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Office of Assessment
Alumni Survey Results
Survey of 2000-2001 Graduates
Executive Summary
This report summarizes the results of a survey of 804 alumni who graduated during the 2000-2001 academic year. The survey was conducted by mail in the spring of 2002.
The Responding Sample
The final sample consisted of 207 Winthrop University alumni, or 26% of the population. Characteristics of the sample included:
• 83% were female; 17% were male
• 91% had been full-time students at Winthrop
• 79% attained baccalaureate degrees; 21% received graduate degrees
• 19% were African-Americans, and another 3% were other minorities
• 14% had entered Winthrop as New Start students
Perceived Quality of Education
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of alumni indicated that they would attend Winthrop again if they had the chance to start college over.
Alumni satisfaction with various components of their educational experience at Winthrop is summarized in Table 1. Please note that ratings for general education were solicited from undergraduate alumni only.
TABLE 1
Alumni Satisfaction with Academic Experiences at Winthrop
| |
Gen. Ed. Program |
Gen. Ed. Instruction |
Major Program |
Major Instruction |
Overall Academic Experience |
| Very Satisfied |
26% |
24% |
66% |
61% |
49% |
| Satisfied |
59% |
56% |
24% |
26% |
43% |
| Somewhat Satisfied |
12% |
16% |
7% |
9% |
5% |
| Somewhat Dissatisfied |
3% |
3% |
2% |
3% |
2% |
| Dissatisfied |
0% |
0% |
2% |
1% |
1% |
| Very Dissatisfied |
0% |
0% |
0% |
1% |
0% |
Results suggest that almost three times as many undergraduate alumni report being “very satisfied” with curricula and instruction in majors than with general education. Satisfaction with major programs and instruction continues to rise, and is once again higher than in the last one-year alumni survey.
Respondents who obtained undergraduate degrees were also asked to rate the quality of specific areas of general education at Winthrop. The percentages of “excellent” and “good” ratings given in response to questions about the quality of general education are summarized for alumni graduating in 1986-87, 1991-92, and 2000-01 in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Percent of Undergraduate Alumni Giving “Excellent” or “Good” Ratings
to Preparation in Specific Areas of General Education
| General Education
Area |
Alumni Group by Year of
Graduation |
| 1986-87 |
1991-92 |
2000-01 |
| Writing Effectively |
64% |
83% |
85% |
| Speaking Effectively |
66% |
70% |
77% |
| Using Computers/Technology* |
- |
- |
73% |
| Understanding Written Information |
73% |
88% |
84% |
| Critical Thinking |
71% |
83% |
83% |
| Using Mathematics |
43% |
53% |
46% |
| Understanding Scientific Principles |
44% |
58% |
57% |
| Knowledge of Humanities |
61% |
79% |
78% |
| Understanding Different Cultures |
58% |
76% |
81% |
| Being a Well-Rounded, Educated Adult |
83% |
89% |
84% |
*Note: This item on computers/technology did not appear on the survey of 1986-87 and 1991-92 graduates.
As is indicated, at least 7 out of 10 2000-01 undergraduate alumni rated their preparation in all listed areas of general education except mathematics and understanding scientific principles as “excellent” or “good.”
Undergraduates who were required to attend a minimum number of cultural events as part of their baccalaureate requirements were asked how helpful the requirement was in stimulating interest in postgraduate cultural opportunities. Less than one in five (18%) rated it “very helpful,” with 23% saying it was “moderately helpful,” 31% saying it was “slightly helpful,” and 25% saying it was “not helpful.” Fewer alumni than in previous years rated the requirement as “very helpful.”
Postgraduate Education
Data on how many Winthrop alumni had applied to, and been accepted in, graduate programs are summarized in Table 3.
TABLE 3
Alumni Applying to and Accepted in Graduate Programs
Within One Year of Graduation
| |
Winthrop
Status |
| Undergraduate |
Graduate |
| % Applying to graduate school after Winthrop |
28% |
20% |
| % Accepted in graduate school |
26% |
18% |
| Acceptance rate (% applying who were accepted) |
91% |
88% |
Over the past two years, the percent of both undergraduate and graduate alumni applying to graduate programs within one year of graduation has decreased. Nonetheless, the acceptance rate to such programs remains very high (91% for undergraduates and 88% for graduate alumni).
More than three out of four (77%) of those who continued their education said that Winthrop prepared them “very well” or “more than adequately,” with only 5% rating their preparation as “less than adequate.” Education and Arts and Sciences were the fields of study for most respondents pursuing postgraduate studies (27% in each field) followed by Business (12%), Visual and Performing Arts (3%), and Law (2%). The percent of alumni pursuing postgraduate studies in Education was down substantially from the 53% of 1991-92 alumni while the percent
pursuing postgraduate studies in Business was down from the 25% of 1995-96 graduates.
Career Preparation and Employment
About 84% of alumni reported having held a full-time job since graduation with 82% of those seeking full-time employment reporting full-time employment within 3 months of graduation (96% of those seeking employment obtained such employment within 6 months). About 65% of the employed alumni reported their occupations to be moderately or highly related to their majors (the same as the 65% of 1995-96 alumni).
Most alumni learned of their first job from a personal contact (35%) or from other informal means (30%). Among other sources, the internet is an increasingly important source (13% of 2000-2001 graduates, versus only 4% of 1998-99 graduates learned of their first job via the internet). About 8% learned of the job from a newspaper ad, followed by information from their academic department (7%), private recruiting agency (5%), Winthrop Career Services (2%) and Employment Security Commission (1%).
About 53% of employed alumni obtained their first job in South Carolina (the same as among 1998-99 graduates), with another 31% obtaining their first job in other southeastern states. The most typical starting salary (obtained by 22% of alumni) was in the $25,000 to $29,999 range but 23% took jobs paying less than $20,000 (up from 13% of 1998-99 graduates) and 12% obtained salaries of $40,000 or more.
The percent of alumni reporting that they used various career services and the percent rating such services as “excellent” or “good” are summarized in Table 4 below.
TABLE 4
Percent of Undergraduate Alumni Reporting Use and Perceived Quality
of Various Career Services at Winthrop
| |
Year of Graduation |
| 1986-87 |
1991-92 |
1998-99 |
2000-01 |
| Received career advising in major department |
75% |
82% |
92% |
99% |
| Those receiving such service who rated it “excellent” or “good” |
22% |
53% |
69% |
71% |
| Received career guidance services through Department of Career Services |
60% |
63% |
61% |
66% |
| Those receiving such services who rated them “excellent” or “good” |
27% |
45% |
47% |
48% |
| Received job search assistance through Department of Career Services |
52% |
56% |
57% |
60% |
| Those receiving such service who rated it “excellent” or “good” |
26% |
50% |
53% |
49% |
Ninety percent (90%) of employed alumni reported being at least adequately prepared for their current occupation, with 55% indicating that they were “more than adequately” or “very well” prepared.
Personal Growth and Development
The great majority of alumni (84%) rated the opportunities for personal growth and development at Winthrop as good or excellent.
The percentages of undergraduate alumni reporting participation in activities while at Winthrop are summarized in Table 5 below.
TABLE 5
Percent of Undergraduate Alumni
Reporting Participation in Activities While At Winthrop
| Activity |
Percent of Alumni |
| 1998-99 |
2000-01 |
| Internship/student teaching |
62% |
56% |
| Co-op |
10% |
10% |
| Community service/volunteer work |
54% |
64% |
| Independent research or similar activity with a faculty member |
13% |
15% |
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