If you’re entering your last year of undergraduate school, chances are you’re starting to think about post-grad options. The possibilities may seem endless and terrifying: Should you take a gap year to save money and travel? Should you transition directly into graduate school, or determine not to go to graduate school? Beyond this decision, the possibilities get more specific from there: What will you study in graduate school? How will you pay for it? If you take a gap year, where will you work? Where will you travel? If graduate school isn’t for you, where will you live and what will you do?
If you’re like me, and you’re shutting down just thinking about it all, let this article be your reminder that it’s completely okay to not have it all figured out. Here are five tips to help you get that process started.
- Talk to an advisor or mentor.
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Figuring out what to do after undergraduate school can be daunting, especially if you’re a first-generation student. You’re navigating unfamiliar terrain for the first time in your life and your family’s life, and the process can be isolating. Reaching out to an advisor, peer coach, or even a mentor from school (e.g., a professor or research advisor) can help find a fresh perspective and valuable insights on the best option for you. Post-grad life will look different for everyone based on their career, so talking to someone you look up to in your field of interest is a good place to start.
- Make lists!
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I might be biased here, as I am a massive advocate for lists, but I truly think that making a list is beneficial in more ways than one. Whether you choose to use Notion, Excel, or just your Notes app, making lists of all the post-grad options you’re thinking about may make the process less overwhelming. You can split each option up into pros, cons, costs, etc. You can also write options as actionable items; for example, the option of “pursue MA in Philosophy” can be written as “write general personal statement for applications” and “request transcripts.” In other words, whether it’s a to-do list or a list of pros and cons, making lists in general can help you format your thoughts and make your goals tangible.
- make a budget
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Chances are, cost will be a factor in whichever plan you pursue. Whether you move back home, rent your own place, or go to graduate school, building a budget for how much you’re willing to spend can be helpful, especially if cost is a limiting factor for you. From this point, it might also be helpful to note scholarships, grants, etc. that you might want to apply to, along with your income and expenses.
- utilize available resources
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A resource can be the website of a research program you’ve had your eye on since your first year of undergraduate school. It can be the phone number of an admissions office, a website of schools with fully-funded graduate school programs, the website of your dream professional school, and more. Also, your friends are there to help you, too. Talking with them about what they’re thinking of doing, whether it’s professional or graduate school, can offer you different perspectives and some much-needed relief. (News flash: they probably don’t have it all figured out either).
- go with the flow
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There is always this secret, less conventional option that you have to dig through dirt and grime to discover, which is going with the flow. This means seeing what opportunities and information arise as you breeze through life. Perhaps you realize halfway through your last year of undergraduate school that you hate school and would much rather go straight into the workforce. Or perhaps you realize the opposite: that you love school and can’t imagine not pursuing a higher degree. Maybe you would like to get married first, buy your own apartment, and travel. You may discover you’re not a planner at all, and you would like to live your life without knowing what’s next, always looking forward to the spontaneous adventure just around the corner.
In the industrialized society driven by us worker bees, it might feel like a grave crime not to have the next steps mapped out. Whether you choose to go to graduate or professional school, travel, or simply go with the flow, there is no “wrong” or “right” answer. It’s your life, so don’t be afraid to live it!