For juniors, seniors and even freshmen, it’s never too early to think about graduation.

Graduating is the first step in the transition from an individual’s school life to professional life. The idea of graduating and stepping out into the real world can seem daunting but here are five major steps students should take to make the graduation process easier.

Step 1: Check degree audits regularly. 

For seniors, this is crucial. Not a single major is the same at BGSU. As such, the degree requirements and specifications vary from student to student. It’s very easy to get confused about the classes needed to graduate. 

There’s nothing more frustrating than if a student were to apply for graduation only for the application to get rejected because a class was overlooked, or if they were one credit short. 

Checking degree audits at least once a semester is a must. Another important thing to note is the fact that the audit often does not include a minor, so if a major requires a minor to be completed as well, it is best to see an adviser just to make sure.

Step 2: See an adviser prior to the semester of the intended graduation. 

As mentioned in Step 1, degree audits might not take minors into account when calculating the amount of credits a student has taken and has left to complete. 

A student’s adviser is like a mentor. It is important to form a personal relationship with this person, for advisers often catch things the audit misses. Always ask questions and reach out to a faculty adviser whenever you can.

Step 3: Visit the Career Center. 

Having a resume and cover letter is required for nearly every career field. Students won’t get far without either. 

If you’re unsure about the quality of a resume or letter, students should visit the BGSU Career Center to get both looked at. The Career Center also does mock interviews, workshops and so much more.  It is located in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union on the second floor.

Step 4: Always look for job opportunities. 

Whether it’s going to career fairs or browsing sites like Indeed, Handshake or LinkedIn, students should always have getting a job as their second priority behind finishing the last semester of school. 

Apply, apply, apply. Applying to jobs as early as possible will work wonders to ease the stress of having to job hunt after graduation. Chances are that a student could have a job lined up already! 

If unsure of where to start looking for jobs, try visiting the Career Center or meeting with an academic adviser. Both are there to help. 

It also cannot be stressed enough — make sure to connect to as many students and faculty members as possible on LinkedIn. Good grades are good on paper, but a lot of the time connections can make all the difference when searching for a career. 

Step 5: Remember the graduation application deadline. 

As simple as it sounds, this is the most important step of all. The deadline to apply for graduation can be overlooked easily. Missing this date is practically a death sentence and a guaranteed additional semester of college. 

For fall, spring and summer graduates, the application becomes available on July 15, Oct. 15 and March 15 respectively. The deadline for each application is Sept. 16 for fall, Feb. 17 for spring and June 12 for summer. Please note the university can change these dates at any time, so be sure to check BGSU’s website just in case.