Think about what you have learned in this class or elsewhere and how that information may be applied to help you meet your long term goals. Have you come any further over the course of this class in setting your mind to achieving your goals?
You may need to do some more research about what it takes to be successful in your field. This could require having very strong letters of recommendation or people to list as references on job applications. Those relationships take time and effort to build. You may need to understand how to find, apply for and get into graduate/professional school if that is what you are interested in. If you think you may be looking for a job with your degree in hand, you may need to have some volunteer or related work experience to help you to be competitive. Are there other special skills, or experiences that may help you to reach your long term goals?
In this assignment you will write up a list of your long term academic and professional goals and then create a timeline with each of these goals on it.
Write a timeline of where you’d like to (or need to) be on these goals for the remainder of your time in college. You can write them on the timeline given on the second page of this assignment. Please add the academic year to each of the years on the timeline. There are 5 years included and you can use the number of them that is appropriate for you.
Classes to include: only include special classes that may enhance your ability to reach your goals. Include the necessary steps to reach your long term goals. Do not include all of the classes you’ll be taking each quarter – only those that may help you to learn a specific skill (independent study or research could be one or learning a computer language or foreign language). If you’re not sure if any of these might apply to you ask someone! You can ask your instructor, a professor, or person in a field that you are interested in.
Include a paragraph: Summarize your goals and obstacles in a ½ page paragraph (single spaced). This is not a summary of your classes, but your overarching goals for the foreseeable future that relate to your timeline.
Things you may want to include are when you might have to take the GRE, MCAT or another special exam. When do you need to start developing relationships with potential letter writers if you plan to apply to graduate school (think before your senior year!) or require job references? Summer jobs that you could potentially get to learn a certain skill or get more work experience. Summer internships. Scholarship program applications and their due dates. When you will need to start looking for jobs or internships as you are nearing graduation. Graduate school research time (probably starting the summer before your senior year) and typical graduate program due dates (often Fall or Winter of the year prior to when you’d like to start, i.e. your Senior year).