Princeton Review: GCC is a top college for career services

Grove City College  is one of the best of the best, according to The Princeton Review’s annual higher education guide “The Best 385 Colleges.”

Inclusion in the 2020 guide puts Grove City College in the top 15 percent of American colleges and universities. The College is also identified as a “Best Northeastern” school and a “Best Value College” in the educational testing and prep company’s annual rundown of top colleges and universities that was released this week.

As well as being recognized for academic quality and value, the private Christian liberal arts college is one of the top 20 schools in the nation for career services, according to student surveys that accompany the guide.

The College holds the number 12 spot on the top 20 Best Career Services list. The ranking, which follows Princeton Review’s determination this spring that Grove City College is ranked number 11 for Best Schools for Internships, bolsters the College’s position as a great place for students to begin successful and rewarding careers.

“We strive to provide first-rate and comprehensive opportunities for our students during their time here and to play a central part of our students’ college experience. Our aim is to help them become career ready by the time they graduate and to ultimately live out their vocational callings effectively for Christ,” Amanda Sposato ’00, director of Career Services, said.

The Career Services Office at Grove City College guides students through a four-step career development plan of assessment, exploration, decision and pursuit that spans their college career, Sposato said. The office offers a comprehensive menu of resources, services and programs to help equip students with the career management skills they need to successfully transition into the working world upon graduation. Students have the opportunity to work with the dedicated Career Services team and take advantage of the College’s vast network of employers and alumni as they engage in career exploration and the job/internship search process

Grove City College graduates have a 96-percent success rate based on career and graduate school placement six months after graduation. Alumni earn higher than average starting ($53,500) and mid-career ($103,300) salaries, according to PayScale.

“Boasting ‘very high career outcome rates,’ Grove City prides itself on helping students succeed during and after their formal education. One student says, ‘The greatest strength of my school is how dedicated they are to helping students find a job and create a future. The Career Services Office is dedicated to helping students in any way that they can and have special events to help students network,’” Princeton Review reports.

The College’s annual Career Fair is one of the largest in the region, drawing over 170 employers and graduate schools each fall. This year’s Career Fair is set for Sept. 25. The Career Services Office facilitated 221 on-campus recruiting employer visits last year, drawing employers like Honda R&D, PNC Financial Services Groups, EY, Exelon, Lockheed Martin, FedEx Services Information Technology and UPMC.

"We chose the 385 colleges for this edition as our 'best' overall, academically, based on data we gathered in 2018–19 from more than a thousand school administrators about their schools' academic programs and offerings," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief and lead author of “The Best 385 Colleges.” The Princeton Review surveys college administrators and students, visits campuses, relies on staff reports and a National College Counselor Advisory Board to select colleges and universities for the guide, Franek said.

Outstanding academics, interesting professors, Christian community, high quality campus life and an unwavering focus on student flourishing are among the factors that students value most about Grove City College, according to The Princeton Review.

The guide reports that many students are attracted to the College because of its Christ-centered learning and living environment. “The low cost of tuition is just gravy, as is the strong alumni network and ‘really good reputation with employers,’” according to the guide.

Once again, The Princeton Review recognized the College for its engaged community by virtue of supporting one of the largest intramural sports programs in the country.

To see the College’s profile, visit Princeton Review.

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