One Half of Class of '79 Plans Work After College

More than half of last year's graduates plan to work before continuing their educations, the Office of Career Services and Off-Campus Learning (OCS-OCL) reported yesterday.

The OCS-OCL conducted a survey last spring to examine the immediate plans, further study plans, and career choices of the Class of '79. Robert J. Ginn Jr., director of OCS-OCL, will present results of the study to the Faculty October 16.

Of the 1505 graduates questioned, a record 51.6 per cent said they planned to work immediately after graduation, compared with 43.1 per cent the previous year and 15.8 per cent of the Class of '65.

As a result, fewer of last year's graduates intended to enroll immediately in graduate or professional schools--35.8 per cent, the lowest in 22 years. However, 94.6 per cent said they plan to continue their educations later.

"There's no longer a stigma attached to interrupting your education to work," Ginn said yesterday, adding that 22 per cent of the Class of '79 took leaves of absence while at Harvard.

Only 6.8 per cent planned to enroll immediately in graduate schools of arts and sciences, another 22-year low, the study showed.

Of last year's graduating class, 17.2 per cent said they plan eventually to attend business school, up from 10.6 per cent for the Class of '77, However, only 3.1 per cent have enrolled already.

Future study in law attracted 13.9 per cent of the Class of '79, while 13.9 per cent said they intend to enter medicine. About one-quarter of those surveyed indicated they intended to continue their studies but had not yet chosen a field.