Editor’s Note: Data was shared with the Maroon on the day of the interview, April 17, and may have changed since.
In a new addition to the usual Graduation Issue lineup, the Maroon spoke with the Career Office about the class of 2024’s plans after convocation. Executive Director of Career Advancement Meredith Daw shared information about the class of 2024’s accomplishments and where they are headed, as well as some interesting trends she has seen over her past twenty years with Career Advancement.
By June 2024, 1,905 students will have graduated in the class of 2024. This also includes students who graduated earlier this year. The Career Office closely monitors students’ career journeys throughout their four years by maintaining records of jobs students apply for; advising notes, program sessions, and career fairs they attend; and more through a system called Salesforce.
In comparison with the current class, as of April 17, 2023, 71 percent of the 2023 graduating class had post-graduation plans. It was a smaller class, with 1,675 students. By the same date this year, 81 percent of the 2024 graduating class had plans. Though these numbers will continue changing and will only be finalized around mid-June, Daw said that this is the best students have ever done by that point in time.
By the end of last June, 99 percent of the 2023 graduating class had plans. Of this 99 percent, 77 percent of the class went into employment, and 22 percent went to graduate school. Of the graduate school attendees, half were pursuing professional degrees, and the other half were pursuing Ph.D. or academic master’s programs.
This year, it is projected that 22 percent of the class of 2024 will go into grad school. As of this interview, 26 percent of that 22 percent going into graduate school are pursuing a Ph.D. According to Daw, the number of students confirmed to be going into a Ph.D. program will jump significantly.
As of mid-April, 36 percent of the 2024 graduating class are going to the Midwest, 35 percent to the Northeast, 13 percent to the West (mostly California), 9 percent to the South (mostly Texas and Florida), and 7 percent to international locations.
Of the 81 percent of students of the 2024 class who had reported post-graduation plans, 77 percent are going into the workplace. These careers span across several different industries. 15 percent are going into management consulting, which Daw said was exceptionally high this year. 30 percent are going into financial services. 6 percent are going into the arts, which Daw said should increase as offers keep rolling in. 11 percent are going into education. 4 percent are going into startups. 12 percent are going into coding and the tech industry. 12 percent are going into science, such as laboratories. 5 percent are going into healthcare. Education and non-profit job offers had not yet been released at the time of the interview.
Daw also highlighted that Odyssey Scholars are doing very well this year. While 83 percent of the total graduating class has plans, that percentage is higher among Odyssey Scholars.
Daw said that, throughout their four years in the College, about 92 percent of students consistently engage with the Career Office, meaning that they meet and/or interact with the career advisers.
