Preparing for Graduation

Discuss your post-graduation plans with the TRIO Coordinator or DSP Specialist

Consider how your disability may affect you in grad school, pre-professional school, or your chosen career. Before graduation, what plans can you make to maximize your assets and minimize your limitations?

See your TRIO Specialist for information and referral for resources for applying to and financing graduate school. You may also be eligible for accomodations on the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, and other pre-grad and pre-professional school exams. Details are available through the UC Berkeley Career Center. For more information, see our guide, "Applying for Accommodations on Pre-Graduate and Pre-Professional School Examinations."

Make an appointment with the Graduate Diversity Program.

Certification of Disability

Will you need new or revised certification of disability? (For example, updated testing for learning disability.) You may want to make arrangements now.

Make a copy of your documentation

In accordance with University policy, DSP keeps files up to five years after a student graduates or leaves the University, so always maintain your own copies of your documentaiton.

Plan site visits of graduate facilities

How would you rate their accessibility? Don't forget to investigate the disability services office. Will professionals there be able to meet your needs?

Meet with a Tang Center Career Counselor

The Tang Center's career counselors can support you with your major and career goals by helping you assess and understand your interests. Counselors also welcome discussion related to other personal factors that might be affecting your career goals. Call Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) at (510) 642-9494 and ask for an appointment with a Career Counselor.

Meet with your major advisor

At the beginning of your senior year, meet with your major advisor to ensure that you will comply with major requirements. Also in your senior year, make specific arrangements for graduation.

Schedule a degree check

Check with your academic advisor to make sure you are on the degree list. Check the graduation site for accessibility. Invite guests.

Use the Career Center's "Letter Service"

Create a file into which instructors can deposit letters of recommendation for you. Remember, an instructor may not be around when you are ready to graduate, so request a letter while you are in the instructor's course, or soon after.

Financial Support for Graduate School

There are many funding opportunities available for graduate school. Meet with your TRIO Specialist.

Resources

Visit the Career Counseling Library at the Tang Center

Stop by the Career Counseling Library to learn about career and graduate school exploration resources. They can assist you in researching graduate programs, including finding admissions statistics and learning which programs best fit your interests.

Meet with a Career Center Counselor

At the Career Center, find career information and job search events of interest to you and monitor the online calendar to find out about events, graduate school, and career fairs. The Career Center is located at 2440 Bancroft Way.

The Career Center's Counselors can answer disability-related questions that you may have about graduate school and employment. Make an appointment online

Meet with the WorkAbility IV staff

UC Berkeley's WorkAbility IV program represents a select group of Cal students and recent Cal graduates who have disabilities. WAIV connects qualified, experienced, and diverse candidates with employers interested in enriching their workforce by hiring the best. For information, contact Esther Green.

Cal Teach

Cal Teach is a program for science, math, and engineering majors interested in education. The five-course Cal Teach minor allows students to explore teaching in local schools and become eligible for the Cal Teach Program, a unique opportunity to earn a teaching credential as an undergraduate.

Sign up for Callisto

Callisto is the Career Center's gateway to job, internship, and On-Campus Recruiting listings; career fair information; CareerMail access and more.

Step by Step website

The Step by Step website provides a guide to getting ready for graduate school in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Programs

Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP)

URAP permits you to earn credits for working one-on-one with faculty members on cutting-edge research projects.

Haas Scholars Program

The Haas Scholars Program provides assistance in finding a research mentor and in learning how to write a research proposal.

McNair Scholars Program

The McNair Scholars Program prepares selected underrepresented UC Berkeley undergraduates for graduate study at the doctoral level.

SAGE Scholars Program

SAGE Scholars are low-income and high achieving undergraduates who explore their career options through research, internships, and SAGE-sponsored networks. SAGE Scholars benefit from working with experts and leaders in their fields, developing life-long professional skills.