“Global Preparedness” of PRE-9/11 College Graduates: What the US Longitudinal Studies Say

Abstract

The paper develops an index of “global preparedness” for pre-9/11 US bachelor's degree recipients based on secondary school and college transcript records, and student responses to survey questions in a longitudinal study that covers the period 1988–2000. Only 10%met the most generous of threshold criteria for inclusion. By occupation at the age of 26/27, the highest proportions meeting those threshold criteria were found among (1) editors, writers and reporters, and (2) engineers and architects. By industry, the highest proportions of globally prepared college graduates were found in (1) communications and (2) finance. These indicators are system accountability measures. For all nations, such indicators help policy makers decide where to target incentives to expand the pool of students who can work across borders.