Oh, the places you will go.
By Stephanie Snay | Distribution Editor
Dr. Seuss may have known a bit about the places we will go, but did he ever mention how to get there? College experiences give us the training
There are several options for recent college graduates, including attending graduate school, enlisting in the army and joining the workforce.
Graduate school is a path chosen by many, allowing students to further their knowledge for their specific field of study. Senior Joanna Luisi plans to attend graduate school after she graduates in the spring.
“It [graduate school] allows for advanced scholarship,” Luisi said. “It helps make you more qualified and specialized for your career and it can help you get a higher paying job.”
Even if students are not certain they will go to graduate school but feel it could be a possibility, they should start researching.
“The only difficulty is most students begin this process too late,” said Associate Director of Career Services Lela Mixon. “ Some graduate programs require courses or proficiency that will only occur if students knew those requirements early in their undergraduate college careers and not later, like their senior year. Some graduate programs have early admissions, like UIndy’s DPT program.”
Luisi learned that it is best to apply to several schools.
There are many factors that weigh into choosing the right school, such as location, climate, cost of living, cost of tuition and national rankings.
Deadlines are very important when applying to graduate school. Similar to the application process to undergraduate schools, each graduate school will have its own deadlines for application and financial aid. For the fall semester, schools typically want students to apply by December or January.
Often times, schools supply a checklist of what students need to apply, which may include an admission exam (GRE, MCAT, GMAT), college transcript, two or more letters of recommendation and a personal essay.
Luisi considered this last item to be important during her application process.
“It’s your chance to sell yourself,” Luisi said. “They will judge your originality and how well you write. Therefore it should be well-formed and in a coherent manner.”
Career services does offer individual counseling for those wanting to explore graduate school. For more information, visit www.careers.uindy.edu/currentstudents/graduate.
Army enlistment provides numerous benefits for recent graduates as well, including monetary help with student loans and signing bonuses.
Sophomore nursing major Cassandra Carrow considered the army to be a good option for her and her future career endeavors.
“I really want to care for those who help our country,” Carrow said.
Carrow recommended that those who might be interested in the army should talk to a recruiter. The recruiting office nearest in proximity to UIndy is located on East Stop 11.
UIndy also has a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program that can be taken as a minor.
For more information regarding army enlistment, visit goarmy.com.
Many students are both eager to jump into the workforce and put their newly gained knowledge to its test, as well as fearful of the leap.
“Finding the ‘right’ job means finding a job that can build on your natural gifts, skills and fits into your plan for professional growth,” Mixon said. “Finding the right job isn’t about where you want to end up, but rather where do you want to begin your career? What skills can you refine and what new skills can you develop? Will this job allow you to connect with influential people within your chosen industry. If so, it is worth considering as an entry-level career position.”
There are numerous resources online to help one find jobs, such as SIGI3, O*NET Online, JobHoundConnect, IndianaINTERNnet, and Jobweb.org.
The Office of Career Services (OCS) offers several workshops, activities and practice interviews as well. A path to professionalism SOS workshop will be offered on Nov. 17 and the ins and outs of successful interviews workshop will be held on Dec. 5. Both are at 3:10 p.m. in Schwitzer 010.
Choosing what to do after college takes a lot of thought, but there is help along the way. There are many online resources available to provide some guidance, and the OCS is always eager to help students.
