Are you in your final year of college? If so, then you may have a lot of questions about what to complete before graduation day and how to transition to your next chapter post-college. Use the following timeline as a checklist to help you navigate all the steps to take and tasks to complete before and right after receiving your diploma.

Fall of Senior Year

As you begin your final academic year of college, take these steps:

1. Meet with your academic advisor for a graduation audit. Ensure all your coursework requirements will be met in time.
2. Stay organized. There is a lot to track and plan for during your final months of college. Create a spreadsheet to note dates and information for job opportunities and/or grad school application deadlines and requirements. Use a digital calendar to set reminders.
3. Are you going the graduate school path? If so, research programs, take the required exams, and gather your transcripts. Ask professors and advisors for letters of recommendation with plenty of time. Follow all the requirements for the application(s) and submit by the deadline.
4. Are you planning to start your career? Update your resume and LinkedIn profile, meet with potential employers, and schedule informational interviews. Ask your professors, mentors, advisors, or past employers to be references for you. Visit the career services office on your campus for additional guidance on searching for jobs in your field of choice, and review our article, How to Prepare for the Job Search, for additional advice.

Winter of Senior Year

With only a semester of coursework left, attend to these tasks:

1. Submit your graduation application. Typically this is available through your school’s registrar’s office or an online student portal. Deadlines for this usually are set early in your intended final semester before graduation (e.g. January for a May graduation, September for a December graduation).
2. Determine where you will live and work or study after graduation. Will you move back home, rent an apartment, move far, or stay close? Create a budget to help you plan for rent, food, transportation, student loans, car expenses, etc. Talk to friends who may be interested in rooming together after college to save on costs, and begin searching for apartments. Start now so you can find a place early, and then you won’t have to worry about where you’ll live next when finals are looming.
3. Apply for jobs or internships. Start applying for jobs that interest you now. If you’re planning to attend graduate school, you can look at part-time work to help offset the cost of your program.

Spring of Senior Year

For the final stretch of your time in college, be sure to check the following off your to-do list:

1. Order your cap and gown before the deadline. This should be done 3-6 months before the graduation ceremony but check with your school’s registrar’s office for specific instructions.
2. Take care of logistics. This one may not be on your radar, but be sure to gather important documents, like your college transcript, figure out your health insurance coverage for post-college, and make a list of the various memberships and organizations where you’ll need to update your contact information and student status.
3. Prepare for loan repayment. If you have student loans, understand what you owe, repayment options, and grace periods; complete exit counseling; set up automatic payments for each of your loans; and be sure to get your questions answered. Looking for more guidance? Read our article, Managing Loan Repayment, for our top tips.
4. Reflect and assess. Your time in college was surely full of growth in many ways: academically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and more. Take some time to reflect on what you’ve learned, write notes of appreciation for professors and mentors that impacted your journey, spend time reminiscing with friends, and plan for the lifestyle changes that the “real world” will bring.

Summer After Senior Year

After you graduate from college, you may be starting a job, preparing for graduate school, or taking time to reset and refocus on next steps. Whatever your next steps are, remember some key points of advice:

1. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Don’t be discouraged if your first job or next step doesn’t propel you forward in your career path as quickly as you’d like. Use every job opportunity, role you have, or course of study you’re in to learn and grow, knowing that building a successful career takes time.
2. Don’t be stuck in the comparison trap. In the age of social media, it is easy to witness what your fellow college grads are experiencing. Remember that no individual has the same journey, and ups and downs are a part of life. Stay your course and put your all into the job you have or the next course of study you’re working on.
3. Enjoy what you’ve accomplished. Take time to celebrate! Graduating from college is a big milestone, and one that will set you up for success for the rest of your life. This may be a great time to take a trip with friends or celebrate with family.
4. Life will look different now. Don’t be surprised if you feel like a fish out of water. Take one day at a time and give yourself grace as you become accustomed to new responsibilities and take charge of your finances and future in new ways.