Post-Graduate Survey

Thank you for your willingness to tell us about your life after graduation!

The information that you share will only be used internally at Lake Forest College and any public reporting would not include individual responses, only aggregate-level data. This survey should take you 5-10 minutes to complete.

Participants who complete the survey who graduated from Lake Forest College in Summer or Fall 2024, or in Spring 2025 will be entered into a raffle to win great prizes!

Contact Information

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Primary Post-Graduation Status

Which of the following BEST describes your PRIMARY status after graduation? Select one of the following options:*

Have a job or have accepted an offer (paid/unpaid internship, part-time, full-time, own business, etc.)

Have a job but am continuing to look for other options

Participating in a volunteer or service program (e.g. Peace Corps, City Year, Americorps, etc.)

Serving in the military

Enrolled in a program of continuing education

Planning to continue education but not yet enrolled

Unemployed and seeking employment

Pursuing other options (travel, family, not seeking, etc.)

Are you also working while waiting to continue your education? *

Yes

Seeking Employment: Career Interests

Please select the categories that best reflect your career interest areas. Select all that apply:*

Arts/Culture/Entertainment

Business/Marketing/Sales

Communication/PR/Advertising

Data Science/Information Technology

Digital Media/Graphic Design/Video

Education/Training

Entrepreneurship/Consulting

Environment/Wildlife

Finance/Accounting

Government/International Relations

Law

Health Care/Social Service

Management/Human Resources/Operations

Science/Research

Social Justice/Public Service/Nonprofit

Writing/Publishing/Editorial/Copy-writing

Preferred Location:* (Cities, states, areas of interest, etc.)

Are you volunteering, interning (paid or unpaid) or working anywhere while seeking employment?*

Yes

What are you doing? Please select your primary activity.*

Working (part-time and/or full-time)

Interning (paid or unpaid)

Volunteering

Other

Other (please specify):

Please tell us more about your current job/employment:

Please select the category which BEST describes your job/employment:*

Employment (work for a corporation or individual; receive regularly scheduled compensation; does not have a specified end date)

Started own business/entrepreneur

Temporary/contract work assignment

Freelance position(s)

Volunteer or service program (e.g. Peace Corps, City Year, Americorps, etc.)

Postgraduate internship/fellowship

Other

Other (please specify):

Please rate the extent to which your current position relates to your career goals/interests.*

Completely; this is exactly what I want to be doing

Moderately; this is a good stepping stone to my ideal career/job

Slightly; I am learning skills and/or making connections that will help me on my career path

Not at all

Other

Other (please specify):

Job Title*

Organization/Company:*

Location*

Country

City

Region

Job Datestamp (Hidden Field)

Is this position full-time or part-time?*

Full-time (30+ hours/week)

Part-time (less than 30 hours/week)

When did you secure this position?

Which of the following BEST describes the principal industry of your organization?*

Which of the following BEST describes your current job function?*

Please tell us more about your military service:

Service Branch:

Rank:

Compensation Package

As a reminder, the information you provide in this survey will remain confidential and your personal information will not be connected with your responses. Your compensation data helps the College to evaluate average salaries and compensation provided to our graduates in comparison to national averages. Salary averages for each graduating year are also important for the College to submit for national rankings.

Thank you for helping us with this research.

Approximate yearly salary in $US Dollars

Sign-on bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Annual bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Other Compensation:

Car

Health Benefits

Retirement Benefits (401K, Pension, etc.)

Tuition Reimbursement/Education Benefit

Moving Expenses

Transit Benefits

Do you have any other jobs?*

Yes

Additional Work Information

Position 1

Job Title:

Organization/Company:

Location

Country

City

Region

Is this position full-time or part-time?

Full-time (30+ hours/week)

Part-time (less than 30 hours/week)

Position 2

Job Title:

Organization/Company:

Location

Country

City

Region

Is this position full-time or part-time?

Full-time (30+ hours/week)

Part-time (less than 30 hours/week)

Graduate/Professional School

Do you plan to attend graduate/professional school in the future?*

Yes, I am currently enrolled or accepted into a program

Yes, in 1 year

Yes, in 2-5 years

Yes, in 5+ years

I don't know/not sure yet

Graduate/Professional School

Which of these BEST describes your continuing education status?*

I have been accepted and am enrolled in a program

I have been accepted and decided on a program, but I am not yet enrolled

I have been accepted to at least one program and I am deciding between schools

I have applied and am waiting to see whether I am accepted

I am planning to apply

What degree(s) are you pursuing?*

Bachelor's (BS/BA)

Master's (MA, MS, MAT, MFA)

Master of Business (MBA)

Doctorate (PhD)

Law (JD)

Health Professional (MD, DVM, PA, etc.)

Other

Other (please specify):

Are you a full-time or part-time student?

Full-time student

Part-time student

Name of Institution (college, university, etc.):*

Name of Program:*

Location*

Country

City

Region

How would you classify the type of program or degree you are pursuing? Select all that apply:*

Arts & Humanities

Education

Engineering

Math & Computer Science

Library & Information Science

MBA & Other Professional Business Programs

Law

Public Policy & Administration

Social Sciences

Veterinary School

Medical School

Dental School

Other Health Professional School/Program

Natural & Physical Sciences

Theology

Other

Other (please specify):

How are you funding your graduate/professional school study?

Loans

Personal Savings/Assets

Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship

University Funded Scholarship

Grant

When do you expect to complete your degree? Please enter a month and year (i.e. May 2020)

How many programs were you accepted to attend?

Please list the names of other schools and programs you were accepted to attend:

Program 1:

Program 2:

Program 3:

Program 4:

Were you accepted to attend a program that you considered to be your first choice or within your top tier of preferred schools?

Yes

Comments (optional)

Please select who assisted you in your search for a graduate or professional school. Select all that apply:

Faculty Advisor

Department Chair

Pre-Health Advisor

Pre-Law Advisor

Pre-MBA Advisor

Career Advancement Center Staff Member

Are you also working while completing your degree?*

Yes

Additional Work Information (1)

Job Title:

Organization/Company:

Location

Country

City

Region

Is this position full-time or part-time?

Full-time (30+ hours/week)

Part-time (less than 30 hours/week)

Compensation Package

As a reminder, the information you provide in this survey will remain confidential. Your compensation data allows the college to evaluate average salaries and compensation provided to graduates in comparison to national averages.

Approximate yearly salary in $US Dollars

Sign-on bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Annual bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Other Compensation

Car

Health Benefits

Retirement Benefits (401K, Pension, etc.)

Tuition Reimbursement/Education Benefit

Moving Expenses

Transit Benefits

Other (please specify):

Additional Work Information (2)

Job Title:

Organization/Company:

Location

Country

City

Region

Is this position full-time or part-time?

Full-time (30+ hours/week)

Part-time (less than 30 hours/week)

Compensation Package

Approximate yearly salary in $US Dollars

Sign-on bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Annual bonus in $US Dollars (if applicable)

Other Compensation

Car

Health Benefits

Retirement Benefits (401K, Pension, etc.)

Tuition Reimbursement/Education Benefit

Moving Expenses

Transit Benefits

Other (please specify):

Please list the institutions to which you have been ACCEPTED:

Institution 1:

Institution 2:

Institution 3:

Institution 4:

Institution 5:

Please list the institutions to which you have APPLIED but are not yet accepted (if applicable):

Institution 1:

Institution 2:

Institution 3:

Institution 4:

Institution 5:

Institution 6:

Institution 7:

Institution 8:

How would you classify the type of program or degree you intend to pursue? Select from the options below:*

Arts & Humanities

Education

Engineering

Math & Computer Science

Library & Information Science

MBA & Other Professional Business Programs

Law

Public Policy & Administration

Social Sciences

Veterinary School

Medical School

Dental School

Other Health Professional School/Program

Natural & Physical Sciences

Theology

Do not plan to pursue advanced study

Not Seeking/Other

We respect that there are many paths that graduates take and sometimes it's most appropriate not to pursue work or continue your education immediately after graduation. You will continue to have access to all of the Gorter Family Career Advancement Center resources including our career management system Handshake and individual advising appointments, so please feel free to contact us at careers@lakeforest.edu or (847) 735-5235 if you would like assistance.

If you would like to tell us a little about your plans, please describe below.

Lake Forest College Experiences

Please select the Career Pathway(s) with which your interests are most closely aligned.*

Business, Finance, and Data Science

Creative Arts and Communication

Law and Public Service

Science and Health Care

Build Your Own

Please select ALL Career Advancement Center services that you have used:

Career/Major Exploration Advising

Resume Advising or Resume Workshop

Job/Internship Search Assistance

Graduate School Assistance

Alumni Mentoring (such as the Forester CAREER Mentoring Program)

Networking Event such as Speed Networking

Online Resources (Handshake, Focus2, ForesterLink, GoinGlobal, Vault, etc.)

Career-Related Speaker/Panel

Other

None of the Above

Other (please specify):

How prepared were you to APPLY for post-graduate jobs or graduate school?*

Resume Preparation

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Interviewing

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Searching for jobs or schools

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

(Optional) What would have made you feel more prepared to apply to jobs or graduate school?

How prepared were you in the COMPETENCIES required for post-graduate opportunities?*

Career & Self-Development

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Communication (written and verbal)

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Equity & Inclusion

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Leadership

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Professionalism

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Teamwork

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Technology

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

Overall Readiness

Very Prepared

Prepared

Unprepared

Very Unprepared

(Optional) What would have made you feel more prepared for post-graduate opportunities?

During your time in college (Lake Forest College or other) did you participate in any of the following experiential learning opportunities? Check all that apply:

Internship (for credit)

Internship (non-credit)

Research (on-campus)

Research (off-campus)

Job Shadowing

Summer Work (career related)

Summer Work (non career related)

On-Campus Work (career related)

On-Campus Work (non career related)

Off-Campus Work (career related)

Off-Campus Work (non career related)

Service Learning / Volunteer Project

Study or Work Abroad

Student Leadership Activities

Other

Other (please specify):

How many internships or career related experiences (such as research) did you complete as an undergraduate?*
(This might include for-credit or non-credit internships, or career-related research or work. Do not include any part-time, non-career related work.)

Please list the companies/organizations where you gained these career-related experiences:

Organization/Site 1:*

Organization/Site 2:*

Organization/Site 3:*

Organization/Site 4:*

Organization/Site 5:*

Which of the following BEST describes these experiences?

Organization/Site 1:

Organization/Site 2:

Organization/Site 3:

Organization/Site 4:

Organization/Site 5:

Did any of your internships lead to an offer for post-graduate employment?*
Please select all that apply.

Yes, one or more of my internship sites offered me employment and I accepted the offer

Yes, one or more of my internship sites offered me employment, but I accepted an offer from another organization

Yes, I made a networking connection through one of my internships that led me to an offer for employment at another organization

Yes, the experience and skills I gained from one of my internships directly contributed to me receiving an offer for employment at another organization

No, my internships did not lead to an offer for post-graduate employment

Please describe why you did not complete any internships or other career related experiences as an undergraduate. Select all that apply:

Time

Academic planning

Cost

Transportation

Not sure what was offered/available

Other

Other (please specify):

Do you grant Lake Forest College permission to publicly share your name, place of employment and job title (or the name of the institution and degree pursuing if you are continuing your education)?*

I grant permission to share my name and organization/title or institution/degree pursuing with the wider campus community.

I agree to allow the CAC to share my name and organization/title or institution/degree pursuing only with other faculty and staff members at Lake Forest College.

I do not want to share my name and organization/title or institution/degree pursuing and would like to keep it confidential to the Career Advancement Center.