2018 College Track Social Mobility Report 2018 Social Mobility Report | Page 12

Predictors of better outcomes
INTERNSHIPS LEAD TO BETTER CAREER OUTCOMES
In our Spring 2017 survey, we asked a range
of questions about behaviors in college that
lead to better career outcomes. This year we
initiate a format for reporting our findings
as documented in Appendix B, Tables 1 and
2. The sample size is small for this type of
statistical analysis so the numerical findings
below have to be interpreted carefully:
4 One internship increases the rate of
securing full-time employment six months
after graduation by nearly 40% and two
internships by 45%;
4 Graduating from a “Best Fit” college
increases chance of employment by 20%;
4 Having faculty member mentor increases
chance of employment by 20%.
4 The most popular majors for our recent
4 We found no direct
relationship among
hours worked and career
outcomes, controlling for
GPA. However national
research continues to point
to the importance of not
relying too heavily on work
to pay for college so we will
keep telling our students
to work less than 15 hours
weekly. 9
We captured these
findings in easy tips
to share with college
students. ​ Do you
know a student in
college? Share our
tips with them.
COLLEGE TRACK
TIPS FOR INCREASING THE VALUE
OF YOUR COLLEGE DEGREE
1 keep your loans less than $30,000
2 get two internships
3 a higher gpa means a higher salary
4 work fewer than 15 hours per week
5 get a faculty mentor
graduates are Social Sciences (23%),
Psychology (23%), Liberal Arts (20%) and
STEM majors (20%). 8 We found that STEM
majors earn more, yet that graduates from
other majors enjoy a wage premium with
higher GPAs.
College Track
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