1. Graduation:
A Villain in
Disguise?
Reed T. Curtis
University of North Carolina Wilmington
curtisr@uncw.edu
Session 304
Wednesday, October 6th 2010
NACADA Annual Conference
Orlando, FL

2. Presentation Overview
I.
Introduction
II.
Post-graduation transition
III. Transitional variables and factors
IV. Advising Strategies
V.
Questions and Discussion

3. The Post-Graduation Transition
•
Adult Transition Framework (Goodman, Schlossberg, &
Anderson, 2006)
– Transition– ―any event or non-event that results in changed
relationships, routines, assumptions and roles‖ (Goodman, et. al, 2006)
•
Traditional anticipated college transitional experience:
Moving in
to college
•
Moving through
meeting academic
requirements and
graduating
Moving out
smoothly and
quickly into the
workplace
The current reality for many students:
Moving in
to college
Moving through
meeting academic
requirements and
graduating
Moving out
unprepared for
unemployment
and perpetual job
search

4. The Post-Graduation Transition
•
During the Great Recession, graduates can experience three types of
post-graduation transitions:
Anticipated
Unanticipated
Non-Event
• Occurs as planned or
expected
• Surprising, unplanned,
and not what expected
• Surprising, unplanned,
and not what expected
• Tends to be smoother
than other transitions
• Tend to have a more
difficult time
transitioning
• Transition either never
takes place or is
significantly delayed
• Transitional difficulty
may be significant and
is often compounded by
uncertainness, delay,
increased duration of
the transition.
• Transition is often in
limbo.

5. Presentation Overview
• The Situation
• The Graduates
• The Support
• The Strategies

6. The Situation
• The Great Recession
– Economists state the recession took place
between September 2007 – October 2009
– Unemployment remains high well into 2010.
• 4.4 million American youth (16-24 years old) were
unemployed in July 2010, a rate of 19.1%
• Highest American youth unemployment rate on
record
20.5%
Youth Unemployment
21.6%
Women
22.1%
16.2%
17.5%
Men
33.4%
Asian
Black Hispanic White

7. The Situation
“Blessed are the young for they shall inherit the national debt.” –
President Herbert Hoover
• Great Depression (1929-1940s)
– Small increase in college attendance
– Lack of safety net of programs such
as unemployment insurance, food
stamps, and FDIC
– Graduates typically debt-free
“I refuse to leave our children with a debt they cannot repay”–
President Barack Obama
• Great Recession (2007-2009)
– Large increase (up 6% in 2010) in
college attendance
– Safety net of programs exist, but
typically don’t apply to college
graduates.
• Graduates leave with debt

8. Situation (continued)
―When you get to the end of your rope, tie a
knot and hang on.‖ – FDR
•
NACE’s Job Outlook 2011
Fall Preview survey expect
to hire 13.5 percent more
new grads from the Class
of 2011 than they hired
from the Class of 2010.

9. The Graduates
―the first generation to fare worse than the one that spawned it‖
(Queenan, J., 2010)
• Today’s graduates are challenged on four fronts:
– Debt: Student loans and other forms of debt add up before and
after graduation (Curtis, 2008c).
– Job Market: Climbing the ladder has never been more and the
searches tend to be prolonged (Coy, 2009).
– Graduate/Professional Schools More Competitive:
Although it is a common backup option, more graduates are
applying then ever before and fewer are getting in due to
institutional limits and budget cuts (Council of Graduate
Schools, 2010).
– Lack of Safety Net: No job or income, health insurance (if they
are over the age of 26), or housing. Further, most graduates are
not eligible for unemployment insurance.

10. The Graduates
―The American dream is elusive for this new generation.‖ Louis Uchitielle
• Graduates during the Great Recession:
– Risk-averse: are less likely to turn down or leave any jobs because
they are aware of the economic conditions.
– Fall-behind: graduates during recessionary periods are more
likely to take jobs below the minimum or standard pay grade and
are prone to make less money throughout their lifespan because of
it.
• Graduates in 1980s recession made a starting salary 30% less
than graduates who landed a job during a strong economy.
• Fifteen years later, the graduates who entered the workforce
during the early 1980s recession still made 8-10% less.

11. The Graduates
• Graduates during the Great Recession:
– Many have been financially sheltered by
parents, loans, and credit cards
– Unknowledgeable of financial literacy and governmental
support
– Unprepared for unemployment
– Rely heavily on parents and family for support
• Some parents and family are unable to help due to their own
financial situation

12. The Support
• Financial
– The majority of these graduates are not eligible for unemployment
insurance
– Return to relying heavily on family financial resources (if they exist)
– Credit-card debt rises
• Health
– Stress takes a large toll on these unemployed graduates
• An often demoralizing transition
• Lose hope
– Health-care Reform now allows children to remain on parent’s
insurance until they turn 26
– Prior to reform, many recent graduates lost coverage upon graduation
• Housing
– Boomeranging—moving back in with parents or family members (1
out of 8 will move back home)
– Some move in with friends
– Homeless

13. Strategies
―When you get to the end of your rope, tie a
knot and hang on.‖ – FDR
• Graduates can use a variety of strategies to help
cope with their transition:
– Use of social media and external support groups
• Blogging, INAFJ, etc.
– Utilization state and federal resources
– Become financial and civic literate
• Read:
– Volunteering and unpaid internships
– Starting own businesses
– Some of the best literature, film, and musicians were
products of Great Depression Era unemployment

14. Advising Strategies
• Pre-graduation:
–
–
–
–
–
Promote financial and civic literacy
Encourage career center visits and counseling
Discuss post-graduation goals and plans
Obtain post-graduation contact information
Discuss transition from full-time student to employee
• Be honest and realistic about economic conditions
• Post-graduation:
– Maintain online advisee
alumni groups
– Facebook
– LinkedIn
– Website for recent graduates
– Resources
– USA.gov

15. Resources
http://www.usa.gov

16. Resources
http://www.elgin.edu/students.aspx?id=10172

17. Questions/Discussion
Thanks!

18. Resources
Bolles, R. N. (2009). What color is your parachute? 2010: A practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers. New
York, NY: Ten Speed Press.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009). Labor force statistics from the current population survey: Unemployment rate-bachelor's
degree and higher, 25 yrs. & over. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/data
Cohen, E. (2009). What's a recent college graduate to do about health insurance? Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/
Coy, P. (2009, October 8). The lost generation: The continuing job crisis is hitting young people especially hard-damaging both
their future and the economy. Business Week. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com
Curtis, R. T. (2008a). Economic recession and student financial instability: How academic advisors can help. Paper presented
at NACADA's 33rd Annual Conference on Academic Advising, Chicago, IL.
Curtis, R. T. (2008b). The financial transitions of master's degree students. Unpublished manuscript, University of South
Carolina, Columbia.
Curtis, R. T. (2008c). Students in financial crisis: How academic advisers can help. The Mentor: An Academic Advising
Journal, 10(1). Retrieved from http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor
Curtis, R. T. (2009a). It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: Graduate student support and success in the age of
budget cuts. American College Personnel Association, Graduate and Professional School Educators Commission Newsletter.
Retrieved from http://www.myacpa.org/comm/graduate/newsletters/Winter2009.pdf
Curtis, R. T. (2009b). Unanticipated transitions: Investigating the financial experience of master's degree students (Master's
thesis). Retrieved from ProQuest database. (AAT 1463984)

19. Resources (continued)
Goodman, J., Schlossberg, N. K., & Anderson, M. L. (2006). Counseling adults in transition: Linking practice with theory (3rd
ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Hagenbaugh, B. (2009). Many of the jobless get no unemployment benefits. USA Today. Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com
Kahn, R. L., & Antonucci, T. E. (1980). Convoys over the life course: Attachment, roles, and social support. In P. B. Baltes & O. G.
Brim (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (Vol. 3, pp. 383–405). New York, NY: Academic Press.
National Association for Business Economics. (2009). NABE outlook: Recession is over, but a muted recovery to follow.
Retrieved from http://www.nabe.com/sitesearch.html
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). (2009). Hiring down 7 percent for college class of 2010. Retrieved
from http://www.naceweb.org/Home.aspx
Orman, S. (2007). The money book for the young, fabulous & broke. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Pearlin, L. I., & Schooler, C. (1978). The structure of coping. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 19, 2–21.
Rampell, C. (2009, March 11). Economix: 'Great recession': A brief etymology. The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com
Schlossberg, N. K. (2008). Overwhelmed: Coping with life's ups and downs (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.