It’s that time of year again when everyone is trying to get their plans together for the summer. Except seniors, that is. We are trying to plan what we are doing for the rest of our lives. Maybe that is a bit dramatic, but that’s what it seems like sometimes. So, in this mindset, many of us have tried to do the responsible, sensible thing and applied to graduate school… However, nobody told us the cold, hard fact of life that not everyone gets accepted into grad school. We still might need a couple more qualifications or years of experience before we get that acceptance letter. So, if you didn’t get into grad school, now what?
If you want to give graduate school another shot, it might be a good idea to get more experience in your field. You could volunteer or even get a job in your field of interest.
You could also try to gain research experience in your field of interest. We are at Penn State, you know…
If you think you did not get into grad school because of your GPA, there are plenty of post-baccalaureate programs that are geared towards helping students raise their GPA.
On the other hand, if your GRE, MCAT or LSAT score is what is holding you back, you could always study again and retake them.
You could also do some good deeds during this time and volunteer through an organization such as AmeriCorps.
Need to start paying off those student loans? You could get a part-time or full-time job to get a head start.
If you need some time to breathe, decompress and just explore, you could simply decide to travel. After all, we are at that point in our lives when we can explore and travel without any constraints. It is definitely a good idea to travel before you have any real responsibilities (i.e. job).
Overall, not getting into graduate school can be a tough and frustrating realization, but don’t let that discourage you from reaching your potential. You were just trying to do the responsible thing, and it didn’t work out the way you planned. It really is important to realize that this is not the end of the world. Taking some time off can be a good thing. It gives you the chance to re-evaluate your future career and gain more experience. There is no pressure to rush to get a job or go into graduate school. It actually might be kind of nice to stop and smell the roses for a bit. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s something you love. Best of luck to my graduating collegiettes!