What is BEST?
BEST is a national study that aims to gain insights into the post-college pathways of successful graduates from a wide range of academic disciplines.
How have you been involved?
As a BEST participant, you have already completed several surveys administered through the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. The timeline below shows the different stages of surveying:
- 2004 Freshman Survey: Focused on your early educational and career plans, beliefs, and attitudes
- 2005 Your First College Year (YFCY) Survey: Focused on the academic and social activities of your first year in college
- 2007-2008 College Senior Survey (CSS): Focused on the impact college had on you after four years, including your academic training and social activities during college
- 2010-2011 Post-Baccalaureate Survey (PBS): Intends to focus on your career and/or graduate/professional school plans, activities, and progress after your graduation from college
Whether you have taken part in all or just a select number of these surveying opportunities, all of the BEST participants will again be contacted in 2010-2011 for the survey on post-baccalaureate experiences.
What are the benefits of continued participation in BEST?
- Reflect on your own unique experiences during college
- Share your individual success stories about your post-college career and/or advanced educational goals
- Provide information to help educators improve the overall college experience for future generations of undergraduates
- Contribute to a comprehensive research effort to identify academic and social activities that best prepare graduates for life after college
- Represent the alumni of your undergraduate institution in a national study
Your continued participation in BEST is simple and only requires your willingness to complete the final Post-Baccalaureate Survey (PBS) when our research team contacts you in 2010-2011.