As the spring semester comes to an end, most graduating seniors are stressed with their upcoming graduation, passing their final exams, finding a job right after they graduate and the scary reality of the real world. I am currently a Junior and the more I think of it, the reality of my anticipated graduation seems to sink in. I personally would like to be prepared for all the challenges my senior year will bring. I decided to research and interview a few graduating seniors to be better prepared for my senior year and to help others that are going through the same situation.
1. PLAN AHEAD
Almost everything in college involves planning ahead. This is an important word of advice Emily Gruss gave. She was close to not graduating by a lack of classes she was not aware of. Gruss advises students to make good use of their adviser. Advisers have sufficient knowledge to let students know what courses to take for graduation. While some students might believe they have it all under control, visiting your college adviser a semester or two before graduation is very important to make sure that you are on track with the courses and requirements. USFSP also has a residency requirement and not a lot of students are aware of this. Planning ahead will help reduce stress by visiting an advisor the semester before graduation.
2. APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL EARLY
Some students decide to further their studies and attend grad school. Gruss recommends fellow students to apply early because it was a complicated process for her because of a late start. The first step is to decide what you would like to go to graduate school for. Once you have the basic idea of what you would like to do, the next step is to find a graduate school that offers your choice of degree. Would you like to attend a school in New England or in California? Keep in mind that grad school fees are far more expensive than undergraduate. They will most likely ask for multiple letters of recommendations from teachers or from work, transcripts from previous schools attended. If you are attending Art school, they might require some pieces of art or auditions. Every school is different, so researching the requirements before deciding on a school is important.
3. APPLY EARLY IN THE SEMESTER FOR GRADUATION
According to Gruss, the process at USFSP is very simple. You first sign a form with your advisor, then you wait until the university approves or not. Like she experienced, “No news is good news”. Although the wait can cause extreme anxiety, not hearing from the administration whether your intent to graduate was approved or not means that there have not been any issues with your application! Once you apply to graduate, you have to apply for the commencement at the Mahaffey Theater and get your cap and gown, and you’re ready! Congrats!
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