College

The simplest way to set yourself up for successful admission to grad school and a smooth career transition is simply by working hard during your undergraduate years. By being diligent, earning good grades, and participating on and off campus, you’ll attract fans—people in your network who want to help you succeed in your next steps.Benefits of doing your best work include:The organizations you’ve been volunteering or interning with will want to hire you if they can.
Your professors, club leaders, and peers will want to give you a good reference. They will take an interest in mentoring you, as an extension of themselves. They’ll want you to become part of their legacy.
You’ll have great experiences to share at your school—or job—interviews. Your accomplishments will be reflected in your resume, statements of purpose, and cover letters.
You’ll have gained the skills and confidence you need to succeed, in school and in future jobs.BookmarkEmail Share PrintSetting yourself up for success: Things you can do while you’re an undergrad
It may be ideal to attend graduate school after you’ve become a junior expert in your field through work experience. But if you are determined to go to grad school directly from undergraduate—and in fact, there are some fields in which this is encouraged—this section will help you prepare. (You’ll still want to gain real-world work experience to prepare for your future career, but there are ways to get that while you’re still in school. Keep reading!)Do your best job
Take advantage of undergraduate life
Take advantage of time off: Interning and volunteering
Document your accomplishments
Build relationships
Challenge yourself
Set professional goals
Conclusion and further resources
If you set out to enroll in grad school directly after college, preparation is essential. The most important task is getting skills and experience in your field so that you have confidence in your decision and so that the schools you…