Smart goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time limited

As part of your application to graduate school, you were asked to write a short essay regarding your purpose and goals for pursuing a graduate degree. The reason for this is two-fold: first, the program you're applying to wants to make sure that your goals match program outcomes. Second, articulating your purpose for pursuing graduate school at the beginning helps you to reflect on your own motivations and set realistic goals for yourself.

Let's think about your "purpose" for pursuing graduate school. Think about why you truly want to do this. Visualize what life will be like if you succeed. What impact will it have on you, on your family, your friends, or your colleagues?

Now that you've thought about your purpose, you'll need to set a few goals/milestones to help you achieve what you visualized.

Setting goals should not be a "shot in the dark", but should instead be S.M.A.R.T.

Specific

Be specific about what you want to accomplish, including the who, what, when, where, and why. Another thing to remember is that your goals are likely to be sequential, one building upon another, so keep that in mind, too.

Measurable

What metrics are you going to use to determine if you meet the goal? Who do you need to tell so that you have some accountability?

Achievable/Attainable

What new skills or attitudes or habits might you need to develop in order to make the goal achievable/attainable? List your perceived weaknesses (personal or extrinsic) and make a plan for overcoming them.

Realistic and Results-Focused

Back to your purpose statement, visualize what daily life will be like/look like if you're successful. What is realistic to expect?

Time-Limited

Putting a time-line on your goals is critical, and helps you to know when to plan, when to execute, and when to measure results.

Before you move on to the next module, it's a good idea to revisit your purpose and goal statement.