Life After Graduation: Your Guide to Success

Book by: Terry Arndt & Kirrin Coleman
Review by: Sheriece L. Robinson
School of Applied Sciences/Patterson School of Accountancy
University of Mississippi-DeSoto

Graduating from college can be exciting, but life after college can be frightening and stressful. Students are faced with major decisions such as launching a job search, deciding to begin a career, relocating, or continuing their education. This can be very stressful for a student. Some students have the details of their life planned, while others find it impossible to plan their future. Some students enjoy planning ahead, while others live in the “here and now.” Regardless if students plan ahead or not, they will make a major decision that will impact their life after graduation.

Life After Graduation: Your Guide to Success begins with a checklist highlighting suggestions students can do to make sure they are on the right path to life after graduation. The book contains 23 chapters on a plethora of topics that students have concerns or need to be aware of. Topics vary from student loans to financial planning to social media. The author does a good job of providing supplementary resources for students to gain additional knowledge. Life After Graduation: Your Guide to Success can be easily understood by readers because the chapters are concise and the content is simple.

Arndt and Coleman highlight information and resources on areas that students will encounter in the real world. Although, the authors wrote the book to prepare students for life after graduation, some students will encounter some things before or while they are in college. The authors noted in the Book Disclaimer’s section: “In addition, the advice given in the book may not suit every individual’s circumstances.” (p. 2) The authors wrote the book for the general student population, however, it will better serve an audience of traditional age students.

Life After Graduation: Your Guide to Success would be a good resource for students as well as academic and career advisors. There are some chapters or topics within the book that advisors can use to facilitate conversation during advising sessions.  Such dialogue could be defining measureable goals, making a great first impression, and understanding your organization.

This is a great tool for advisors who are instructors for first year or transfer experience courses as well as career counseling classes. Many institutions offer courses on career and life planning. In these classes, students learn skills and tips on interviews, resumes, occupational information, career assessments, financial planning, and retirement. In addition to using this book for class and/or advising, it can also be used to prepare workshops or other campus events to help students prepare for life after graduation.