
Before a student graduates from college, there is an important to-do list to help the student have a smooth transition into a job or grad school. Among the things that college seniors need to take care of are:
- many colleges require students to officially apply for graduation
- students who have a student loan must complete loan exit counseling in order for their transcripts to be free for release to prospective employers
- college placement offices offer job readiness workshops and resume services to help students with their job search and interviews
- colleges host prospective employers on campus for on-campus interviews to help students find employment
- students planning on attending grad school need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) if they have not already done so
There are other things that a student can do to take some of the stress out of the transition from college to employment. They include asking faculty for letters of reference and beginning to take stock of current wardrobe needs to get ready for interviews. Students should also discuss their post graduation options with family and begin to put together a financial plan including health insurance, life insurance, renter's insurance, a retirement savings account and disability insurance. Parents and students also need to discuss whether the student can return home if not employed by college graduation and what the ground rules will be including whether the student will pay rent and what the house rules will be.