not be a good look for the LS Dean who signs the reports.
BINGO!! Mike drop!
IMO, if you want a high paying Big Law job, you either graduate from a T14 school (middle pack or higher) or if you go to a lower ranked school, you must graduate somewhere in the top 5-15% of your class, depending on the school.
If your goal is to be a public defender, work at a smaller firm, or go solo, then the law school ranking doesnt matter as much.
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Solo practice isn’t what it used to be. Tough making a living on residential real estate closings, basic wills, routine slip and falls.
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In house counsel jobs are no longer considered cushy either. Depending on the company, you may be working 60+ hours/week and you dont get paid that well.
You have to be find companies with growth potential and get lots of restricted stock, stock options etc to make really good money, just like middle/upper management.
More “reports”…
From the article, #1 fastest growing city for new grads: Tuscon, AZ.
Please, people, don’t come here. It’s hot, really hot*. And we have snakes and scary bugs. You won’t like it here. Go to California. Please.
(*She says posting from Maine.)
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This is actually how I feel about Tucson…everything there is always trying to hurt me 
Separately, I actually looked at that LinkedIn report yesterday and it seems well done with a large sample size and multi year data. With that said, it’s just another data point that people can use. Many of the points it makes about getting jobs are what CC posters regularly espouse here.
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Maine, where it is cold, really cold, and they have apex predator large clawed lobsters and mosquitos bigger than Volkswagens.
Choatie you are a bit of a geographic thrill seeker or masochist😀
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We have a relative who lives in Tucson. THe family origin moved there b/c there were not a lot o landscaped lawns which helped their allergies. Then more people moved in… and landscaped their lawns! Many still have mostly rocs r lawns but there is a lot more greenery ana lot more sneezing now!
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We never considered career outcome reports. The two jobs I have had for most of my adult career did not exist when I was in college (or grad school). So, my guidance to the kids was to learn how to think in a variety of ways and acquire some skills that could be marketable. They could use internships to try out different jobs (this did not really happen). From a career standpoint, it was/is important to figure out what each kid was good at and then choose a career area that played to the kids’ strengths. The kids have very different interests and strengths but both picked career paths that fit their interests and strengths pretty well and enjoying success. I don’t know where they will be 10 or 15 years from now, but the economy, politics and technology will change and they will no doubt be doing something a little or a lot different by then.
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