When am I graduating??

Hi,

Just joined this board. I'm a new student at columbia, transfer, and am not sure when I'll be graduating exactly. Because transfers have a tough time graduating in 2 years, even if they have 60 units (the core is a pain), it looks like I MIGHT need an extra semester. Thus, instead of graduating in May of 2013 as planned, it may be in December of 2013 -- but I won't know this until I finish my first semester, and figure out how many courses I can handle intelligently per semester (taking 4 first semester to hopefully figure out if I can do 5 or even 6 the remaining semesters).

Thus, when going into recruiting, should I post on my resume 2013 expected graduation, and if it turns out i'll need an extra semester, deal with it later? I'm afraid of working my butt off, getting an offer to start in June of 2013, and not be able to start until Jan.

Any help or info would be great. Thanks!

5 Comments
 
Best Response

Was in a similar situation (albeit for grad school), but it was unexpected (one of the classes I needed to take to graduate was inexplicably not offered one semester). I had an offer in hand with a BB and talked to them about it. They weren't very accommodating since the start classes typically begin together. Eventually I was able to work it out but for a while it looked like I was stuck.

Not sure if you're looking to take a job with a BB but I would say any company with a formalized training program and large(r) start classes may not be very accommodating.

I know this doesn't really answer the question of which date to put, but I'm just explaining that in my experience, it would be hard to start at a later date with a BB if you find out that you're going to graduate later.

 

Do you think it would be wise to explain this to recruiters?

As a rising junior I went through the recruitment and super day process at a BB. Though I wasn't extended an offer, I was strongly encouraged to reach back out, and have been in touch with HR ever since. Do you suggest I reach out to HR and explain my situation, to see what they think, or keep quiet until something is confirmed?

 

I can't see how it'd hurt to reach out to HR, but I'd probably wait until after the semester since you'll probably have a better idea then as to how long it'll take for you to graduate. Talking to them right now and not knowing a thing doesn't really help the situation. I figure you'll be looking at SA positions this year and the process won't begin until the 2nd semester anyway.

 

Wait until you have a firm offer, and then you can negotiate to transfer your offer into 2014 class (starting summer 2014) but you can start working in January 2014 as an "early starter", many people who graduate in December do that. Although it will mean that overall your analyst programme can theoretically last half a year longer, it's still experience that will be advantageous later

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