You just spent the last 13, 17, or 21 years of your life in school. You’ve graduated; you’re finished. Now what?! As much as most people look forward to this change, this rite of passage, it can be a major stressor that leaves many graduates feeling lost, depressed, overwhelmed, or afraid.

Some may not have looked forward to the “real world” and continued in school, at least partially to avoid this phase of life. For some people, school was just what they were expected to do, whether it was an expectation they handed to themselves or was handed to them by others. It is easy to feel lost when you don’t have a game plan or know what the next step is.

Here are five ways a college graduate can transition to the real world:

1. Be Realistic. Sometimes graduates place too much expectation on themselves to immediately achieve. Although some have immediate luck, it can take months to find your first professional job. Have a plan, but make your goals realistic. Read the rest of this entry »

College may not be for everybody. Having your degree is very important, especially in this job market, but there are definitely some exceptions to that rule. There are a few entrepreneurs that have been incredibly successful and never finished their formal education. So for those of you wait-listed students who may not even get the chance to go to your dream B-school, you may be inspired by the following group of CEOs. Not only did they not get graduate degrees, they didn’t get undergraduate degrees – and some never even attended college! Read the rest of this entry »

The Class of 2009 knows that finding a job in this market will be a difficult task. They have been watching the job market disintegrate since the U.S. entered the recession.

According to a new study by the National Association of College and Employers, fewer than one in five graduates who are looking for jobs have found one; employers are planning to hire 22 percent fewer graduates than they did in 2008. This is very discouraging news, and explains in part why fewer students are actively seeking jobs. This time last year, 67 percent of college grads had begun looking for a job. This year, only 59 percent have even begun looking.

“Whether they’ve decided to delay their careers because of the economy or don’t realize how tough the job market is, fewer grads have started job hunting,” said Andrea Koncz, employment information manager at NACE. Read the rest of this entry »

The recession is hitting college graduates hard. Around 14 percent of recent grads aged 20-24 are currently unemployed. This makes being able to financially support themselves very difficult, if not impossible. So, how can an unemployed college graduate save a few hundred dollars every month? Move back in with mom and dad. However, many recent graduates are finding this option less and less appealing.

Brooke Chrzan, a graduate of The University of New Hampshire, says that living with her parents after being independent in college is “worse than when [she] was a teenager.” Brooke feels her parents treat her “like [she is] 14 again.” Read the rest of this entry »

A fresh batch of college grads are ready to leave campus next month, but they won’t find many ‘now hiring’ signs in office windows. In a survey from the NACE, employers are hiring 22 percent less graduates this Spring, news that won’t be comforting for those with fresh diplomas.

Students are nevertheless hitting the job trail, selling themselves as best they can, but more and more turning to their plans B, C or D. Some are saying this forces college grads to wake-up to reality and learn that there is no job entitlement just because you spent the past four years studying. Another striking statistic is that most grads will have three jobs in five years, so the voracious job hunting skills they develop now only stand to benefit them down the road. Read the rest of this entry »

If the Ohio Senate has its way, its in-state graduates could also become homeowners. “Grants for Grads” is a $2 million grant program that proposes college graduates receive anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000, depending on level of degree earned, payable toward the down payment on a new home. The recipients must agree to live in the state of Ohio for no less than five years.

To be eligible for one of the 300 grants, students will have to register within 60 days of graduation and have 12 months to use it.

“If we truly want to get our economy back on track, Ohio cannot afford to lose the next generation of skilled workers to other states,” said Sen. Stephen Buehrer, R-Delta, who is sponsoring the bill. “This program will provide an extra incentive for our best and brightest to purchase their own homes and become invested in our communities.”

It’s a win-win for students who might not otherwise have the funds available to purchase a new home and create room in their budgets to pay toward student loans. Also a way to stimulate the housing market in Ohio.

Do you think it’s a plan that could work in other states?

So, the economy is less than stellar right now. It’s bad news for everyone, including college graduates. Students are having a hard time finding a job, especially in their chosen field like business finance major Darrell Riggins. He told CNN “he sees more opportunities within the world of reality television than in the actual job market.”

Which is why more and more college grads are running to casting call sites to get 15 minutes of fame and hopefully a paying career. Momlogic has a bit more on this story.

Add foresight to the list of Generation Y’s credentials. A recent survey by Experience Inc. indicates that students are planning now for paying off their student loans- 47% said they chose a career path based on their student loan impact.

“College graduates are taking preemptive measures to deal with the financial ramifications of student loan debt,” said Jenny Floren, founder and CEO of Experience.

About two-thirds of students currently attending college are likely to accept employment with a company offering loan repayment or assistance. And sadly, nearly half of students surveyed said they’d accept a job with a higher paycheck, even if it meant not being happy with the job, as a means to pay student loans.

It’s definitely a signal to HR directors everywhere- the next time you revisit employee benefits, a student loan program is going to be imperative to attract the next generation of employees.

Toss your graduation caps to these celebs. They are not only wildly talented, but have college degrees to fall back on should their careers ever go south. With so many celebs bypassing college, and even high school, educations to chase fortune and fame amidst the lights of Hollywood, it’s refreshing to see these individuals investing in themselves with education.

Adam Sandler - New York University – Fine Arts

Ashton Kutcher – University of Iowa – Biochemical Engineering

Reese Witherspoon – University of Texas-  English

Renee Zellweger – University of Texas-  English

Ashley Olson – New York University – Currently attending

Jennifer Garner – Denison University – Chemistry

Natalie Portman – Harvard – Psychology

Telling people you live with your parents doesn’t quite have the embarrassing ring it once did. According to CollegeGrad.com, more college graduates are moving home with their parents following graduation than have in the past few years.

Up ten percent from just two years ago, 77 percent of college graduates are settling back in with their parents. The economy seems to be part of the reason, but a career services rep at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Sarah Zehr, suggests Generation Y has “close relationships with their parents” and that the usual stigma associated with living at home don’t apply. It’s a trend she says isn’t completely related to the economy.

Do you have plans to move home after graduation? Did you move home after graduation, and what were your reasons?