Planning for a Career After College
All the hard work has finally paid off — you've received your diploma and are officially a college graduate! In the rush of emotion that comes with such a wonderful accomplishment, it's easy to lose track of key responsibilities you will face during your transition. That's why we've collected important pieces of information to consider as you make your way into the real world.
Give Yourself a Chance to Celebrate
If you haven't already taken the time to celebrate your accomplishment, do so. Whether you give yourself a few days of relaxation or a few hours, give yourself a pat on the back and recognize the significance of your determination, talent, and dedication. Celebrate — but don't get too carried away. Be careful not to let an extended vacation turn into weeks of sluggishness. If you have student loans to repay, the end of your grace period may be rapidly approaching. Your loans may already be accruing interest, so be sure not to neglect them.
In fact, if you face significant student loan debt, you may want to consider consolidating your loans to make the repayment process easier to handle.
Decide on a Location
One of the great rewards of a college education is the freedom of mobility. Depending on the demand for your skills, you could have a choice of living anywhere in the world. Perhaps you have a specific area or city in mind where you'd like to live. Maybe you'd like to be near family or friends, or perhaps you're drawn to a specific geographical landscape. You may even be interested in breaking away from everything you already know and trying out a completely new locale for a while.
Determining your next location is the first step in securing a new place to live and establishing yourself within a new community. Weigh your options carefully. You may also want to remain a little flexible with your location choices so as to allow for more employment opportunities.
Secure Your Health Insurance
Once you leave school, you will most likely have a short grace period before your health insurance coverage ends. This is an area of concern you definitely do not want to neglect. Although many employers offer varying degrees of health coverage, you may find yourself needing insurance during the transitional period as you look for a new job.
COBRA Continuation Health Coverage is designed specifically for situations of short-term need such as this. This type of health insurance allows individuals to acquire health coverage at group rates to help bridge the gap until a more permanent source of health insurance becomes available. While COBRA plans might seem expensive without an employer there to help with the cost, they are typically much less expensive than an individual plan.
To learn more about your health insurance options, talk to your school's Student Health Insurance Office, or contact a local insurance provider near you.
