Preparing Senior Year

Studying for graduate exams, updating resumes and securing letters of recommendation – the summer before senior year can be so busy that a student may wonder, "Am I really on break?" To help your student get started, we have compiled a list of suggestions that address post-graduation plans.

• Seek professional references by compiling a list of three to five professors, mentors, internship advisors and employers who would write strong, positive letters of recommendation. Ask permission first and then follow up by providing them with copies of your updated resume and curriculum vitae.
  
  
• Visit the BW Career Center to utilize resources and meet with a career advisor. Summer months are less busy than the school year and resources are more accessible.
  
  
• Update resume, curriculum vitae and other career profiles. Make sure these are up-to-date and that your Handshake online profile is 100 percent complete, as you are five times more likely to be contacted by an employer if it is. Contact the BW Career Center if you need help.
  
  
• Hone interviewing skills by using the Career Center's Big Interview, an online, simulated mock-interview program. Gain valuable feedback about your interview and additional strategies for success by meeting with a career advisor.
  
  
• Network on and off campus by attending professional conferences, interning and volunteering. Use social media sites like LinkedIn to expand contacts to include people whose fields directly and peripherally connect to your major and minor.
  
  
• Intern or career shadow to gain multiple and diverse experiences.

Tips for students considering graduate school

• Consider which degrees interest you.
• Develop a list of schools offering those degrees and research them.
• Determine tuition, living and other costs associated with schools you are considering.
• Learn about each school's assistantship/fellowship opportunities.
• Investigate financial aid for graduate school.
• Talk to BW professors about your degree and college interests.
• Determine which standardized exams are needed then prepare for them.
• Learn what is a competitive exam score by talking with BW professors or contacting a school directly.
• Register for the exam early because spaces can fill up and it allows time for possible re-testing.
• Begin writing personal statements, which are needed for applications.
• Create a to-do list and timeline for graduate school application and fellowship/assistantship deadlines. Some schools have both graduate school and individual department requirements and deadlines. Most deadlines range from December through February.