First semester of your last year in college is over, graduation is 6 months away.. now what?
Just like the 12-month pre-graduation checklist, there are some things you should be doing 6 months before graduation to make the transition as smooth as possible.
1. Make a visit (or several) to the school’s business office and financial aid office
Stay on top of your school account balance and financial aid. There are some scholarships that will not take effect until later in the year. Make sure that you complete all paperwork necessary to qualify and receive those funds. Also, if there is an account balance due before graduation, the week of graduation is not the time to become aware of it!
2. Identify and contact your student loan servicer
By the time you are 6 months ahead of graduation, you should know what companies will be servicing your loans and how to get in contact with them. By this time, you loan balances should be updated and you can start to get a handle on the amount of debt that will be on your plate once you graduate. Start planning ahead to budget for your necessities and debt payments. Once you graduate, you will be able to decide on loan payment plans. Now is a great time to read up on them and have an idea of what will work best for you.
3. Get your financial “ducks in a row”
If you have any small consumer debts like credit cards and car loans, the last year of college is a great time to get that under control; especially if you will have student loan payments coming due 6 months after graduation. Now is a great time to create an emergency fund and start budgeting. This will allow you to get some money saved to assist with whatever costs come up. Also, this will allow you some time to get comfortable with the process of budgeting because learning to get on and stay on a realistic budget takes some practice.
4. LinkedIn, Career Services, Applications and Job Shadowing
I recently posed a question on social media asking recent graduates what they wish they had known prior to graduation and one of the respondents said they wish they were told to start applying to jobs 6 months prior to graduation.
So, now, I am telling you! This is important because some people get picked up right away and some… don’t. Don’t gamble on the fact that you might. Instead, get a head start on the search. You will sleep a lot easier the week of graduation if you know what you will be doing soon after!
5. Professional Associations and Networking
In just about any field, and particularly in business, NETWORKING IS EVERYTHING! Getting a job is about what you know AS WELL AS who you know. Figure out if there are any reputable professional associations in your field and what the barriers to entry are. If it is feasible, get in and make some friends!
