Congratulations! All your hard work and late night studying is about to pay off. Graduation is just around the corner. Understandably, it might feel overwhelming, but with a bit of planning, making the transition from school to full-time work can be smooth.

The following is a checklist with some important tasks to consider:

• Take the last few months seriously. Yes, you may be in the homestretch but be sure to study hard. This is not the time to coast.
• Have you applied to graduate? If not, review NOVA’s graduation website, http://www.nvcc.edu/graduation/.
• Pay a visit to NOVA’s Career Services Office. They can assist you to develop your cover letter, resume, and portfolio as well as teach you how to prepare for an interview and begin your job search.
• Develop a list of references and letters of recommendation. As this may be your first job, ask your instructors for permission to use them as a reference or for those letters of recommendation. Potential employers will ask for this information if you are a serious candidate for the job.
• Figure out where you are going to live after college. You need to think about if you are going to move back home with your parents on a short-term basis or if you’re going to live on your own.
• What about transportation? If you currently have a car, you’re probably good to go. If not, you’ll need to carefully consider affordable options including public transportation, at least for the short term.
• Will you be going to grad school? Ask yourself: what school will you be attending, how much will it cost and how will you pay for it?
• Check your consumer credit report. No matter what your plans for living and getting around, you’ll want to check your consumer credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com for errors and to see where your credit score stands.
• Most importantly, start planning to repay your student loans. Six months after graduation, you’ll be expected to begin repayment on your federal student loans. For other loans, check your promissory notes and contact your lender(s). Be sure to inventory your student loans. For federal loans, visit www.studentloans.gov. There you will find a complete list of how much you borrowed, your interest rates and your loan servicer information. Contact your servicer(s) to update your contact information and to discuss repayment options.

Source:  ECMC Fab Gab Outreach and Financial Literacy Newsletter, Winter 2017