ASU comes out ahead in retention, jobs

September 16, 2010

Editor's Note: Not only is ASU winning the race to keep freshmen in college, but students are successfully entering the work force upon graduation – giving Arizona another reason to invest in universities. <separator></separator><a href="http://asunews.asu.edu/20100910_inthenews_retention">ASU wins race to keep freshmen in college</a> "In the freshman retention race, ASU is winning the state championship," reports the Arizona Daily Star. "For those not used to college lingo, 'retaining' a freshman just means he or she sticks around to become a sophomore. Easy right? Wrong. Each year, about 1,500 freshmen quit the UA before they become sophomores. A similar number of freshmen quit ASU. And about 1,000 freshmen quit NAU. But back to ASU pulling ahead to become the winner. Percentage wise, ASU has been improving its freshman retention rate for at least three straight years." <a href="http://asunews.asu.edu/20100913_jobrecruit_inthenews">ASU ranks 5th in producing most skilled, job-ready grads</a> ASU ranks 5th on a list of the top universities favored by employers for job recruiting, according to a new survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal that aimed to identify “the majors and schools that best prepare students to land jobs that are satisfying, well-paid and have growth potential.” ASU ranks behind Penn State, Texas A&M, University of Illinois and Purdue. All five universities were noted for their well-rounded and talented student body, along with their partnerships with nearby business communities that result in work-savvy graduates. “The impact on students is significant," writes WSJ's Terri Evans. "Steve Canale, head of General Electric Co.’s recruiting efforts, said it is critical for prospective students to ask which companies recruit on campus before deciding where to matriculate.”<separator></separator><a href="http://asunews.asu.edu/20100914_ranking_inthenews">High ranking shows university's value to Ariz. economy</a> An editorial published in the Arizona Republic lauds ASU for its Wall Street Journal ranking on job placement for graduates, and discusses what that means for Arizona's economy. "Arizona's investment in universities pays big dividends," the article states. "The latest evidence is Arizona State University's high ranking among corporate recruiters … In tough times, ASU excels in matching students with jobs. And not just any jobs. The survey was structured to emphasize satisfying, well-paid positions with growth potential – the Holy Grail of economic development."<separator></separator><a href="http://asunews.asu.edu/20100915_theranking">Ranking places ASU among top world universities</a> The 2010-2011 World University Rankings – published by the Times Higher Education as the "gold standard" for world-class research institutions – has ranked ASU among its top universities. "We would like to congratulate Arizona State University for its performance in this year's rigorous rankings," said Ann Mroz, editor. "Being ranked 161 in the world top 200 is an impressive achievement. The top 200 universities in the world represent only a tiny fraction of world higher education and any institution that makes it into this table is truly world class."

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