Tips for a Successful Third Year of College
Advice for Preparing for Graduation, Career, or Graduate School
Nov 8, 2009
A college student's third year can be tough. By now, a student has a schedule full of upper level courses, extra curricular activities, a job, and a social life to juggle in addition to preparing for life after graduation. However, with a few ideas, a student can stay on track with less stress.
Finish General Education Classes
To make sure that a student won't be surprised when a required general education class is missing, make sure that all of the school's institutional requirements are taken care of or are in progress by the end of the first term of a student's third year. If a requirement has not or will not be fulfilled, make sure it is addressed as soon as possible.
Get an Internship
Having an internship is an asset no matter what area of study a student chooses during their college career. Internships allow students to experience professional fields without committing to a contract or position for an extended period of time. In addition, many schools require internships for various programs, such as business or communications, and if one is not required a student may be able to earn elective credit for time spent in the field.
In addition, internships may open up opportunities for job placement and scholarships in the future.
Network With Professionals in Career Fields
If a student knows that he or she wants to go into a specific field, begin networking with professionals in that field so that connections are formed. These connections can help students get internships, jobs, or contracts in their specialty areas that they may not have known about before.
Networking also allows students to branch out and meet people who have information about their field of study that may not be available in the classroom. If a student is interested in working on networking skills, contact a school's career services center to see if a networking event or job fair is being held on campus or in the surrounding area.
Begin Undergraduate Dissertation Work
In addition to required courses, some majors or fields of study at colleges and universities require undergraduate students to complete a dissertation or thesis, exit exams, or senior projects that are very time consuming. By planning and doing some of the work during a student's third year of college, this will take some of the stress off a student's work load during his or her senior year.
Prepare for Graduate School
If a student is going to graduate school right after finishing college, begin researching prospective graduate schools and look into preparing for the necessary entrance exams. Investing in an exam prep class may be beneficial and cost effective, as graduate school entrance exams are often expensive and require spending a large amount of money in order to keep retaking the test to get a desired score.
A student's third year of college is especially important in preparing for life after graduation. If a student keeps his or her future plans in mind, doing some work during this year of college will save time and energy during a student's last year of school.
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