Alumni Research Yields Positive Results
Any great brand knows the value of investigating whether its claims have validity or not. CrawfordSchools™ is no different.
When CrawfordSchools™ first launched, it was as an alternative brand: an alternative to state education and an alternative to the already established independent or private schools. From the outset, CrawfordSchools™ adopted a modern South African stance and placed great pride in its ability to get the most out of each student, including excellent academic results.
CrawfordSchools™ has undoubtedly achieved the aim of attaining academic excellence: schools within the group are consistently top performers in the National Senior Certificate. But what happens to CrawfordSchools™ students once they’ve matriculated? Do they go on to perform equally well at university and in their chosen careers, or does school academic excellence fizzle into something less excellent in later endeavours? Are learners ‘spoon fed’ through their school years to such an extent that they fail to achieve at university? Does the fact that CrawfordSchools™ chooses not to follow the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams impact learners detrimentally?
Never an organisation to shy away from tough questions, CrawfordSchools™ recently engaged the services of Topline Research Surveys to conduct independent qualitative research amongst a statistically valid sample to establish how successful past CrawfordSchools™ matriculants really are.
The research focused on matriculants from the class of 2004 and 2005 and consisted of a random sample of approximately 1 000 students drawn from each CrawfordSchools™ campus. The research consisted of quantitative telephonic interviews conducted during the latter half of 2010.
The findings showed incontrovertible proof that CrawfordSchools™ students are well-equipped to cope with further education and subsequent careers.
98% of the sample had embarked on further studies, the majority (80%) at universities. The most popular universities CrawfordSchools™ matriculants chose to study at were the University of Pretoria (16%), University of Cape Town (15%), the University of the Witwatersrand (13%) and University of KwaZulu-Natal (12%). Six percent had studied further while working at the same time.
By 2010, 63% had completed their tertiary education while 37% were studying post graduate degrees (second or even third degrees) or studying long courses such as medicine. Four to five years after leaving school, the majority of respondents – 98% – were employed. An impressive nine percent are self-employed.
One of the most astonishing results was the more than 90% of respondents who said they would recommend CrawfordSchools™ to others and a similar figure for the number of respondents who said they would send their own children to CrawfordSchools™. “This clearly shows that past students have good and positive memories of their school days,” says Jaco Lotz, Brand MD for CrawfordSchools™.
“As a relatively new group of schools without a long track record, CrawfordSchools™ has to face the perception some parents have that older and more established traditional schools are in some ways better. This research clearly shows that not only are CrawfordSchools™ the children’s choice, but that the school moulds students to become creative contributing adults of the future: adults who are well balanced, all round achievers who excel at whatever they touch.”
The fact that matriculants have not all veered into one particular career choice, but have rather chosen a wide variety of careers, is also positive, says Lotz. “There was an impressive number of matriculants studying medicine, as well as a fair proportion who had been accepted at top international universities such Princeton, Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford, as well as a number of Rhodes Scholars.”
“We’re delighted with the results of this survey and it will definitely be something we will be repeating,” concludes Lotz.
Read More »Jess Yallup
Jess Yallup (2005) was always a very keen participant in the cultural areas at Crawford La Lucia where she obtained distinctions in each of her favourite subjects: Music, Drama and Art. Jess studied for a BSocSci at UKZN, majoring in three areas: Music, Drama, and Media & Communication. Besides performing as a solo artist and with a band Sea of Stars at venues throughout South Africa, she has also worked for the Barnyard Theatre and spent 6 months at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha Qatar. In 2010 she was one of the 7000 hopeful contestants who entered Idols. Only 14 were chosen to perform for the public vote. Jess was one of them and the public showed their love for her voice by voting her to 7th place – an outstanding achievement for an alternative Indie singer. In fact, this fiery red-head has been hailed as one of the most unique contestants that Idols has ever seen.
Jess also loves travel and adventure. In March 2011 she once again accepted a three month contract to sing overseas – this time at the Aqua Lounge at the Kempinski hotel at the Red Sea resort of Aqaba in Jordan. However before she left she completed her single Forever23 which will be released shortly. She will complete her album when she returns from overseas.
Read More »Evan Fowler
Evan Fowler (Matriculated 1999) served on the first Judiciary at this College. He won a four year scholarship to the University of South Alabama where he was Captain of the University of South Alabama men’s tennis team from 2002 – 2004. He won four consecutive Sun Belt Conference team tournaments and was ranked in the top 100 NCAA division 1 singles – 2003 and 2004. Evan was the South Alabama International male student athlete for 2003 and won an additional scholarship for best senior student athlete at the University of South Alabama. Evan reached round of 16 of 2001 NCAA division 1 men’s team tennis tournament and his team ended the year ranked 9th in the nation.
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