5 Great Benefits of Being an Alum (besides your degree!)

5 Great Benefits of Being an Alum

You’ve graduated college and have traded in campus life for the “real world.” As a college student, you had a huge amount of resources available to you from your school, but did you know that post-grads can still get great benefits from their college? You may not be a student anymore, but you can still take advantage of helpful services that most colleges have to offer alumni. Check out these 5 awesome benefits:

1. Discounts
We all got to know the beauty of student discounts—from college nights at the movie theater to museum admission bargains. Well, college alumni can get some discounts too, though these kinds are a little different. Many schools offer their alumni reduced graduate school tuition or discounted graduate classes at their location. So if you’re interested in further pursuing your course of study after graduating, it may be worth looking into what your school has to offer in the graduate department.

2. Mentorship
If you built good relationships with your professors in college, you can reach out to them in your post-grad life. If they’re active in the professional field you want to get into, ask for their advice or even have them mentor you on the side. Whether it’s a formal service that your school’s advising department has, or an informal arrangement you make with a favorite teacher, being mentored can be a great way to stay sharp and learn something new.

3. Networking
No matter how big or small your school is, they probably have their own alumni association. And it can be helpful to get involved in your area’s chapter because of the great networking opportunities. People are inclined to feel a collegiate allegiance with their job-hunting peers. In other words, bonding over a shared college can end up being very helpful in the professional world. Connect with other grads from your school through social media sites like LinkedIn, check out the alumni association, and see how fellow graduates look out for each other. With such a competitive job market, having strong connections can be a real lifesaver.

4. Events
Schools often host special events just for their alumni. There might be annual alumni weekends, and other social gatherings scattered throughout the year. Schools often offer lectures, and even free workshops or webinars. Do you still check your college email account? It could be worth linking it to your primary email so that you can get alerts about any upcoming alumni events.

5. Career Services
This is a big one. Even if you didn’t take advantage of your career services office as an undergrad, you should definitely check it out as a graduate if at all possible. Many schools keep their career services doors open to past students. You can get help updating and reformatting your resume, conquer a treacherous cover letter, and even find out about job opportunities. Take advantage of this!

College may be over, but you can still keep your affiliated pride. So get an alum license plate, wear all the college swag you want, and be proud of your diploma. But also be sure to find out what benefits your college has for motivated post-grads like you!