Most college students spend four years wandering around campus in an effort to reach their goals or to find out what their goals even are. Once graduation arrives, they are thrust into reality to set the world on fire. As the spring semester begins and May steadily approaches, some seniors are starting to solidify these plans.

Its been a long process, said Ben Beltran, a senior majoring in advocacy and social change. Beltran is applying to graduate schools, an undertaking that started with research last summer.

Recent graduates agree that preparing for life after college can be consuming.

My senior year was definitely filled with its moments of high stress as I convinced myself that I needed to figure out where I was going or what I would be doing with my life, said Sebastian Villa, who graduated last year.

But alumni also advise current students to not worry too much about post-grad life, just keep up with all of the things you need to do.

When it comes to the immediate, post-grad life, I thought it was useful to not just make a plan B, but also plan C, D, E, F, G, H, I and so on, said Adilla Menayang, Loyola class of 14. Youll face rejection and tough decisions, but if going into the unknown is something that intimidates you, like how it does me, doing research and preparing gave me a lot of comfort.

The decision of what to do after undergrad can be stressful, but there are three main paths people usually choose from: go to graduate school, get a job or become a volunteer.

1. Go to grad school

From medical school to history PhDs to higher education, graduate school can provide many opportunities. In 2013, more than 450,000 students enrolled in grad school. In 2009, grad schools had an average cost of $9,000 per year for public universities and $20,000 per year for private universities, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Pauline Tolentino, who graduated last year, decided to continue her education, a choice that didnt come easily.

Read more from the original source:
What happens next: A look into post-grad planning