Setting Goals

In your work as academic mentors you work with the wide range of students to set the short-and long-term goals. Goals help modify or change behaviors in need of improvement, for instance, you might work with the student how to become more organized and keep the appointment times.

1. Be specific identifying the goal. For ex., "I will study two more hours a day" rather than "I will study more."

2. Be realistic about your goal. If you set the goal to study two more hours a day, are you going to keep this promise on Fridays and Saturdays?

3. Have a time constraint. Develop a goal with beginning and ending time.
Here is an example:

I will review my anatomy lecture notes immediately after the class M/W/F of this week.

4.  Write down your goal. That way it is not easy to forget.

5. Say your goal out loud. Recite your goal to yourself AND to another person.

6. Follow up. Evaluate your level of success after some time you set the goal and at the end of the designated period.

7. Include another person. Telling about your goal to another person makes you more accountable to follow-up with it. If you work with more than 1 student in peer learning/group setting, incorporate this strategy in your sessions.

(adapted from Lipsky, S.)