Graduating from UC with a Chem degree - whats next?

[KnowledgeAcademic]

My ultimate goal? To land a gig in Silicon Valley post-graduation! In my free time, I'm teaching myself to code - gotta stay ahead in this tech world, right? But here's the deal - financial stress is hitting me hard lately. Balancing work, classes, and research projects is no joke.

Any tips on managing this rollercoaster of responsibilities while still keeping my sanity intact? I'm curious about life after college too. ong what opportunities are out there for us chem majors in the california job market? any advice on successfully transitioning from uc to the industry or grad school? if anyone's been through something similar or has nuggets of wisdom to share, feel free to drop them below. Let's help each other out!

 

[MaryaL]

The "live like a student" mentality is real and it's how I survived . You have to be frugal NOW so you're not drowning in debt later. UC has great resources for this—their financial wellness page breaks down how saving $5/day on coffee adds up to $6k+ over four years . That's real money!!
For SV jobs: biotech (Amgen, Genentech), pharma (Pfizer, Merck), tech (Google, Apple, Amazon all have chem R&D) . Also check out "materials science" roles—they're everywhere in SV. The coding thing is your secret weapon. Most chemists don't code. You'll be special. Also network like crazy. 40-50% of jobs come through people you know.