Samantha Yorke is an Assistant Director and Success Coach for the Office of Undergraduate Student Success at NSU. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and her Master of Science degree in Higher Education from Florida State University. Samantha is a proud Floridian with a passion for empowering others.
Alright, Sharks — it’s a brand new school year. This calls for a more focused mindset towards academics, a new found energy for studying and smarter goals. S.M.A.R.T. Goals are filled with purpose and strategy and will guide you towards obtaining your cap and gown. These self-constructed goals will assist you in both your professional and personal journey— we promise, you will thank yourself for making them later. Now, you may be wondering, “How exactly do I create goals that are smart?” Well, the answer can be found with a few easy steps.
First, think of something you want to achieve at NSU. Of course, you can make S.M.A.R.T. Goals for things outside of school, too, but for starters, let’s begin with your GPA. Let’s say you want to earn a 3.5 GPA this semester, which is a great goal. Maintaining a high GPA is smart, but you can make this goal even smarter.
Specific: Who is involved? What do you want to accomplish? Where? Identify a location.
Example: “I will make an appointment with a Success Coach in the Office of Undergraduate Student Success to build a study schedule for the semester and visit the Tutoring and Testing Center to feel organized and up to date with assignments. I will also speak with my professors during their office hours to discuss how to be successful in their courses.”
These are just some of many resources on campus that want to empower you to get the grades you are looking for and feel confident in your courses.
Measureable: How much? How often? How many?
Example: “I will attend one success coaching appointment as well as a follow-up appointment and get tutoring once a week until I start to see my grades improving.”
This part may vary from person to person, but you should be able to identify what is necessary for your own success.
Attainable: Is it achievable?
Example: “With the support from offices around campus, yes!”
Remember that the faculty and staff at NSU want to help you obtain that diploma at the end of your time at NSU.
Realistic: Is it relevant?
Example: “Yes!”
Make sure that you take the time to calculate what an obtainable goal is for you at this current point in time. Several smaller goals are better than one giant goal.
Time-Based: By when?
Example: “By the end of the semester, before Winter Break.”
You can even get more specific and suggest the last day of class or by your last final exam.
Let’s bring it all in. Use the information above to build one, concise statement.
Example: “I will earn a 3.5 GPA by the end of this semester by attending one success coaching appointment to build a study schedule, attending one follow-up coaching appointment, and visiting the Tutoring and Testing Center once a week to feel organized and up-to-date with assignments. I will also connect with my professors to point out my goals for the semester.”
Not too bad, right? Good, because it’s your turn now. We encourage you to come up with your own S.M.A.R.T. Goal for the semester. Remember: new year, new goals, new you. Let’s achieve success!
