Statistics Show Odds Are In Favor of Southwestern Graduates

Graduation weekend, May 5-7, is just around the corner. This year, a total of 149 students are graduating from Southwestern Adventist University in addition to four guest graduates from various schools.  Nearly all the graduates are holding their breaths in expectation of that long-awaited day. Most can’t wait for the last few days of finals to be over so they can walk down the aisle in their cap and gown, get their diploma, and get on with life.

But what will happen to these graduates after they walk out of those doors? What is reality for these students going to look like? Are they likely to get jobs or go to graduate school after they graduate?

According to Tom Bunch, director of instuitional research at Southwestern Adventist University, job placement rates for the graduating class of 2013-2014 are:

• 62% of the graduates were employed in their profession
• 11% are furthering their studies at graduate school
• 6% are not working or taking advanced education in their field
• 20% are unaccounted for
• 1% are missionaries.

For the graduating class of 2014-2015 rates are:

• 65% are employed in their profession
• 9% are furthering their studies in graduate school
• 8% are not working or taking advanced education in their field
• 17% are unaccounted for
• 1% are missionaries/ Adventist Colleges Abroad

If one considers that 20% of 2014 graduates and 17% of 2015 graduates weren’t accounted for in these statistics, that still leaves 73% and 74%, respectively, who are either working in their field or in graduate study. But being unaccounted for doesn’t mean they aren’t doing something meaningful. Eliminate that category from the equation and the number of graduates who are either working in the field or in graduate study jumps to 91% and 89% respectively. That’s quite respectable, and promising.

In addition, as of 2015, 100% of recent graduates from biology, computer science, math, education, English, music and theology are employed or in grad school. There is also a 97% success rate with students passing their nursing boards on their first try.

“High job and graduate program placement rates suggest that our academic departments are doing an excellent job preparing Southwestern students for life after college,” says Dr. Amy Rosenthal, vice president for academic administration. “These rates also indicate that Southwestern graduates have the character, knowledge, and skills that employers are looking for.”

Van-Dai Ly, a senior biology premed major and a graduate this year, has high hopes for her future. “My professors were always great mentors. They encouraged me to strive for academic excellence and assisted me extensively during my application process,” she says. “In general, Southwestern has sufficiently equipped me and prepared me before I go to medical school.”

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