Texas-based CSO Research Inc. partners with universities to answer age-old question “What can I do when I graduate college?”

CSO Research Inc., an Austin, Texas-based company that provides career center automation software to 830+ college campuses across the US and around the world, has partnered with numerous universities across the U.S. to answer the question: “What can I do when I graduate college?”

“We are thrilled that 15 schools from 12 states have chosen to show visionary leadership and become our partners in innovation on The Outcomes Survey,” said Erik Mulloy, CSO’s CEO and Founder. “Students, parents, lenders and policymakers want answers to the long-standing question ’What can you do when you graduate?’.  The Outcomes Survey provides the answers.”

The following schools have partnered with CSO on this initiative, making a three-year commitment to gathering first destination data on their graduates using The Outcomes Survey:

University of North Texas (Texas); Virginia Commonwealth University (Virginia); Rider University (New Jersey); Harding University (Arkansas); Metropolitan State University of Denver (Colorado); St. Mary’s University of San Antonio (Texas); Midwestern State University (Texas); East Central University (Oklahoma); Montana Tech of the University of Montana (Montana); Ohio Dominican University (Ohio); Roger Williams University (Rhode Island); Saint Martin’s University (Washington); St. John Fisher College (New York); Concordia University (Texas); and Wisconsin Lutheran College (Wisconsin).

The Outcomes Survey is the only solution available that provides standardized and comprehensive “first destination” data on new college graduates, including data on full-time employment, graduate school enrollment, part-time employment, military service, gap year and service program participation, and those graduates choosing to start their own businesses or work as independent contractors. 

According to Max Wartel, CSO’s Head of Research and Analysis: “Most other sources of standardized outcomes data are state-supported tools that rely solely on graduates working full-time within the state. Graduates working out-of-state, in part-time jobs, gap year or service programs, pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors or otherwise working independently are not counted, nor are those pursuing graduate school or other educational paths.  As a result, these data, while sound, are not representative of the variety of first destinations new graduates may choose to pursue.  The 21st century workforce is complex.  The Outcomes Survey takes this complexity into account.”

In addition to data on employment and graduate school admissions, The Outcomes Survey collects data on student participation in internships and experiential education, levels of engagement in their search for post-graduation work, satisfaction with their first destination, and personal motivations in seeking work or further education.

Matt Berndt, CSO Vice President and head of The Outcomes Survey initiative, shares: “Gathering data at a single point in time – particularly only at graduation – provides an incomplete picture of graduate outcomes.  We want schools to be able to tell the whole story about their graduates’ pursuits; whether they are telling that story to prospective students and their parents, to accrediting bodies, or to federal agencies.”

The Outcomes Survey is a turnkey solution that collects valid, reliable and comprehensive data that can be used in reporting to the White House College Scorecard, Business Week and US News & World Report. It meets Rubio-Wyden “Student Right to Know Before You Go” standards, the new standards from the National Association of College and Employers (NACE), and standards under consideration by the US Department of Education related to financial aid and gainful employment in recognized occupations.

The Outcomes Survey is available now to universities seeking to survey their May 2014 graduates. 

Contact Information

Matthew Berndt

Vice President

CSO Research Inc

(1) 5122488192

outcomes@csoresearch.com