​Data Sources PLUS: Supporting Students of Color on the Pathway to Graduate Education

December 2016

This paper summarizes the proceedings of the spring 2016 CGS Research and Policy Forum, where Dr. Linda DeAngelo, assistant professor of higher education at the University of Pittsburgh spoke about the roles of faculty mentorship in facilitating graduate school aspirations of students of color. Implications for institutional culture around mentorship are discussed.

Data Sources: A New Take on Graduate Applications, Enrollments, and Degrees: Differences among Selected NCAA Division I-A Football Conferences

October 2016

The recently released Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 2005 to 2015 (Okahana, Feaster, & Allum, 2016) report provides a comprehensive look at master’s and research doctoral enrollment in the United States. The results from the survey are portrayed in the report in a variety of ways, including breakdowns by student and institutional characteristics. Since the college football season has recently started, this article compares applications, offers of admission, and first-time graduate enrollment by NCAA Division I-A football conferences. There are currently nine NCAA Division I-A conferences containing at least five CGS member institutions. Two Division I-A conferences, Conference USA and FBS Independents, did not have five responding institutions and were therefore not included in this analysis.

Data Sources: First-Time International Graduate Enrollment in Master’s & Certificate Programs by U.S. Region and States of Graduate Institutions

July 2016

Graduate programs at U.S. institutions continue to enjoy robust enrollment growth among international students pursuing both master’s and doctoral degrees according to the 2015 Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) International Graduate Admissions Survey. This brief explores the 2015 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey for the first-time international graduate student enrollment in master’s/certificate programs by U.S. regions and states and highlights key findings.

​Data Sources: Highlights from the 2016 CGS Pressing Issues Survey

April 2016​

In February of 2016, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) launched its annual Pressing Issues Survey which asked graduate deans at member institutions to identify the three most important or “pressing” issues or challenges they currently face. The findings from this survey not only inform the graduate community about the concerns of graduate deans, but also help shape sessions at the CGS Summer Workshop and Annual Meeting. These insights provide impetus for new CGS best practices projects and research initiatives.

Data Sources: Key Takeaways from the 2014 Survey of Earned Doctorates
March 2016​

As researchers, entrepreneurs, inventors, and more, graduate students and graduate degree holders contribute to the resolution of complex social problems and advancement of our society. Thus, a robust growth of graduate education and the number of advanced degree holders in our nation’s labor force is essential to economic prosperity and continued global leadership of the United States. The most recent Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED:14), an annual census of research doctorate recipients conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF), reported that a total of 54,070 individuals earned a research doctorate at 426 US academic institutions between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. This represents both the highest number in the survey’s history since 1957 and positive growth of earned doctorates for the fourth year in a row. Detailed characteristics of the doctoral recipients can be found in the recently released NSF report on SED:14, “Doctorate Recipients from US Universities: 2014,”and this article summarizes some key takeaways for graduate deans.

Data Sources PLUS: Implications for Practice and Research from Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion
March 2016

This paper summarizes the proceedings of the spring 2015 CGS Research and Policy Forum, where findings and implications of a CGS publication, Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion were discussed. As a benchmarking tool, the publication serves as one of the most robust resources available to U.S. graduate schools to describe URM STEM doctoral completion, and it also helps institutions make a case for continuing programing that are aimed to facilitate success of URM STEM doctoral students.

Data Sources: A Glimpse at Yield Rates at Public RU/VH Institutions 
February 2016

The CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees collects data on graduate applications received, graduate applications accepted, and first-time graduate enrollment. When combined, these data could be used to estimate both selectivity and yield, but CGS’ annual reports have not traditionally performed such calculations.