How to prepare for graduate school during college

While your undergraduate education may seem distant from a graduate-level degree, there are a number of opportunities and challenges in college that can better prepare you for graduate school in years to come. Here are three to consider before your college years come to a close:

• Find a happy medium with your academic advisor. It’s important to use them as a resource at the appropriate times while also being independent and self-driven. This balance will be important to maintain into graduate school as advisors will expect their students to be organized and proactive when it comes to assignments and deadlines.
• Write a thesis. A challenging research and writing experience as an undergrad will be a valuable asset on your resume and better prepare you for similar projects during grad school. The thesis provides an opportunity for students to focus on a single area of study and defend their findings in a similar format to graduate research.
• Improve your interpersonal skills. More specifically, be comfortable interacting with a variety of people – professors, peers and employers to name a few. A graduate school curriculum will continually challenge students to not only formulate their own ideas, but present them in an effective manner. A debate club, athletic team or student government position can improve these interpersonal skills prior to graduate school.