Share your advice with today's grads

No boring commencement speeches here. Simply offer one or two truths about finances, careers, investing or life that you've picked up since your college days. And seniors, put your questionsto other Kiplinger's readers.

1. Graduate Degree - Better sooner than later since you won't have more time when you have a house, spouse and a toddler.

2. Savings - for many the down payment is a bigger hurdle than the monthly mortgage bill. Start putting some money aside as soon as you can.

3. Pay your bills on-time.

4. Fitness - traversing the campus en route to classes combined with the occasional pick-up frisbee game burns more calories than you knew; sitting at a desk all day means a little less pizza and beer.

5. 401k - take a piece of every raise and increase your contribution every year. Its a great habit to build.

6. Take the road less travelled - whether its a great job in Helsinki, a career you hadn't considered, or a year in the peace corps. Roots set in and bold moves get harder as you get older.

Now that you have graduated and the smoke begins to clear, you will realize that the working world isn't as dreamy as colleges lead you to believe. Even today, a 4yr degree won't guarantee you a good paying job with full benefits, a pension, and stock options, but should help in getting an interview.

Lock in your student loan rates now! Interest rates have already begun to climb so the sooner you consolidate your PHEAA/Stafford and other loans, the better. I was lucky and locked my rate in when they were still bottomed out around 3%.

If you are considering grad school, do it now vs. later. Your loans will still be in forebearance status and all the info you spent so long to learn won't leak out of your noggin before you get the chance to make it back to school.

Once you're on the job, hustle and always remember that you're at work even if you're in the cafeteria or the elevators. You will always be served well by professionalism. Volunteer for projects and extra assignments. the exposure to different functions and people will prove invaluable.