During their senior year, not many students want to think about grad school or their career after graduation. Unfortunately, this attitude leaves many students without plans at the end of their undergraduate experience. As a campus leader, you can help to solve this problem by hosting some graduate school and career workshops for the seniors on campus. By hosting several throughout the year, you can help your peers get a head start on their future.

One of the main reasons students don't start thinking about their job or graduate program early is because they don't think they have time. By hosting an event, you can create a space of time where students can focus on picking out a graduate program, writing their resume, or applying for jobs.

Start out by collecting resources. Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions is a great source of informational books and test preparation tools for students applying to graduate schools or looking for jobs. Also, check with your career services center on campus to see if they have books or software they can lend you for your event. If possible, ask if one of the career services staff might be able to join you and answer questions.

It's not enough just to make some time for students to work on their career search or think about grad schools; try to make the event fun as well. Grab lots of brain food like whole grain crackers, fruit such as blueberries and blackberries, seeds and nuts, and lots of veggies. You can get students more engaged with the DormWise Grad School and Career Bing Cards which have words that will pop up in your grad school search and resume or cover letter writing projects. Offer prizes like one-on-one resume consulting with career services, Kaplan products or even a trip to the local spa or salon for some relaxation after a tough day of planning for the future.

Students will need to think about the months and years following graduation at some point in the year regardless of whether or not you plan an event for them. Make it easier and more fun by bringing seniors together to focus on what's ahead.