For many seniors, this upcoming May means a few different things: no more 8 a.m. classes, saying goodbye to friends and deciding what to do with the rest of their lives. A number of seniors feel that graduate school is the next step after graduation.

But not everyone dreams of going to grad school, there are many other options.

Chelsea Boudreaux, a biology senior plans to attend medical school in Georgia.

“I feel the biology department has prepared me for the classes ahead,” Boudreaux said.

Keisha Kinyon, a music industry studies senior, isn’t 100% sure what she wants to do after graduation. Kinyon is currently weighing her options, like earning a teaching degree, and returning back to South Korea to teach English or maybe work in the music industry. Either way she says she will be doing something she enjoys.

Sarah Tortorich, A’13, recently submitted her application to join UNO’s Master in Arts Administration Program of Spring 2015. In between graduating and applying for a masters program, Tortorich went to work.

“I started working at Arthur Roger Gallery two days after I walked across the stage with my degree,” Tortorich said.

Tortorich plans to continue her work at Arthur Roger Gallery, while taking night classes if accepted into UNO’s Masters Program.

For some people, graduating college means the end of classes — they would rather become a part of the work force.

Angela Book, A’14, double majored in management and marketing. Book is now one of three administrative assistants for the CEO of the First NBC Bank here in New Orleans. Book felt “done” with school and wanted to be out in the working world.

“I didn’t stop looking for jobs. I started looking around January before I graduated,” Book said. “I kept asking anybody I could and I also networked.”

Book advises seniors interested in finding potential jobs to search on LinkedIn.

Some believe if they choose not to attend grad school, they will have a difficult time finding a job. This isn’t necessarily the case.

Lisa Collins, a visiting professor in the School of Mass Communication, found a job soon after graduating from the University of Missouri in 1999.

“I landed a job about three weeks after I graduated, and moved to Baton Rouge to begin producing the first week of July,” Collins said.

According to Collins, her parents even offered to pay for her to go to grad school but she really wanted to keep working to sharpen her skills in the newsroom. Collins did consider earning her MBA, but in the long run, decided to enter the workforce.

Collins advises students not to go to grad school just because they don’t get their dream job right away. Grad school is an expensive endeavor and students need to think hard if going is the right choice for them.

“If you really enjoy school and want to keep that lifestyle, then grad school might be right for you,” Collins said. “But if you’re excited to start the next chapter of your life, just dive right in to the real world. You can always decide to go back to school later in your career.”

Collins had one more piece of advice she wished to share with students considering the workforce instead of grad school.

“Don’t wait for the perfect job, get a job and make it work for you,” Collins said.