35 Percent of Prospective Grad Students Are More Interested in Government or Military Jobs Since War Began
See increasing opportunities with defense, military and government sectors
CHESTER, PA, April 22, 2003 -
Thirty-five percent of prospective graduate students say the war in Iraq has made them more interested in government or military jobs, according to a new survey from GradSchools.com. In addition, over one third feel opportunities with defense contractors, the military and the government have increased since the war began.
At the same time, the war has not affected high school and college students' plans to study abroad-though it has impacted their choice of destination, according to StudyAbroad.com in a just-released survey of high school and college students thinking of studying overseas.
The two surveys were conducted simultaneously in March 2003 by GradSchools.com, the leading online resource for graduate school information and programs, and StudyAbroad.com, the number-one online resource for study abroad information. Over 1300 students participated in the GradSchools.com survey, which sought to identify how the war in Iraq has influenced students' interests in going to graduate school. Respondents were recruited through a link on the GradSchools.com home page.
When asked if the war in Iraq had made them more interested in government or military jobs, over 30 percent of respondents said "yes." Nearly 30 percent also said that they had seen increasing opportunities with defense contractors, the military and the government.
Nearly 700 students participated in the StudyAbroad.com survey, which sought to determine if the war had affected students' plans to study in a foreign country. When asked, "How has the war in Iraq affected your plans to study abroad?" over 60 percent of those surveyed responded that the war had not affected their plans at all. At the same time, however, nearly 25 percent indicated that it had changed their choice of destination.
When asked to rank countries in order of their appeal as a study abroad destination, Australia and the United Kingdom ranked highest, indicating that in a time of war, students feel most comfortable studying in English-speaking nations whose cultures are similar to those of the U.S., while Saudi Arabia and Japan ranked lowest on the list.
"It's clear that world affairs have had an affect on both students planning to attend graduate school and those who are thinking of studying abroad," says Mark Shay, president and CEO of Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc., the parent company of both GradSchools.com and StudyAbroad.com. "Students are showing more interest in finding jobs with the government, the military and in international relations. At a time when many other industries are losing jobs, they see strength in the government, military and defense sectors-a clear reaction to the war and how it is playing out."
He continues, "In regard to the StudyAbroad.com survey, it is encouraging to see that the war has not swayed many students from their dream of studying overseas. However, it is clear that English-speaking nations are viewed as more attractive and possibly safer destinations in light of current world events. The U.K. and Australia offer a wealth of excellent study abroad programs, covering a wide range of disciplines and fields of study. There is a high percentage of foreign students in these countries."
He adds, "Hopefully, peace will return to the Middle East so traditionally strong study abroad programs in places like Egypt, Turkey and Israel can flourish once again."
To research graduate programs, visit www.GradSchools.com. To research study abroad programs and opportunities throughout the world, visit www.StudyAbroad.com. To interview Mark Shay of Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc., contact Matt Ulmer at 610-499-9200 or email mulmer@edudirectories.com.
About GradSchools.com
GradSchools.com is the Internet's
leading online source of graduate school information. A clearinghouse
for graduate education information, it is dedicated to providing the
most comprehensive online directory of graduate programs. It provides
in-depth and current information on over 58,000 graduate programs in the
U.S. at no charge to prospective students. GradSchools.com is a service
of Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (www.edudirectories.com).
About StudyAbroad.com
StudyAbroad.com is the
Internet's leading source of international education information. It
contains directories of study abroad and intensive language programs
that are organized by both subject and destination. StudyAbroad.com also
includes the Destination Portal Pages, the popular "StudyAbroad.com
Handbook: A Guide to Traveling Abroad," discussion boards, financial aid
information and much, much more. StudyAbroad.com is a service of
Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (www.edudirectories.com)