Winter vacation is upon us, and while you’re probably looking forward to some rest, relaxation, and your family’s annual holiday movie-watching marathon, this time away from school is also a great opportunity to contemplate your postgraduate future.
Here are three things we recommend mulling over during winter break (preferably with hot cocoa in hand!).
1. Commit to some academic New Year’s resolutions.
With 2016 rapidly drawing to a close, most of us have resolutions on the brain. Whether it’s getting more sleep, procrastinating less, or joining a gym, we all have things we’d like to do differently in 2017.
We recommend that you add at least one academic resolution to your list — something attainable that will actually last longer than a few weeks. You could resolve to actually read some additional academic content not assigned by your professors or to take the time to meet with each of your professors outside of class (even if it’s just to chat).
Regardless of what you choose, making a concerted effort to become a better student in 2017 will pay dividends in the future, whether you continue on to grad school or head straight into the job market.
2. Decide which post-graduate goals you want to pursue.
When was the last time you took a moment to contemplate your life post graduation? When was the last time you took the time to really assess your level of satisfaction with your undergraduate education, whether or not you want to go to grad school, or what you’re hoping for in terms of a post-college job/career path?
Graduation may seem like a distant accomplishment at this point, but some real examination of your goals and desires now can save you time, energy, and money several years down the road.
3. Really do some digging into your grad school options, applications, and exams.
Even if you’re only a junior in undergrad, winter break is a great opportunity to start thinking about grad school: where you’d like to go, the application process, and the admissions requirements of each school.
Now is also a good time to start thinking about your personal statement, application essays, and whether or not you’ll need to work some extra hours to cover application fees and/or fees for standardized entrance exams like the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT. It’s also a good idea to contact your potential grad schools to set up a meeting with an admissions counselor and tour of the school.
If you’d like more information on how to navigate the process of applying to grad school, check out our free graduate school decision guide.
