Career Prep and COVID-19 

Future plans and career preparation approaches shifted for students during the pandemic -- with a quarter of students reporting changes to their plans post-graduation. Conducted by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse and presented by Kaplan, a survey of 2,000 incoming sophomores, juniors and seniors reveals the impact the pandemic had on their career plans and how well college and university career centers met their needs during a time of major disruption. College student data was collected from August 18 – August 25, 2021, through the College Pulse mobile app and web portal, and weighted to be nationally representative of two- and four-year college student populations.

Key Questions Include:

● Upon graduation, which field or fields are you most likely to pursue work in?
● Has the pandemic affected your decision to graduate earlier or later than planned?                                                      ● How worried are you that you’ll find a meaningful first job after graduation?
● What advice do you have for your college to better prepare students for launching a career at this point in time?