First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols

Examples and Tutorials

Not sure how to complete the survey? See below for finished examples and helpful videos.

• Download a sample of a completed survey.
• View a tutorial from Symplicity.
• View Handshake's suite of 14 filterable First Destination Survey dashboards.
• Get step-by-step instructions from Handshake on how to download NACE formatted (aggregate) data for your First Destination Survey

Video Tutorials

Standards and Protocols

• Standards and Protocols for the Collection and Dissemination Of Graduating Students Initial Career Outcomes Information for Undergraduates
• Standards and Protocols for Collecting Graduate Outcomes (Advanced Degrees)
• FAQ

Best Practices

• More Than 80% of Career Centers Conduct First-Destination Surveys
• Texts, Tailored Information Keys to Attaining High FDS Knowledge Rate at Davidson
• Required Course in Final Semester Yields High FDS Knowledge Rate for Auburn

Resources

• Development of the First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols

Summary Calculations

After the detailed data were transmitted to NACE a number of summary calculations were developed from the data.

Knowledge Rate: This is the percentage of the graduating class for whom an outcomes destination is known. It includes the sum of all the employment categories, plus service and military, plus continuing education, plus the number of students still seeking an outcome or not seeking an outcome. It excludes those students for whom no information is available. Mathematically, the knowledge rate can be expressed as:

 (# employed + # service + # military + # continuing education + # still seeking employment & continuing education + # not seeking) / total graduates

Career Outcomes Rate: This is the number of graduates who have landed in any of the employment categories, plus service and military, plus continuing education divided by the number of students for whom an outcome is known. It excludes those graduates identified as not seeking an outcome. Expressed mathematically the career outcomes rate is:

 (# employed + # service + # military + # continuing education) / (# employed + # service + # military + # continuing education + # still seeking employment & continuing education)

Questions?

Contact Angelena Galbraith, NACE Researcher.