Class of 2027: You Have a Graduation Date, But Do You Have a Plan?

The year leading up to graduation is filled with anticipation. There is homecoming, fall and spring

break, and, of course, prom to plan for. In all the preparation and excitement surrounding these

milestone events, let’s not forget to develop a plan for what happens once you cross the graduation

stage.

What’s next?

Have you put the same time and effort into developing your next steps that you’ve put into

researching the perfect dress or suit for prom?

Now is the time to name the goal.

Is the goal college? Trade school? A gap year? Traveling the world? Whatever path you decide to

take, a timeline must be developed.

Develop Your Plan

A Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM) is a plan that identifies, tracks, and assigns dates to

specific milestones leading toward a goal.

For example, if your goal is to attend and graduate from college, have you identified colleges that

offer a degree in your chosen field of study? Have you researched the admission requirements?

What are the application deadlines? How will college be paid for?

Have you considered expenses beyond tuition, such as books and access codes, housing, meal

plans, and monthly personal expenses like laundry and hygiene items?

Parents and Class of 2027 graduates, now is the time to get actively engaged. Start discussing

these things and develop a plan with a due date for each milestone.

It is too easy to stick your head in the sand and hope these things will work themselves out or place the responsibility solely on high school counselors and teachers.

Here is one of the first lessons of starting out in life: No one is required to track you down

and provide you with all the information you need.

This is your life—and parents, this is your child’s future. The responsibility for researching

information, asking questions, making phone calls, and following up belongs to you.

Yes, you.

It’s Time for a Serious Conversation

Parents and future graduates, it is time to have a serious discussion.

Graduates, your parents will no longer be legally responsible for speaking on your behalf. There are

adult responsibilities ahead of you, and there will be conversations with prospective or current

college classmates, faculty, staff, employers, and other professionals that you must be prepared to have.

There are thousands of scholarships, financial aid opportunities, and programs available to help pay for the cost of your education. Most of these programs have specific application periods and

deadlines.

Just as you put time and attention into selecting the exact shade of royal purple for your prom dress and finding the perfect matching boutonnière, the same—if not more—time and attention should be devoted to preparing for your next steps after graduation.

Graduation day is coming.

The question isn't whether you will cross the stage.

The question is: What is your plan for the day after?

Need Help Developing the Plan?

If you are unsure where to start, need help understanding what to expect, or simply need someone

to guide you as you plan your next steps after graduation, I invite you to book a 90-minute Strategy Planning Session with NEXGEN Life Coaching.

Together, we can identify the goal, develop the plan, establish milestones, and determine the steps

necessary to move you forward.

Success is not random. It is deliberate.

Let’s live deliberately.