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Setting goals is a good sign to yearn for success and in this post, we will be discussing examples of SMART goals that are beneficial to students.
Generally, everyone wants to be successful at everything. Whether it’s academics, career, or building relationships, we all want to succeed.
Success can only be achieved when we set certain goals to ensure our objectives and aspirations are relevant. When you learn and get a better understanding of SMART goals, there is so much you will gain to project your academic and future career in the direction of success.
In a moment, you will discover examples of SMART goals designed for students. It’s a good thing to set realisable goals as it’s beneficial and will yield good results.
What Are SMART Goals?
SMART is an acronym for the words specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Let’s explain what each word in “SMART” mean before we get to the examples and why students need to set goals.
Specific
Being specific in what you want rather than accepting a general idea is one simple way to achieve good results. As a student, make sure you know what you want and identify things you must do to get positive results.
As a student, you will be dealing with many school work and sometimes it can be confusing to know which schoolwork you must attend to first.
For example, say things like “I will become the best in my class with a GPA of 3.5 or higher” instead of saying “I will be a better student”.
Measurable
Measuring the progress you have made over time will also help you to understand the kind of effort you had to put in. You will be eager to take on new challenges when you realize the kind of progress you have made so far.
For example, if you want to test your physical strength in sport, try running a distance of 2 miles every week. Within a year, you must have covered a distance of 100 miles.
Achievable
Make more effort to ensure your goals are achieved. For example, if you aspire to grow exponentially as a professional in your career, make effort to attend at least two or more professional training sessions.
Realistic/Relevant
You enjoy sustainability and long-term success when you set goals relevant to your academics and career. Ensure whatever short-term or long-term goal you prioritize is solid and can support your plans.
Time-bound
To achieve a complete SMART goal, try adding a suitable timeframe to ensure a perfect plan is achieved. Creating and following an appropriate time allows you to establish a reasonable plan.
It’s also a motivating factor to get things done before important deadlines. An example of time-bound goals involves reading two books monthly for a whole year and getting an A in your class before the semester ends.
Examples of SMART Goals for Students
Let’s explore the examples of SMART goals for students.
#1. Complete Assignments a Day before their Deadline
“I will ensure I complete my assignments a day before the deadline for submission throughout this year. To achieve this, I will list all my school assignments according to their due date”.
- Specific: Here, the specific goal is to ensure that all assignments are completed at least a day before the due dates.
- Measurable: The student will monitor how he or she is progressing with each assignment submitted on time.
- Attainable: By creating a list of which assignment to submit next and knowing when to complete each assignment, the goal setter has achieved his or her goals.
- Relevant: Completing schoolwork before they are due shows good results and prevents submitting assignments done halfway through.
- Time-based: The goal setter has achieved submitting schoolwork one day before its due date.
#2. Get an A in My Next Essay
“Getting an A is my target in the essay in my English class and nothing less,” is a SMART goal to set as a student.
- Specific: The specific goal is to get a higher grade in the English class.
- Measurable: The goal setter is aiming for an A- or a higher grade. Success is the only opinion and nothing less.
- Attainable: The grade I got in my previous essay was B-, so I believe I can do better to get an A next time.
- Relevant: The goal setter wants nothing but an A as it’s relevant to the long-term goal of graduating with an English degree.
- Time-based: My English essay is due in 5 weeks.
#3. Raise my Hand in Class at Least five Times Weekly
“To ensure I learn and monitor how I am progressing in class, I will raise my hand five times or more every week in class to answer the teacher’s question”
- Specific: The goal is to answer at least five questions asked by the teacher every week in class.
- Measurable: Every time a question is answered by the goal setter, the goal setter is making progress towards achieving his or her goal.
- Attainable: The goal setter will continue to maintain a position in recent development just to be prepared for what the teacher will ask next in class.
- Relevant: Staying and answering questions in class is worth every moment spent to achieve this goal.
- Time-base: The goal setter must follow the deadline to achieve positive results and the deadline is every Friday.
#4. Improve My Research Skills
“I will improve my research skills through resources provided at the library. I will use these available resources to improve my research skills by taking notes from important readings”.
- Specific: The goal setter is focused on improving his or her research skills for his academic research course.
- Measurable: I will monitor my success by reading feedback from the teacher who I also asked to review my work and provide comments about my work.
- Attainable: I have not used the library as much as I should have but with resources available at the library, I can complete my work.
- Relevant: I know that by improving my research skills, I will get good grades in my future classes.
- Time-based: I have chosen the end-of-the-semester feedback as the ultimate goal.
#5. Improve my Productivity
“With the help of a Promodoro timer, I will increase my productivity and study from Monday to Friday for two months”.
- Specific: The goal setter needs to use a Promodoro timer each time he or she wasn’t to study.
- Measurable: To monitor my progress, I will keep a diary to see how things go.
- Attainable: I will study more often and adjust my study time if I have to, to ensure I improve my productivity in academics.
- Relevant: Improving my productivity can help me learn faster to get better grades.
- Time-based: The goal setter must study more often for at least two months.
Also Read: Definition Of Motivation In Psychology
#6. Type at Least 60 Words in One Minute
“I will my typing skills and learn how to type quickly to achieve typing 60 words in one minute within two months”.
- Specific: The specific goal is to learn how to type at least 60 words in 60 seconds using a laptop or computer.
- Measurable: The goal setter needs to achieve this using any available free online typing speed tool.
- Attainable: Currently, I only type about 50 words per minute and I believe I can reach the 60 words per minute march.
- Relevant: Learning how to type faster will increase my productivity as a student.
- Time-based: I will improve my typing speed by typing at least 55 words per minute within the next one or two months.
#7. Study five Days a Week for five Weeks
“I will improve by studying one hour every afternoon from Monday to Friday for five weeks to be better in my math and science subjects”.
- Specific: The specific goal is to study for maths and science classes.
- Measurable: The goal setter needs to monitor progress made by keeping a diary.
- Attainable: The goal-setter needs to utilize an extra hour each afternoon to achieve positive results.
- Relevant: The extra hours of study should help the goal-setter get good grades.
- Time-based: The goal setter will achieve this goal within five weeks.
#8. Improve my Focus
Improving the level of concentration is one of the examples of SMART goals for students.
“From now on, I will stay focused in class and avoid any form of distraction. I will sit alone if I have to, and leave my phone in my bag to ensure I achieve this”.
- Specific: The goal here is to focus more when classes are going on.
- Measurable: To monitor my progress, I will create a checklist that I will fill out each day before classes start.
- Attainable: This is a simple task that I can achieve.
- Relevant: Setting this specific goal will improve your learning skills, helping you focus to achieve your academic goal.
- Time-based: I will ensure I maintain this checklist for this current term.
#9. Complete my Assigned Book for Class
“I will ensure I finish reading books assigned to me by my teacher within five weeks”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to complete assigned books.
- Measurable: To monitor my progress, I will be checking how many pages I have read in a day.
- Attainable: Starting with at least ten pages per day for each book is a good start.
- Relevant: The book must be completed within the appropriate time so it can be analysed in class.
- Time-based: As a student, you must finish the book five weeks from now.
#10. Practice Reading For at Least 20 Minutes every day
“With sheer determination, I will improve my reading accuracy and fluency. And I will achieve this goal by reading at least 70 words in one minute”.
- Specific: The specific goal is to improve reading accuracy to 95% by reading 70 words in a minute.
- Measurable: Progress can be monitored by checking reading tests throughout the year.
- Attainable: Skills will be improved through consistent reading.
- Relevant: It’s appropriate and important that students learn how to read and also set goals for themselves.
- Time-based: The goal is to improve in school during classes.
Also Read: Strategies for Teaching Students Leadership Skills
#11. Complete Ten College Applications
“My goal is to complete ten college applications by January 1st to ensure I am accepted into a particular school”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to apply to at least ten colleges.
- Measurable: With the completion of each application, the goal setter is close to achieving this goal.
- Attainable: Applying to ten colleges may seem odd decades ago, but it’s normal for high schoolers to apply to various colleges.
- Time-based: The goal setter must meet the deadline of January 1st.
#12. Receive a Job Offer
“Before June this year, I will be employed in an industry or sector that suits my field of study”.
- Specific: The goal-setter wants to get a job offer before graduating from college.
- Measurable: To monitor the progress made so far, the student needs to review their performance during each interview.
- Attainable: This is an achievable goal because the student believes he will receive a job offer relating to their field of study.
- Relevant: Searching for jobs is relevant for students who are on the verge of graduating from college.
Time-based: The deadline to achieve this goal is May 1st.
#13. Work with a Tutor and Take Practice Tests
“I will dedicate time and effort to obtain an SAT score over the 75th percentile for my preferred college. I will take a practice test every two to four weeks and will work with a tutor every week”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to obtain an SAT score ranging in the 75th percentile.
- Measurable: To monitor how you are progressing, you need to review the results of the practice tests.
- Attainable: Putting more effort and time to achieve the required SAT score will help the student’s overall skill.
- Relevant: Studying to get a high SAT score improves your academic skills.
- Time-based: The goal is to achieve good results before the December deadline.
#14. Practice my Lines with another Student
“I will find a fellow student by September 15th, a student who loves theatre and someone I can practice my lines with. Practising with the student will help me with my audition in the school play”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to improve the chances of getting a role in the school play.
- Measurable: One of the measurable parts of this goal is to find a partner by September 15th, while the other is to complete the required seven hours of practice each week.
- Attainable: Constant practice will help this student achieve this goal.
- Relevant: Theatre is the extracurricular activity of this student, so practising for the play’s audition is important.
- Time-based: This goal includes two deadlines. One is September 15th to find a partner and November 5th for the audition.
#15. Develop New Peer Relationship
Building relationships with the right people is one of the examples of SMART goals for students.
“With sheer determination, I will establish 5 new peer relationships with the right people before the year is over”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to develop at least five reasonable relationships with peers before the end of the year.
- Measurable: Every new relationship established shows the level of progress made.
- Attainable: Accepting the idea of meeting new people shows that the student is making progress.
- Relevant: Establishing relationships at this level is important, as it will be useful for future purposes.
- Time-based: The deadline to achieve this goal is by the end of the school year.
#16. Attend Classes on Time
“Throughout this semester, I will arrive early to all my classes. I will not be late for my classes and will ensure I wake up 15 minutes early every morning”.
- Specific: The specific goal is to not be late for classes.
- Measurable: To monitor if the student is progressing in achieving this goal, there will be a list to check when he is absent or comes to class late.
- Attainable: Waking up 15 minutes early is a good start.
- Relevant: Waking up early is relevant to attending classes on time.
- Time-based: The deadline for this goal is waking up 15 minutes early every day.
#17. Read About 400 Pages Each Month
“With sheer determination, I will improve my reading skills by reading at least 400 pages from a book every month. I will do this to increase my knowledge as a student”.
- Specific: The goal setter wants to read for pleasure to expand his knowledge outside the classroom.
- Measurable: The student can measure both the number of pages read each day and the amount of time spent reading.
- Attainable: The amount of time spent reading the book is achievable.
- Relevant: Knowledge is power and only by reading more can a student acquire more knowledge.
- Time-based: The goal is to read at least 400 pages and the deadline is within a month.
#18. Obtain Confidence to Give a Public Speech
Having the courage to speak publicly is one of the examples of SMART goals for students.
“I will nurture the confidence to give a public speech by practising in front of a mirror with note cards”.
- Specific: The goal here is to practice and focus on perfecting how to give a public speech. Planning to speak in an upcoming class speech can help.
- Measurable: To ensure that you achieve success, start by spending minutes speaking in front of a mirror without fidgeting.
- Attainable: When you put your mind to it, you can achieve this goal.
- Relevant: It’s important I nurture the confidence to speak in class as it’s necessary to pass my speech course.
- Time-based: The deadline for this goal is within three weeks.
Also Read: Is Engineering a Science? All you need to know
#19. Apply for Scholarships
“I will apply for at least five scholarships by March 1st to ease the financial burden for me to attend college”.
- Specific: The specific goal here is to apply for different scholarships to help reduce the cost to attend college.
- Measurable: By March 1st, the goal setter must have applied for the scholarships to determine the chances of success.
- Attainable: You can achieve this goal of applying to various scholarships with proper time management.
- Relevant: Applying for scholarships is a relevant goal for many students.
- Time-based: The deadline to achieve this goal is March 1st.
#20. Limit Social Media and Gaming
“I will reduce the time I spend on social media and gaming and focus on my academics”.
- Specific: The goal-setter wants to limit the hours he spends on social media gaming.
- Measurable: To check if there is any progress made, always review your weekly activity.
- Attainable: This goal can be achieved by many students out there.
- Relevant: This is an important goal for students who want to focus on their studies to get good grades.
- Time-based: The deadline for this goal is usually at the end of the academic year.
Conclusion
Setting SMART goals is the blueprint for academic and career success. When students set a goal for themselves, it shows how they yearn for success.
These examples of realisable goals for students help students to achieve academic success and prepare them to set goals for future careers.
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References
- developgoodhabits.com: 31 SMART Goals Examples for Students of All Ages
- helpfulprofessor.com: 38 Examples Of SMART Goals For Students
- indeed.com: What Are SMART Goal Examples for Students? (With Benefits)
