Tips for a Successful Fourth Year of College
Advice on Senior Projects, Motivation, Graduate School, and a Career
Nov 9, 2009
After years of hard work, it may be easy for college students to relax during their senior year. However, this year is still important because potential employers and graduate schools will still want to see a certain level of participation and academic performance until graduation.
Senior Projects, Exit Exams, and Dissertations and Theses
While it may be easy to think that professors should know just how much a student knows by now, a student's senior project or evaluations in any form should be taken seriously. Students must make sure that all requirements for the project are fulfilled to ensure graduating on time with all of a student's intended fields of study, honors, and distinctions.
In addition, students should also plan ahead if a they have to present or defend their work. These defenses should be scheduled so that the student has adequate time to finish the project, but not so close to graduation that there may not be time for an alternative assessment if the defense does not meet institutional standards.
Using the same kinds of organizational routines developed during a student's second year, seniors can map out project due dates, set bench marks, and continue to organize progress in order to complete the project with time to spare.
Avoid Senioritis
It may be easy to slack off during a student's last year, but continuing the good study habits developed during a student's first year of college can help make sure that a student suddenly isn't able to graduate on time due to failing a class.
In order to stay on track, avoid posting countdowns until graduation or letting a student get unorganized. Students can keep reminding themselves about the downside of slacking off during their senior year by looking at what can happen to a student's grade point average if careful attention isn't paid to classwork.
Graduate School
If it is required, make sure that students take entrance exams such as the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT as early in the academic year if possible. For some, taking these tests late in the summer may give them more time to study and determine if they need to take the test again in order to get a better score.
Prospective graduate students should also begin applying for graduate school and graduate assistantships in areas they wish to start a career in. These internships for graduate students give students the chance to apply classroom knowledge in a real world setting, in addition to earning extra cash and having some educational expenses paid for by the college or university as part of an employee benefits package.
Career Planning
During the first one or two terms, students should finish putting together resumes and attend networking or career fair events on and around campus or in areas in which students wish to relocate to after graduation. Maintain networking connections made during a student's third year with professionals in a student's area of study, and these connections can lead to a job position following graduation.
A student's last year of college is vitally important to a student's life after graduation. By staying focused and keeping graduation in sight, students can still be successful while enjoying what is left of their college experience.
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