Success by the numbers

If you’re like most students, at the top of your college selection checklist is getting an education that will open the door to that first job and eventually a successful and rewarding career.

While a degree from any school is no guarantee for immediate success in the job hunt — that also takes some initiative and creativity in “marketing” yourself to employers — at BVU we know we’re doing a solid job of preparing our students for life after graduation.

Why? Because our alumni have had a proven track record in finding employment or admission to graduate school within the first six months after graduation. We know that because we conduct a survey of our graduating classes each year and our responses from the Class of 2006 show that nearly 96 percent were employed in their major field, or a related field, or were in graduate school. This number is consistent with our average results over the previous five years which has been higher than the national average reported by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The response rate for this survey was 96 percent.

An independent measure of the strength of BVU’s academic program is our ranking as a top school in U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" publication.

In the category for Midwestern Baccalaureate schools in the 2008 edition, BVU is ranked 12th for academic quality, which is up from 19th place last year. The annual rankings are a resource used by many parents and students in the college selection process.

Here are some other quick facts about the Class of 2007 that show they’ve had a well-rounded college experience, which helps them make that important first impression with prospective employers:

● 64 % of the class was involved in one or more internships
● 43 % had participated in domestic or international travel opportunities
● 83 % had been involved in student organizations
● 53 % had performed community service work
● 34 % played intercollegiate athletics, and  
● 35 % had been Deans Fellows, a program that recognizes outstanding scholarship and leadership ability