Quincy House Surveys Seniors

Quincy House conducted the firstever survey of its senior class this week, in what administrators said is an attempt to improve undergraduate advising.

On Wednesday and Thursday, house tutors tabled at dinner, asking seniors to fill out a one-page questionnaire. The form asks students to describe their future goals and assess the effectiveness of house tutorial staff and advising.

"I think it was successful. It helped to build rapport between the tutors and the students. The seniors really got into it," said Mary McGee, senior tutor at Quincy House, who came up with the idea.

The survey's purpose is to determine the seniors' interests so that the administrative staff can help them second semester when they are looking for jobs, McGee said.

Each year in May, most seniors complete a similar questionnaire distributed by the Office of Career Services (OCS). However, its survey is far more comprehensive and the results are published early the next year, administrators said this week.

Using a larger sample, the OCS study describes each class in terms of its educational experience and plans after graduation, said Martha P. Leape, OCS director, who added that her publication is completely independent of the Quincy House project.

Even though McGee's survey is limited in scale, the senior class responded enthusiastically, according to the senior tutor. She said that 120 out of 155 members of the house's graduating class filled out the one-page forms.

Many seniors agreed that the survey was a good idea because this will help their advisors become more attuned to their own concerns.

"My pre-med advisor is very nice and helpful," said Vaishali P. Bakshi '90 But the Quincy House senior said that, in general, Harvard advising has been inadequate.

"I feel like I'm not getting a lot of information," Bakashi added, saying, "I hope they follow through with the suggestions."

Another Quincy House resident, Ashley S. Timmer '90, said she has not started to worry about jobs and graduate schools yet, but she would like one-to-one contact with a tutor when the time comes.

The results of the survey will be compiled by next week, and McGee said she will publicize the results either by sending individual letters to each senior or through the house newsletter.