Common Questions and Tips for Graduates:

• Who can complete the survey? The current FDS survey includes graduates from December, May, and August. So for 2024, this includes December 2023, May 2024, and August 2024 graduates. Data collection is focused on first destinations within the first 6 months of graduating.
• What am I asked to share? The survey asks about your primary activity since graduating: Work, Continuing Education, Military, Volunteering, etc.. Some colleges might have a few additional questions for you regarding your experience in the college (currently Nursing and Business majors only).
• The first question asks my major. What if I have more than one? Choose what you consider your Primary major, but don’t worry, you only need to complete the survey once. If you have more than one major, that information will be connected to your response.
• What happens if I start, but don’t submit the survey? We encourage you to submit your response even if you only answer a few questions. You can always come back and submit again – the last submission will take the place of any previous response. Partial responses, or completed responses that are not officially submitted, are saved in the system and we can see them on our end. However, your link to complete the survey will reset after 24 hours, so if you re-enter the survey to finish, you will have to start again. If you have a completed response that is not submitted (you don’t click the final submit button), we can submit it on your behalf so we don’t lose your data!
• What if I’m still deciding or I’m taking some gap time? It is okay to complete even if you are still seeking your next step or you have decided to take some time before taking your next formal step! Your journey is exactly that – YOUR career journey. And by sharing your status – even if you are still seeking or not seeking – you are helping us understand the trends of our graduates! You will also be sent an email before the survey closes to check on your status and update your destination if you would like.
• Do I have to share my salary? If you are employed, sharing your salary assists current and future students in understanding employment trends by industry and major. But it isn’t required. Please don’t let the salary question prevent you from submitting your response.
• Why is my response important? Every graduate experience tells a story and what you have experienced since graduating can help inform future Rhody Rams along their career journey! Hindsight helps us reflect on choices but only knowledge and information at the time of the choice can help inform our decisions. Your feedback can help future graduate inform their major and career choices! It also helps URI understand how best to support and prepare our students for success after graduation.
• What happens to the results? Who are results shared with, what is shared, and how? Only aggregate data is published (often in infographics like the one above). We do not publish individual responses. Data is used in a variety of ways to help share the story of graduates. For example, we utilize FDS data to inform our Major to Career webpages which can help current students understand what real URI Alumni are doing with their degrees!
• Contact URIFDS-group@uri.edu if you have questions or experience issues completing the survey.