Goals

As a college student, setting and pursuing goals is a crucial part of your educational journey. By consistently working towards your goals, you can boost your focus, motivation, and resilience, making your college experience more rewarding and successful. Enhancing your goal-setting skills also helps you tackle challenges and make informed decisions, ultimately building a strong foundation for your future endeavors.

Additional Information: Why Decision-Making and Goal Setting Matter to Students | Decision Making

Office of Academic Advising

SMART GOALS

Choosing a college major is a decision that can shape your personal growth and future career. To make this process easier and more effective, it's helpful to set SMART goals:
 

  • Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
  • Measurable: Make sure your goal can be tracked and evaluated.
  • Action-Oriented: Focus on the steps you need to take.
  • Realistic: Set goals that are achievable.
  • Timely: Set a deadline for when you want to achieve your goal.

By setting SMART goals, you can confidently navigate the process of choosing a major, leading to a more fulfilling and successful academic and professional journey. 

SMART Goals

Need Help Getting Started? Use the SMART Goal Development Worksheet!

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Long Term

 

  • Goals that will not be immediate but are still attainable.
  • Meet the SMART Goal Criteria.
  • These goals are meant to be segmented into smaller goals.
     
  • Examples:
    • Academic: I want to attain a 3.0 GPA this Semester
    • Career: I want to find a job within the Elementary Education field within 6 months of graduation.
    • Personal: I want to become more comfortable with being out of my comfort zone but the end of the year.
Short Term

 

  • Goals that can be achieved in a smaller time frame.
  • Goals created to segment a long-term goal.
  • Meets the SMART Goal Criteria.
     
  • Examples
    • Academic:I will attend all class meetings during the semester
    • Career: I will gain experience in my field this semester.
    • Personal: I will join an organization outside of my comfort zone.
Action/Tasks

 

  • Tasks that can be done to complete the Process (short-term) goals.
     


     
  • Examples:
    • Academic: Find an accountability partner
    • Career: Find an internship
    • Personal: Look through organization catalog