Congratulations! Your college student is about to graduate, or perhaps has graduated from college. He is ready to take on the world! But, perhaps, he may not be as ready as he thinks for ”real life” after college. He’ll still need you for advice, of course, but he may also need some guidance for other sources as he navigates his new life.
Your student may have a job and be out on his own. He may have moved on to graduate school. He may be returning to your nest for a while. Current research and theory suggest that students who graduate from college are part of that group now being identified as ”emerging adults” — certainly not children or adolescents, but yet not quite adults yet.
This post contains a list of books that may be useful to your student as he enters this new phase of his life. A book or two might make a great graduation gift, or summer beach reading. We are not necessarily endorsing these books, but we’d like to help you find material available. Your graduate won’t necessarily want to read them all, but you might look for some titles and approaches that seem appropriate for your graduate’s needs
Aretakis, Nicholas
Next Stage Press, (2006)
Life After College: The New Graduate’s Guide
Bilchik, Nadia, ed.
Hundreds of Heads (2010)
Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates
Cosby, Bill
Hyperion, (1999)
Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes: An After-College Guide to Life
Fischer, Kristen
SuperCollege, LLC (2008)
Boomerang Nation: How to Survive Living With Your Parents . . . the Second Time Around
Furman, Elina
Fireside (2005)
The Everything After College Book: Real World Advice for Surviving and Thriving on Your Own
Furman, Leah; Furman, Elina
Adams Media Corp., (1998)
Graduate: Everything You Need to Succeed After College
Gustafson, Kristen
Capital Books, (2002)
From B.A. to Payday: Launching Your Career After College
Hayden, D.A. and Wilder, Michael
Stewart, Tabori, and Chang (2008)
A Car, Some Cash, and a Place to Crash: The Only Post-College Survival Guide You’ll Ever Need
Knight, Rebecca M.
Rodale Books, (2003)
Getting From College To Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World
Pollack, Lindsey
Harper Paperbacks (2007)
Salazar, Marcos
New Harbinger Publications, (2006)
Gradspot.com’s Guide to Life After College
Schonberger, Chris; Schultz, Stuart; Hoen, Tory
MG Prep, Inc. (2010)
How to Survive the Real World: Life After Graduation: Advice from 774 Graduates Who Did
Syrtash, Andrea (ed.)
Hundreds of Heads (2006)
Note: Some links in our post are for affiliate products. If you use our links, College Parent Central receives a small percentage of your purchase price. This does not change the cost to you. We think it’s only fair to let you know that.
Related Posts:
Reading List: When Your College Student Graduates
Book Review: Emerging Adulthood
25 Gift Ideas for Your College Graduate
Eight Factors That Can Help Your Student Land a Job and Build a Career
May I suggest a book I just published called, “Mooove Ahead! of the corporate herd” available as ebook on Amazon, iBook, and Nook. Print version on Lulu.com/spotlight/moooveahead. The book is full of insight and advice for young people entering the working world and for mid-career people interested in moooving ahead.
More recommended reading should be anything by John Taylor Gatto. His work is eye-opening as is my website for recent college graduates.