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The Big Six

At Elizabethtown College, our student-centered focus is at the heart of our decision-making so we may prepare our students to lead purposeful and productive careers.

That proof has never been clearer following the College’s research after a study from Gallup-Purdue University showed that support and experiential learning during college are linked to success in degree completion and preparedness for life beyond college. Researchers used three experiences to capture support and three other experiences to capture experiential learning, referring collectively to these as the Big Six.

4 out of 5

Etown graduates have experienced at least 4 of the Big Six

Support

1

Graduates had at least one faculty member who made them excited about learning.

95%

Etown Percentage

63%

National Percentage

2

Graduates felt that their professors cared about them as a person.

88%

Etown Percentage

27%

National Percentage

3

Graduates had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams .

73%

Etown Percentage

22%

National Percentage

Experiential Learning

4

Graduates worked on a project that took a semester or more to complete.

80%

Etown Percentage

32%

National Percentage

5

Graduates had an internship or job that allowed them to apply what they were learning in the classroom.

75%

Etown Percentage

29%

National Percentage

6

Graduates were extremely active in extracurricular activities and organizations.

55%

Etown Percentage

20%

National Percentage

Outcomes

Nationally, only 3% of college graduates had experienced all six of these, compared to 34% of Etown graduates. And, four out of five Etown graduates have experienced at least four of the six, Big Six.

The Gallup-Purdue study found that these experiences, both individually and collectively, “have a stronger relationship to long-term life outcomes such as employee engagement and well-being than the type of school these graduates attended.” It is exactly why an Elizabethtown College education is for people who feel the pull to contribute to the world.

Because no other college will engage you in finding your life's calling, your life's work, and your most fulfilling future like we do.

Source: Gallup-Purdue Study; 2023 Gallup, Inc.

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