long term goals examples for students essay

101 Long-Term Goals Examples (Copy and Paste)

One of the best ways to set long-term goals is to use the SMART Goals framework .

This framework ensures your goals are clear and have the maximum chances of succeeding.

The framework guides you to write your long-term goals using five key elements:

• Specific: Your goal needs to specifically state what needs to be done. A specific goal clearly describes what you want to achieve and where you want to end up.
• Measurable: A measurable goal means you have a way to gauge your progress and know definitively when the goal has been reached.
• Achievable: An achievable goal is like Goldilocks: not too easy, not too hard. It’s something you can realistically achieve based on your abilities and what you have.
• Relevant: A relevant goal makes sense for your situation. If your long-term goals are about your career, focus on career-related things rather than personal matters or something else.
• Time-bound: A time-bound goal has a clear deadline, so you know when it should be done. It helps you avoid never-ending tasks and lets you track your progress.

Here are examples from different areas of life like home, career, education, and more. You can copy, edit, or personalize them to fit your own goals.

Long-Term Goals Examples

1. Obtain a Master’s Degree Enroll in a relevant degree program within the next six months, progressing steadily to complete the course and obtain the qualification within the set timeframe of four years.

2. Run a Marathon Begin a consistent and gradual training regimen, with the aim of completing a full marathon within the next two years.

3. Become Fluent in Spanish Regularly attend language classes and engage in real-life practice, with the intention of reaching fluency within three years.

4. Save for Retirement Regularly set aside a specific amount of income every month, with the long-term goal of amassing a significant retirement nest egg within twenty years.

5. Publish a Novel Write daily to complete a first draft within the next year. Allocate time for editing and securing a publisher with the aim of having a novel published in five years.

See More 5 Year Goals Here

6. Reduce Personal Debt Create and adhere to a budget that allows for dedicated monthly debt repayments, aiming to be debt-free within ten years.

7. Purchase a Home Save a specific portion of income each month towards a down payment, with the intent of buying a home within seven years.

8. Learn a Musical Instrument Engage in regular lessons and daily practice of a chosen instrument, with the goal of attaining a certain level of proficiency in four years.

9. Travel to Six Continents Plan and save for trips to various countries on each continent, the goal being to visit all six within twelve years.

10. Establish a Charity Develop a viable plan for a non-profit organization that aligns with personal passions, targeting to set it up successfully and operate within five years.

11. Complete a Triathlon Train routinely to improve swimming, cycling, and running skills, targeting to successfully complete a triathlon event in the next three years.

12. Earn a PhD Embark on a specific area of study to earn a doctorate, with the aim of completion within six years.

13. Develop a Successful Startup Research, plan, and establish a small business with the goal of reaching a specific profit margin within five years.

See Also: A List of Future Goals

14. Build a Stock Portfolio Regularly invest in diverse stocks with the aim of building a robust portfolio over ten years.

15. Climb a Major Mountain Peak Train progressively to develop the necessary physical and mental fortitude, aiming to summit a renowned mountain peak within four years.

16. Master Advanced Yoga Moves Attend yoga classes frequently and practice diligently, with the goal of accomplishing advanced yoga poses in two years.

17. Produce a Short Film Write a screenplay, obtain funding, and engage in production with a goal of releasing a short film within three years.

18. Open a Boutique Design and create unique products aiming to open a small boutique within five years.

19. Produce an Album Write and record songs with the target of producing a complete music album within two years.

20. Learn Coding Enroll in a coding course, hone skills, and aim to proficiently code in a specific language within one year.

21. Adopt a Healthier Lifestyle Implement changes to diet and exercise routines with the aim of improving health scores within two years.

22. Break a Guinness World Record Identify a specific record and train vigorously with the goal of breaking that record within three years.

23. Compete in a Chess Tournament Engage in regular training and participate in local tournaments with the goal of competing in a national chess tournament within five years.

24. Create a Social Media Channel Regularly produce quality content with the aim of reaching a certain number of subscribers within two years.

25. Improve Public Speaking Enroll in public speaking workshops, practice regularly, and aim to proficiently deliver speeches in various forums within one year. 

26. Write a Stage Play Develop a storyline, write and revise the script with the target of production within three years.

27. Obtain a Pilot’s License Enroll in a flight school, complete necessary hours and examinations successfully to receive a pilot’s license within the next three years.

28. Build a Sustainable Home Research sustainable technologies and save towards the construction of a sustainable home in the next five years.

29. Bake Professionally Work towards mastery of various baking techniques with the aim of pursuing a career as a professional baker within two years.

See Also: Intermediate Goals List

30. Run a Successful Blog Regularly write and post high-quality content, targeting reaching a significant number of regular blog viewers within the course of two years.

31. Design a Mobile App Learn necessary programming skills, identify a need, and create an application to meet that need, with the aim of achieving downloads within the two-year mark.

32. Become a Certified Diver Undertake necessary training and certification exams to become a qualified professional diver within three years.

33. Obtain a Black Belt in Taekwondo Regularly attend martial arts training with the goal of achieving a black belt in a set period of five years.

34. Write a Cookbook Experiment and master various recipes, aiming to publish a cookbook within the next three years.

35. Become a Wine Connoisseur Take courses in wine tasting and viticulture, with the target of achieving sommelier status in four years.

36. Design a Fashion Line Develop design sketches, source materials and manufacture a line of clothing with the ambition of running a runway show within five years.

37. Lose Weight Implement a health-conscious diet plan and regular exercise regime to lose a certain amount of weight healthily within a year.

38. Bike Across a Continent Train for long-distance cycling and plan a route with the aim of biking across a chosen continent in the next three years.

39. Master Gardening Skills Learn and consistently practice various gardening techniques with the goal of growing a thriving home garden in two years.

40. Earn a Professional License Complete necessary educational or professional milestones and examinations to earn a licensure in your chosen career within a set timeframe.

41. Start a Podcast Identify relevant and unique content, set up necessary equipment, and aim to record and release a podcast series within the next year.

42.  Win a Photography Award Improve photographic skills, consistently produce high-quality photos, and aim to secure a prominent photography award within next five years.

43. Organize a Community Event Plan and implement a successful community event aimed at raising funds or fostering community spirit within the next two years.

44. Learn to Sail Take regular sailing lessons with the goal of sailing independently on open waters within three years.

45. Create a Home Library Regularly purchase books of personal interest, aiming to collect enough to establish a home library within five years.

46. Learn Pottery Take up pottery classes and aim to create a certain number of personal hand-crafted items within two years.

47. Build a Classic Car Acquire necessary parts and knowledge required to build a classic car, aiming to have the project completed within the next five years.

48. Learn Sign Language Enroll in a specific language learning course and practice regularly with the target of becoming fluent in sign language in three years.

49. Obtain a Second Citizenship Fulfill the residency, legal, language or investment requirements to obtain a second citizenship in a chosen country within ten years.

Read More Ten Year Goals Here

50. Train a Dog to Show Standards Work with a chosen breed of dog regularly to reach and maintain show standards within two years.

51. Become a Homeowner Implement a savings plan to make a down payment and secure a mortgage for a home within the next five years.

52. Grow a Small Business Plan and launch a business; aim to achieve steady growth with a specific profit margin within next three years.

53. Learn Magic Tricks With regular practice, aim to master a specific number of magic tricks within a year.

54. Cultivate a New Hobby Choose a hobby of interest and allocate regular time for it, aiming to achieve a certain proficiency level within two years.

55. Become Certified in First-Aid Complete a recognized course to become certified in first-aid practices within the next year.

56. Tour Historical Landmarks Plan and save for trips to visit a specified number of historical landmarks around the world within the next five years.

57. Master a New Cooking Cuisine Regularly experiment with various recipes to master a new cuisine within the next two years.

58. Obtain a Professional Certification Complete necessary coursework and exam to obtain a professional certification in a chosen field within a two-year time frame.

59. Start an Organic Farm Acquire a plot of land, gain knowledge of organic farming, and aim to produce the first crop within the next three years.

60. Complete a Wilderness Survival Course Enroll in, and successfully complete a wilderness survival skills course in the next year.

The following are specifically career goals. For a full outline of how to set long-term career goals, see here .

61. Achieve a Leadership Position Excel in current role, demonstrate leadership qualities , and aim to progress into a leadership position within your organization in the next five years.

62. Obtain Professional Licensure Complete required coursework and examination to obtain licensure in your field within the set timeframe of three years.

63. Change Career Paths Identify a new field of interest, acquire necessary skills and experience, and transition successfully into the new profession within the next four years.

64. Increase Client Base Employ effective strategies to steadily increase the number of your loyal customers or clients within the next two years.

65. Establish an Industry-Wide Presence Attend conferences, publish research, and network with professionals in your industry with the aim of building an industry-wide presence over the next five years.

66. Learn a Valuable Skill Identify a skill crucial to your profession, become proficient, and start applying it effectively within your job in the next two years.

67. Start a Consulting Service in Your Field Leverage accumulated knowledge and experience to start a consulting service in your sector within the next five years.

68. Become a Mentor Accumulate sufficient experience and skill to effectively mentor newcomers in your field within the next three years.

69. Reach a Specific Earnings Threshold Employ a strategy to increase income, aiming to reach a specific financial goal in your career within the next five years. 

70. Reduce Work-Related Stress Implement a combination of time management, self-care, and assertiveness strategies to markedly reduce work-related stress within the next two years.

71. Secure a Job Overseas Gain specific skills and qualifications to secure a job in a foreign country within the next three years.

72. Hold a Patent in Your Field Invent or develop a commercially viable idea or process; go through the patenting process successfully within a five-year timeframe.

73. Become a Recognized Expert in Your Field Accumulate in-depth knowledge and experience that leads to recognition as an expert in your field within the next five years. 

74. Expand Your Business Develop and execute a growth strategy to expand your business to a specific number of locations within the next five years.

75. Increase Project Management Skills Invest in professional development and practical application, aiming to become proficient in advanced project management within a three-year timeframe. 

76. Establish a Positive Company Culture Implement human resource strategies to establish a company culture that increases employee satisfaction and productivity within the next two years.

77. Begin a Second Career After Retirement Identify a field of interest, acquire necessary skills, and embark on a second career post-retirement in five years.

78. Achieve Work-Life Balance Employ time-management strategies to achieve a balance between work demands and personal life within the next two years.

79. Enhance Presentation Skills Attend workshops, practice regularly, and aim to proficiently deliver presentations in various forums within one year.

The following are long-term goals specifically for students and education. For a full guide on education goals, see: examples of long-term goals for students .

80. Become a Public Speaker Gain public speaking skills and share expertise at industry conferences and public events within the next five years.

81. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree Enroll in a chosen program, maintain steady course progression and obtain a bachelor’s degree within the typical four-year timeframe. 

82. Advanced Degree Completion Begin a Master’s or PhD program in a chosen field, staying on track to complete the advanced degree within a set time frame, typically two to six years.

83. Learn a Foreign Language Engage in regular lessons and practice the language with native speakers, aiming at fluency within a three-year window.

84. Complete a Professional Certificate Program Enroll in and successfully complete a professional certificate program relevant to your field within the next two years.

85. Publish a Research Paper Conduct an impactful research study in your field and aim to get it published in a reputable journal within the next five years.

86. Specialization in a Specific Area Choose a specific area within your field of study and aim to become specialized in this area within the next three years.

87. Obtain a Teaching License Complete necessary coursework and internships required to obtain a teaching license within the set timeframe of two years.

See Also: Examples of Internship Goals

88. Expand Your Skills Portfolio Proactively complete courses and workshops to build a diverse skillset within your field, with the goal to add a specific number of new skills each year for the next five years.

89. Secure an Internship Gain valuable practical experience and networking opportunities in your field of study by securing an internship within the next year.

90. Achieve Academic Excellence Maintain a specific grade point average or higher throughout the academic program ending in four years.

91. Participate in a Study Abroad Program Plan and save for a study abroad program in a chosen country and participate in a semester-long program within the next two years.

92. Present at an Academic Conference Undertake a unique research study or project aiming to present the findings at a reputable academic conference within three years.

93. Win an Academic Award Strive for excellence in an area of study to attain prestigious academic award or scholarship within the next two years.

94. Complete Online Courses Identify and enroll in online courses to enhance certain skills and aim to complete a set number of courses within the next year.

95. Attend a Prestigious University Qualify for and secure admission to a prestigious university to pursue higher studies within the next two years. 

96. Learn a Complex Subject Choose a challenging subject related to your core interests and aim to master it through intensive study within the next three years.

97. Become a Research Assistant Aim to add practical research experience to your academic career by gaining a position as a research assistant within the next year.

98. Complete Post-Doctoral Research After obtaining a PhD, aim to complete a post-doctoral research assignment in a specialized area of study within two years.

99. Author a Book in Your Field Compile your expertise and extensive research into a book aimed at students or professionals in your field, planning to publish within a five-year timeframe.

100. Develop a New Course Leverage your expertise in a subject area to design and develop a new academic course within the next two years.

101. Become a Professor Upon earning the necessary academic qualifications and teaching experience, secure a position as a professor in a chosen field within a seven-year period.

Long-term goals give you a sense of purpose and direction. I personally like to make sure my long-term goals match my core values and personal interests. Then, I set short-term goals that act as stepping-stones, demonstrating each immediate step that you need to ‘tick off’ in order to make your way to achieving these above goals examples in the long term.

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones . Penguin.

Daw, N. D. (2015). Of goals and habits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 112 (45), 13749-13750.

Donovan, J. J. (2008). Goal Setting: How to Create an Action Plan and Achieve Your Goals. Personnel Psychology , 61 (4), 931.

Ehrlich, C., & Milston, S. (2021). Happiness through goal setting: A practical guide to reflect on and change the reasons why you pursue your most important goals in life . Routledge.

Hidayat, R., Moosavi, Z., & Hadisaputra, P. (2022). Achievement Goals, Well-Being and Lifelong Learning: A Mediational Analysis. International Journal of Instruction , 15 (1), 89-112.

Nordengren, C. (2021). Step Into Student Goal Setting: A Path to Growth, Motivation, and Agency . Corwin Press.

Nowack, K. (2017). Facilitating successful behavior change: Beyond goal setting to goal flourishing. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research , 69 (3), 153.

Wilson, S. B., & Dobson, M. S. (2008). Goal setting: How to create an action plan and achieve your goals . AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori vs Reggio Emilia vs Steiner-Waldorf vs Froebel
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9 10 Academic Goals Examples to Supercharge Your Student Success

Becoming a successful student involves more than just going to classes and remembering facts for the test. It is about establishing a mentality of learning and evolving continuously, and distinct academic goals are a key aspect of that. These are the lights that lead the way and help you stay on track as you navigate through the trials and tribulations of your studies, whether it’s the demands of testing or the stuff that life throws at you. But, just as importantly, by clearly defining and outlining your academic objectives, you give your study a sense of intention and purpose. Whether it’s achieving a particular GPA, mastering a challenging topic, or participating in enriching extracurricular, strong academic Goals are the foundation of both short- and long-term academic success.  

Establishing concrete goals and the quest of excellence are frequently linked in the academic sphere. Before delving into these Academic Goals Examples, it is important to recognize services like Scholarly Help that provide workable ways to handle several Tasks. With options like pay someone to do my online class , Scholarly Help ensures you stay on track without compromising other responsibilities. This comprehensive guide explores ten powerful academic goals examples designed to elevate your student success to unprecedented heights. Whether your academic goals are designed to improve your critical thinking habits, advance your time management skills, or explore interdisciplinary thinking to further your academic career, they should provide students with a path toward overall intellectual and personal development. Rounding up different students through carefully structured college academic goals. All must necessarily form the basis of individual reality and opportunities.

Mastering Time Management

One of the building blocks for academic achievement is the effective management of time. The ability allows students to combine studies with other activities, namely work, daily life, or personal life. To manage time effectively, learners are recommended to:

• Plan a Weekly Schedule: set certain hours and days to work, study, and engage in other activities; 
• Set Priorities: determine poses that are urgent and important, then focus on a solution; 
• Do not Get Distracted: if some activities or processes are distracting, generate disadvantages.

Enhancing Study Skills

Improving study abilities might result in better comprehension and recall of course material. Students should focus on:

• Active Learning Techniques: Engage with the material such as holding discussions, teaching others, and transforming what one learned to real-life application. 
• Effective Note-Taking: Employ methods like Cornell Note-taking System to organize and refresh notes. 
• Regular Review Sessions: Set regular study dates to refresh one’s memory and prepare for exams.

Setting Specific Academic Targets

Setting clear, specific targets helps students stay motivated and measure progress. Examples of specific academic goals include:

• Achieve Specific GPA:   Aim to reach or maintain a specific grade point average each semester.
• Improving Grades in Challenging Subjects: Identify subjects where improvement is needed and set goals accordingly.
• Completing Assignments Ahead of Deadlines: Plan to finish assignments before the due date to allow time for revisions.

Expanding Knowledge beyond the Classroom

Gaining knowledge outside the classroom can enhance academic performance and provide a broader perspective. Students can achieve this by:

• Reading Extensively: Explore Books, Journals, and articles related to their field of Study.
• Attending Seminars and Workshops: Participate in events offering additional insights and networking opportunities.
• Engaging in Research Projects: Collaborate with professors or peers on research projects to deepen understanding of specific topics.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is vital for problem-solving and making informed decisions. Students can cultivate these skills by:

• Questioning Assumptions: Always ask why and consider alternative viewpoints.
• Analyzing Arguments: Evaluate the evidence and logic in different arguments.
• Reflecting on Learning: Regularly review what has been learned and how it applies to real-world situations.

Building Effective Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are essential for academic and professional success. Students can enhance these skills by:

• Participating in Class Discussions: Engage actively in discussions to practice articulating thoughts clearly.
• Writing Regularly: Practice writing essays, reports, and articles to improve writing abilities.
• Presenting Projects: Take opportunities to present work in front of an audience to build confidence and clarity.

Fostering Collaboration and Teamwork

Collaboration with peers can lead to better understanding and innovative solutions. Students should focus on:

• Joining Study Groups: Collaborate with classmates to discuss topics and solve problems together.
• Participating in Group Projects: Develop teamwork and leadership skills by working on group assignments.
• Engaging in Extracurricular Activities: Join clubs and organizations that encourage teamwork and collective problem-solving.

Seeking Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Constructive feedback helps identify areas for improvement and guide academic growth. Students should:

• Ask for Feedback: Request feedback from professors and peers on assignments and presentations.
• Reflect on Criticism: Use feedback to identify strengths and weaknesses, developing action plans for improvement.
• Commit to Lifelong Learning: Embrace continuous learning and improvement in all aspects of life.

Utilizing Academic Resources

Taking full advantage of available academic resources can enhance learning and performance. Students should:

• Visit the Library Regularly: Utilize resources for research and study.
• Use Online Databases: Access academic journals and articles online to support studies.
• Seek Academic Support Services: Utilize tutoring, writing centers, and academic advising offered by the institution.

Preparing for Future Careers with Academic Goals

Setting academic goals with future careers in mind provides direction and motivation. Students should:

• Identify Career Goals: Determine career aspirations and align academic goals accordingly.
• Gain Relevant Experience: Pursue internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer opportunities related to the field of study.
• Develop Professional Skills: Focus on skills like resume writing, interviewing, and networking to prepare for the job market.

Setting and meeting academic goals necessitates dedication, strategic planning, and consistent effort. By focusing on these ten academic goal examples, students can improve their learning experience, and performance, and set themselves up for future success. Remember that the key to academic success is to set specific, attainable goals and work hard to meet them.

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Long Term Goals for High School

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

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Importance of long-term goals, benefits of establishing long-term goals, strategies for achieving long-term goals.

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Pursuing Higher Education: a Prime Example of a Long-Term Goal

This essay is about the long-term goal of pursuing higher education. It discusses the extensive commitment required, including academic preparation, financial planning, and personal dedication over several years. The essay highlights the process of gaining admission to college, completing degree programs, and managing associated costs. It also outlines the benefits of higher education, such as enhanced career opportunities, higher earning potential, and personal growth. Additionally, it acknowledges the challenges students may face and emphasizes the importance of resilience and motivation in achieving this goal. The essay underscores the significant rewards and long-term success that higher education can bring.

How it works

Enduring objectives denote aspirations individuals or entities establish to realize across protracted epochs, frequently spanning myriad years. Such aspirations necessitate protracted exertion, unwavering commitment, and strategic forethought. A quintessential illustration of an enduring objective is the pursuit of advanced education, encompassing endeavors to attain a bachelor’s, master’s, or even doctoral degree. This aspiration encompasses multifarious dimensions, comprising scholastic groundwork, fiscal strategizing, and personal dedication.

The pursuit of advanced education entails a substantial outlay of temporal and material resources. For numerous individuals, the odyssey commences in secondary school with the groundwork and submission procedures.

Pupils must attain commendable academic feats, engage in extracurricular pursuits, and frequently undertake standardized assessments such as the SAT or ACT. This preparatory phase itself can span years and mandates consistent application and dedication.

Upon gaining admission to an institute of higher learning, scholars confront the endeavor of completing their designated degree regimen. This customarily entails four years for a bachelor’s degree, an additional pair of years for a master’s degree, and several further years for a doctorate. Throughout this tenure, scholars must juggle demanding curricula, scholarly inquiries, internships, and at times, part-time vocations. The commitment to advanced education necessitates efficacious time management, tenacity, and a robust support network.

Fiscal strategizing constitutes another pivotal facet of pursuing advanced education as an enduring objective. The pecuniary outlay for tuition, textbooks, lodging, and ancillary expenditures can be considerable. Numerous scholars hinge on a melange of scholarships, grants, student loans, and personal nest eggs to finance their education. This fiscal dimension frequently necessitates long-range strategizing and fiscal discipline, along with the readiness to potentially incur and oversee indebtedness.

The dividends of pursuing advanced education as an enduring objective are manifold. It can furnish access to elevated career vistas, augmented earning capabilities, and individual enrichment. Various vocations, encompassing medicine, jurisprudence, engineering, and academia, mandate advanced qualifications. Furthermore, the process of securing advanced education nurtures critical cogitation, problem-solving proficiencies, and a profounder apprehension of the world.

Furthermore, advanced education can furnish invaluable networking prospects. Academic institutions amalgamate individuals from assorted milieus, engendering an ambiance conducive to collaboration and interconnection. Such affiliations can redound to future career prospects and personal evolution. The engagement with peers, pedagogues, and industry cognoscenti can enrich one’s outlook and contribute to enduring success.

Whilst the pursuit of advanced education constitutes a salient example of an enduring objective, it is imperative to acknowledge the vicissitudes it entails. Scholars may encounter scholastic exigencies, fiscal pressures, and personal hurdles. The odyssey demands resilience and adaptability in contending with mutable circumstances. It is indispensable for individuals to retain a lucid vision of their objectives and sustain motivation throughout the endeavor.

In summation, the pursuit of advanced education epitomizes an enduring objective necessitating meticulous scheming, sustained exertion, and a dedication to personal and vocational cultivation. The expedition encompasses scholastic groundwork, fiscal strategizing, and the determination to surmount obstacles. The fruits of advanced education, encompassing elevated career prospects, augmented earning potential, and individual enrichment, render it a judicious investment. By delineating and striving toward this enduring objective, individuals can attain noteworthy milestones and erect a substratum for forthcoming triumphs.

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How to write a winning scholarship essay about your academic goals

Have you ever opened up a scholarship application only to find that you have to write yet ANOTHER scholarship essay, this time about your academic goals? We get it. There’s a lot of writing involved when you’re applying! Well, we’re here to guide you through your academic goals essay, with scholarship essay tips and a template. We’ve even got a surprise for you at the end that will save you time on your scholarship applications.

1) Start brainstorming and writing as early as possible.

2) understand your current goals of where you are now, and your future goals of where you want to be., 3) stay positive., 4) keep it personal., 5) spell check., 6) be proud of your academic goals essay., what are you studying right now, what do you enjoy, what are you not-so-crazy about in your current studies, what do you want to achieve in college, what things outside of pure academics, might complement your academic goals, how will your academic goals help you achieve other goals, what has inspired these goals, how will you hold yourself accountable with your academic goals, bonus: let your academic goals influence your college class planning, it’s here your academic goals essay brainstorm template, extra bonus: apply for scholarships more easily, with going merry .

6 tips for scholarship essay success

Writing any scholarship essay takes time, thought, and energy. The earlier you start, the better!

Your goals today may change tomorrow. Think about where you are now in your high school career – what are you studying that you love? What would you like to change? What do you aim to accomplish in college? Ask yourself these questions and write down those goals.

No one is perfect – we all have our hardships and our downfalls. But think positively when it comes to your academic goals. If you didn’t do so hot in one subject, try not to include that exact phrasing in the essay, but think about how you can turn that around into a positive.

Similar to personal statements , share your story – a moment that brought you to where you are today. Especially for local scholarships, the providers want to feel like they’re supporting real people to achieve their academic dreams. So make sure you share enough personal details about where you are and where you want to be.

Using a tool like Grammarly helps check your spelling and grammar as you’re writing. Ask a friend, family member, or expert to review your academic goals essay before you submit it with your scholarship application. This will help your writing for college appear polished and professional.

You did it! You wrote it! That’s your work, and now it’s up to the scholarship providers to review and accept your application.

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Points to consider while writing your academic goals scholarship essay:

Think about your current studies in high school. If you’re a high school junior, think about what classes you’re currently taking, and what you plan to take next year as a senior. If you’re a high school senior, reflect on your last two semesters of classes. What’s your curriculum look like? You might be taking an English class, Math, a focused class, such as Sociology, maybe a World Religions course, Geography, Government and an elective such as music, art, or physical education.

We all know a high school teacher who made going to class enjoyable because of their personality – OR – we just really loved the subject (No one? Just us? Okay…it was Mr. Nixon’s Law class that made research and debating against classmates fun for us).

Capitalize on the enjoyable aspects of that class in your academic goals essay. Explain how your teacher made the class engaging in a way that helped you retain information while also enjoying the class. Consider what the ideal academic class would look like in college. Would you aim to take a similar course in college where the professor promotes engaged learning? Or would you prefer to sit in a lecture hall where you can listen, digest detailed information, write down notes, and ask questions as needed? Think about your learning style as you organize your academic goals essay.

Going back to the point of staying positive, think through a subject that you’re currently not too thrilled about, and get creative with how you can turn that into an academic goal.

Ex: Statistics was one of the most challenging subjects of my junior year curriculum. However, I know I’ll need to have sufficient knowledge of the subject to major in Psychology in college. My goal is to find a study buddy – a colleague, a tutor, someone skilled in the subject, to improve my understanding of the subject so I can later help patients understand research study statistics in the future.

It might be a 3.5 GPA. Or you might want to walk across the stage on graduation day with summa cum laude cords. Maybe you want to become president of the student government association on campus.

The great thing about college is that you’re furthering your education, and you’re growing as a person! You’re learning about yourself, how you work, how you interact, and there are so many opportunities to get involved on campus. Think about how these fits in with your academic goals by naming any organizations, department clubs, and honor societies that catch your eye.

How might your near-term academic goals help you in your future (e.g. career after college)–or how might they help others (e.g. your friends, family, future customers/patients)? Think long-term: what will your current academic goals help you achieve further down the line? Whom might that impact?

Ex: Taking 18 credits helped us knock out our required wellness course during the second semester of our freshman year of college. By sophomore year, we could focus on classes related to our major and enjoy time after class. We later graduated a semester early thanks to study habits and credits. We spent time at the on-campus career center, working through mock interviews. Then, we later landed a job soon after graduation, working for a company and helping them bring on new customers.

All of this happened as a result of creating academic goals to plan classes early and work through those credits.

Everyone finds inspiration from different outlets. Whether it’s your parents, a teacher, your guidance counselor, classmates, siblings, or even an athlete, briefly describe who inspired these goals. Heck, you might have inspired yourself to make these goals! If it wasn’t someone who inspired you, discuss what inspired you to set these goals in your academic goals essay.

Writing down goals for ourselves is great. It makes our goals seem more concrete once we talk or write about them. Now, it’s time to make those goals happen! Toward the end of your academic goals essay, you might want to explicitly state your plan for holding yourself accountable to these goals — this will seem impressive to a scholarship provider who wants to make sure their award money is going to someone who’s serious about their future.

How might you stay accountable? Maybe your best friend can text you every Wednesday to check in with you mid-week on your progress. Or maybe that’s too much, and you’ll just set a reminder on your phone to check in with yourself once a week. Or maybe you’re a real planner– and you’ve created clear milestones for the next couple years, and you’ll check in regularly to make sure you’re hitting them. Whatever it is, bringing your lofty academic goal down to concrete steps is likely to make your academic goals essay stronger. 

Don’t just think of your scholarship essay on academic goals as a chore that you complete and then never look at again. Once you’ve written it, let it help serve as your beacon as you decide what majors or classes to take, or what student organizations to join.

Then you can plan your semesters accordingly. For example:

• Jot down your goals for your class schedule, what you plan to do with your time before, after, and in between classes.
• Consider what time of day you would be most effective in taking the classes necessary to meet your academic goals. Are you a night owl or a morning person? Do you need lots of time between classes to really digest the material?
• How many classes (or credits) do you plan to take? You can take a full load of classes, usually up to 18 credits per semester depending on the school, without going over your tuition limit, to help give you a lighter load your junior and senior years. Or, you can take the standard 12 – 16 credits per semester to avoid overloading your schedule and leaving room for socializing and other activities. This may also affect your graduation year. So if part of your academic goals (or your plan for reducing tuition ) requires you to graduate early — you’ll also want to plan this out!

Ready to start brainstorming to write your essay?

Print this sheet – OR – if you want to fill out this sheet digitally, make a copy to save and edit on your device by going to File > Download > Microsoft Word, OpenDocument Format, etc.

Also, check out this helpful list of the 10 most common scholarship essay topics!

Feeling more confident about your academic goals scholarship essay? Great! 

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11 Personal Long Term Goal Ideas for College Students

May 26, 2019 50 Comments

What are the best long term goal ideas for college students?

Looking for a list of personal goals examples for students?

Life’s about more than getting to class on time and getting good grades. There’s so much more to college than long-term academic goals!

In college, we easily fall into the tunnel vision trap and forget that we need to set long term goals for all areas of our lives, not just our schoolwork.

Because we fail as students to set personal goals in fitness , finances, or relationships, for example, we are bound to feel lost and defeated in what we want to accomplish in life post-graduate .

After college, there is a lack of 20-somethings taking positive, actionable steps in their lives because they are unable to set constructive personal goals. If we don’t set personal goals in college, we will follow the motions and forget to set real, tangible, SMART goals after college too.

But don’t worry, I’m right there with you!

After college, I realized that I wasn’t accomplishing much in life and that was because I was lacking in long-term, good personal goals . My whole life I had been chasing one goal – to graduate college.

But now that I had graduated from college, what was next? Was the quarter-life crisis that I was facing going to keep me down in the dumps forever?

As I sat in my new apartment with my college degree stuffed in an unpacked bag, I dug out a notebook and a pen. I started to brainstorm what I wanted my life to look like in five, 10, and 20 years. Sitting there, I asked myself, “ What personal goals do I want to set in my life, now that my main goal of graduating college is behind me?”

I knew that I needed to set some challenging and motivating long-term goals. When I woke up each and every day, I wanted to work towards them to live an increasingly better life.

I wanted to accomplish my long-term goals post-college and I knew the first step was setting them.

But that’s where you are already ahead of the game, as a college student. You see, you can take the personal goals you had as a student and begin applying them today to avoid the paralyzing question of “What do I do next?!” that I felt on my college graduation day.

Here’s how to set goals for your personal life, plus a list of 11 long term goal ideas for college students, beyond academic goals.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from these links, I may earn a commission. You can read my full disclaimer here .

How to write long terms goals in college.

That day in my apartment when I brain dumped on a piece of paper what I wanted my life to look like, I didn’t have a system to follow. Today, I think I have mastered the best way to set a personal goal.

The problem most students face when setting long-term goals is that they are unable to make them realistic . Our culture promises immediate satisfaction and “get rich quick” mentalities all of the time through various media outlets.

Not only do we want things now, but entitlement may be the biggest burden to students these days. We believe that we deserve our personal goals to come true without hard work and discipline .

Step 1: Your Personal Goals Need a “Why”

My system for writing long term goals for college students listed below begins with establishing your “why.” Your why is the heartbeat behind your personal goals, and without a why, your goals are sure to fail .

Your why is the reason you are setting the goal in the first place .

When things get hard, it will be the thing you turn to, to keep you going and pushing you towards that goal. The key with your why is that it has to be something very deep and personal to you , one that you are extremely passionate about, or have a deep desire for.

After you have established your why, start with a dream. I think of the big goal I want to accomplish. For example, let’s say your dream is to become the CEO of a large environmental company one day. Your why behind it might be so that you can make a difference in the world by making the planet a better place to live.

Step #2: Break Big Goals Down Into Smaller Steps

I then break that down into a realistic approach by coming up with baby steps on how to get there.

Remember we’re talking about long term goals for college students, to set while in school but pursue well into your 20s.

For example, if you are going to be CEO one day, then you need to start at the bottom of the company and work your way up. That may mean first begin an intern, then office assistant, then manager, etc.

Step #3: Predict Possible Challenges

Next, think about the things that are going to throw you off your game .

Perhaps, you don’t earn the promotion you were hoping to earn, or the company lays you off. I like to not only consider worst-case scenarios, but also realistic ones that you will likely face.

It isn’t going to be a straight line to achieving these long term goals for college students. You will face challenges, like motivation killers and limiting beliefs . 

Step #4: Make Your Personal Goal SMART 

Lastly, make sure it is a SMART goal.

A SMART goal is one that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely . Let’s face it, most people won’t be the CEO of a company one day.

Is this a realistic goal for you?

Can you also make it more specific and measurable?

I often had a hard time making the big dream SMART, and it seems to take a long time to get there. So I decided to make my baby steps SMART goals.

Start Setting Long Terms Goals in Life Today 

In summary, here is exactly how I write my long-term, personal goals. As a student, you should start implementing them as soon as you can:

• Have a why,
• Think of the big dream,
• Come up with the baby steps to get to your dream,
• Imagine the barriers and setbacks that will come your way, and
• Make it a SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) or keep the baby steps SMART.

The Best Long Term Goals Ideas for College Students

Here are the top 11 long term goals for college students. If you begin implementing these personal goals as a student, they will help you transfer them over into your life post-college and set you up for success.

Pick one of the long term goals from the list of goals for students below and use the steps above , and write personal goals that will crush transferring into actionable steps. Don’t forget to get your SMART goals worksheet too!

Congrats, you’re already way ahead of the game!

#11. Focus on Self-Improvement

This is one of my favorite long term goals to talk about when it comes to these examples for students. Ask yourself, “What do I want to become better at?”

For me, I love to research and find out new information that I didn’t know before. One area that I always set a personal goal for is self-improvement.

Sometimes, it means learning more about how my car works so that I can fix it when it breaks down. Other times, it means I study another culture so I can relate better to a coworker. Perhaps, there’s a new hobby idea you want to master.

So, what are you curious about? What skills do you want to approve? The answer to these questions is the perfect long-term goal for college students. 

What do you want to learn about?

Is there something you love spending time doing ?

What have you been curious about? What’s your superpower and your strengths?

Start thinking about your own self-growth. A great place to start is by reading some of the best personal development books . 

#10. Get Organized

If you are a naturally neat person and organization comes easy to you, then find an area you can improve in. For me, it tends to be cleaning. I put off cleaning super easily and tend to procrastinate .

On the other hand, if you are naturally a messy person, then set a personal goal that will help you change your habits .

How can you get organized?

Do you need to tidy up your home or life?

One example could be: I will organize my bedroom closet every Tuesday night for 30 minutes and keep a running tally. This is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.

#9. Start Eating Healthier

Healthy living is something extremely important to me, and I hope it is to you. The diet decisions you make now as a student will carry on into adulthood and the rest of your life . This is one of the long term goals for college students that everyone can relate to.

If your personal goal in this area is to lose weight, then it should involve eating clean in some sort of capacity.

Do you want to cut something from your diet? Sugar, maybe?

Or do you want to add something healthy, like veggies and hummus as a snack?

Perhaps you want to start eating healthier ? What about starting to exercise again ?

Whether you start a new diet or decide to drink more water, all of us, especially students, can benefit from setting a personal goal for our diet decisions.

#8. Create a Morning Routine

I am very passionate about morning routines. There is no better way to start your day than with the right routine in place . When your morning goes well, your whole day will follow. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t a morning person!

The things I include in my morning routine are: getting dressed, drinking a glass of water, diffusing essential oils, making my morning smoothie, meditating and praying, filling out my daily journal and reviewing my daily tasks, and then going to work.

What will your morning routine look like?

What things will you do in the morning ?

Will this be a personal goal of yours?

#7. Read More Books

Self-improvement can come in several different forms and different media outlets, but I always make reading its own goal. For me, it is one of the most important personal goals out of these long term goals for college students.

Reading can change your mindset , give you new perspectives, be one of your biggest teachers , and not to mention, increase your imagination.

I always set a personal goal where I assign time in my week when I will read. Then, I also set a deadline to complete a book to make sure reading remains a priority in my life. I hope you will make it a priority in yours too.

Ask yourself, how many books can you read this year? What have you always wanted to read, beyond the college course syllabus? Just start reading! 

#6. Become Debt Free

If you are still a student, you may roll your eyes at this because while you are in school it is extremely hard to be debt-free. If you have student loans or you are working your way through school, debt may be a necessity just to make it.

However, it is so important as a student to establish a mindset of becoming debt-free. For example, after college, I worked extremely hard and said no to quite a few things to make sure I would be debt-free within three years of graduating from college.

Debt will only bring you further and further away from achieving your financial goals ; financial wealth only comes after the debt is paid off. Dave Ramsey is my favorite resource when it comes to living debt free after college .

What personal goal will you set to become debt free?

Have you created a budget for your spending?

How can you start paying down your student loans faster?

#5. Build Your Career

Career goals were the hardest for me to come up with after college. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my life.

Sometimes career goals can be the hardest ones to set because our career ideas are not measurable, they are dependent on circumstances. At the same time, circumstances can’t be the excuses.

When setting career goals, make them as close to SMART goals as you can, and then put in extremely hard work and the rest should fall into place.

Should you follow your dreams or be realistic?  

Where do you want to be in five or ten years from now?

What career opportunities do you have available to you right now?

#4. Just Have More Fun

You probably could have guessed the long term goals for college students listed were the practical ones, but this one is one we tend to skip over.

How can you live in the moment and just be present?

What do you want your social life to look like now and in the future?

How can you be happier every day and just have fun?

Setting a goal for your social life may seem awkward and unnecessary at first, but it is the best way to create the social life you want . If you want a better community, then set a personal goal to create it.

If you want your weekends to look a certain way, then create the goal.

#3. Build Better Relationships

This goes with the point above – creating the social life you want. Relationships are the next key to creating the support network you need with people that care for you and that you can trust .

To set personal goals around relationships , think about what you can do for others. If you want a better community then you have to put the work in.

What goals will you set to build your relationships in your life?

What toxic relationships will you eliminate through your goals?

Do you want to manifest love in your life ?

This is another of the long term goals for college students that are easily overlooked but is so important to start thinking about as soon as you can.

#2. Start Exercising Daily

If you set a personal goal to make better food choices , then this is a great personal goal for you to consider as well. The key to making this goal work for you is to find the things that you really like doing.

You have to move your body in college, to protect both your mental and emotional wellness. Exercise is important ! It helps to relieve stress, which every college student experiences. 

For me, I found that the method of exercise I liked the most was going on long runs. That motivated me to sign up for a half marathon and helped me establish that personal goal.

Need more convincing? Just consider this article by American Intercontinental University on why it is so important to exercise as a college student .

Whichever way you chose to exercise, make sure it is one that you enjoy ; it is also the example of a long term goal for college students that are best implemented as soon as possible, to make the transition to post-college more seamless.

#1. Master Time Management

How you manage your time will determine how all these personal goals fall into place. The irony here is that you can’t accomplish the goals you set if you don’t know how to manage your time .

Setting a personal goal around time management will directly affect how well you accomplish your other goals. T his goal could be as simple as filling out a journal each morning as part of your routine or investing in a calendar to help you stay on track .

You can also start using the Pomodoro Technique for studying or time blocking to maximize your time every day. 

This is my top pick for the best long term goals for college students because it helps you accomplish all the other personal goals you set in huge ways.

How To Carry These Personal Goals Over Post-College

Your 20’s are a time for you to establish the right habits, and those are established when you set the right goals.

These long term goals for college students will help you start setting the right goals.

Remember to start with your why, think of the big dream you want to accomplish, come up with the baby steps to get to your dream, imagine the barriers and setbacks that will come your way, and to make them SMART goals.

Get Your SMART Goals Worksheet

Ready to set a S.M.A.R.T. goal? To make your long-term personal goal Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound with the FREE SMART Goals Worksheet .

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Once you do that, you will be on your way to set up your life for success, today as a student and soon post-college. The personal goals that you establish today will help you today and every day going forward.

Start setting the right long term goals today. And remember, there’s more to life than long-term academic goals. 

Which of the long-term personal goals examples for students above will you create first?

What long term goals for college students will you set?

More About Guest Contributor 

Hey there, I’m Kelsey of Good Point Grandma ! I help 20-somethings live their most fulfilling life as we walk through the journey of adulthood together. For me, adulting isn’t about wasting your money and your time away. It’s about defining your goals, what success looks like to you and then taking focused steps to set up the rest of your life for success.

Last Updated on July 11, 2021

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Nadalie Bardo

Nadalie Bardo is here to help you slay your goals, so you can pursue your boss life with confidence + action. As the Founder of It's All You Boo, a personal development blog, she curates the very best content to keep you motivated and inspired to slay your goals in life and business. Her first book, Conquer Procrastination, is now available wherever books are sold, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Nadalie is also the creator of the Slay Your Goals Planner, the only planner dedicated to helping you actually achieve your goals.

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February 29, 2024

• Writing Your Career Goals Essay

Check out all the blog posts in this series:

• Identifying the Ingredients of a Winning Essay
• Finding a Theme for Your Statement of Purpose
• Revise and Polish Your Application Essays

Your career goals essay demands a laser-like focus. A personal statement, by contrast, allows for some flexibility in its content, though you can – and often should – discuss your career goals. But a career goals essay has a particular and packed agenda. In fact, the prompt for a career goals essay could actually include multiple questions, and in such cases, you want to make sure you address each of them.

For example, in 2022, Kellogg asked applicants to its one-year program to respond to the following prompt: “Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal.” 

This prompt has three parts: (1) What do you want to do post-MBA ? (2) Why is the 1Y program appropriate for you? And (3) what experience has so far prepared you to succeed in your target role? 

So, always pay close attention to your target school’s prompt to ensure that you answer all the questions within its “single” question. 

Three elements of a successful career goals essay

In addition to having a distinct theme , your career goals essay should achieve the following:

• Highlight specific career achievements. Choose from your most notable or defining experiences. These could be related to your work, community involvement, or extracurricular activities. The experiences you select should showcase your leadership skills , creative thinking, collaborative abilities, and personal reflections about what you learned or gained.
• Explain why your experiences and influences make your career goal a logical and wise choice.
• Demonstrate why you are suited to a particular field as a result of your education, experience, abilities, and enthusiasm. Ideally, the material you choose to include will also allow you to prove your knowledge about industry trends and suggest how your abilities and strengths can help you contribute to that field.

It’s a very tall order to achieve all this.

Putting these elements together to create your goals essay

Let’s take a look at a sample MBA Goals Essay and see how these three key elements are incorporated.  

You should be able to easily recognize why the writer’s opening is attention-getting for all the right reasons. The writer introduces herself as the supremely busy executive she visualizes becoming in the future. She trades large amounts of stock, rushes off to a Zoom conference, hurries downstairs, flags down a taxi, then hops on a plane. As she describes this whirlwind of activity, we can practically feel her heart pumping.

After establishing her voice and personality in this opening, she offers context for her MBA goal. Notice that in writing about her work as an accountant for a major firm, she provides relevant details, including how many years she has been in the field, her bilingualism, and her specialty area as an auditor. This information is her springboard to explain why she is pursuing an MBA: she’s bursting out of her limited role as an accountant. Her eyes and ambition are set on a larger playing field as an international investment manager.

Write an essay, not a list or CV

Outstanding career goals essays are not lists of an applicant’s roles and achievements. Instead, they have a narrative flow and arc that convey the candidate’s palpable excitement about their career choice. This writer’s enthusiastic, dreamy first paragraph achieves this, and she returns to that image at the end, where she paints her idealized (if frantically busy) future. She also proves her seriousness by noting that she registered for the CFA exam.

Connect your career goals to your reasons for choosing a particular program

Many essay questions, especially those for MBA programs , will ask why you have chosen the school you’re applying to. Be prepared to respond knowledgeably and enthusiastically. And the only way to become knowledgeable – and enthusiastic – is by visiting campus in-person or virtually, attending student recruitment meetings, participating in forums, reading student blogs, watching videos of students speaking about their experiences, communicating directly with students and/or recent alumni, and otherwise doing your homework. As part of your research, make sure you have familiarized yourself with the courses and specializations that are relevant to your goals.

Summary Tips

• Focus on answering each and every question asked in a career goals essay prompt. Often, there is more than one.
• Highlight specific achievements vividly and in a way that shows that your career choice is logical for you.
• Do the research so you can write about why the school is a good fit for you and do so with genuine enthusiasm.

In the next post in this series , we’ll explain how to take all this advice and apply it to create an exemplary first draft.

Work one-on-one with an expert who will walk you through the process of creating a slam-dunk application. Check out our full catalog of application services . Our admissions consultants have read thousands of essays and know the exact ingredients of an outstanding essay.

By Judy Gruen, former Accepted admissions consultant. Judy holds a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is also the co-author of Accepted’s first full-length book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools . Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related resources:

• The Winning Ingredients of a Dynamic MBA Goals Essay , a free guide
• Grad School Personal Statement Examples
• Focus on Fit , podcast Episode 162

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Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

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Scholarship programs often want you to write a career goals essay to see that you have a clear plan for how you’ll apply your education to a specific career path. This helps show a scholarship committee why you’re seeking funds for the next step on the path toward your success.

Answering “what are your career goals” effectively can help increase your odds of impressing landing a scholarship opportunity. If you’re a prospective student applying for scholarships, this article will provide tips on how to write a career goals essay, along with essays on career goals examples to help you get an idea of what scholarship committees are looking for.

Key Takeaways:

When you’re writing a career goals essay, make sure to write about the goals that are relevant to the scholarship.

Be honest and use your own voice to stand out in your scholarship essay.

Go into detail about how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals.

What is a career goals essay?

Why scholarship essays ask about career goals, example career goals essay prompts, career goals essay examples, tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals, what to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed, career goals essay for a scholarship faq.

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A career goals essay is a personal written explanation that discusses your background, why you’re interested in participating in the program, and what career you’d like this degree to lead into. A scholarship essay functions to explain why you want to achieve your professional goals and how you intend to get there.

In almost every application process, a portion asks the candidate to answer an essay question. When applying to an educational program, like an MBA, the essay prompt usually relates to your career goals .

Scholarship essays ask about career goals to assess your enthusiasm for the program, learn more about how the scholarship will help you, and ensure that you’ve considered how the program will help you achieve your goals for the future:

Assess your enthusiasm. Passion is important for scholarship administrators, and if you’re able to articulate your enthusiasm for a specific career path , it will show that you’re determined to meet the requirements to reach that goal. The most specific and well-thought-out your essay is, the easier it will be for a reader to understand your devotion and commitment to the program and the field it will allow you to enter.

Learn how the scholarship will help you. Having a firm grasp of your career goals is great, but it’s equally important that you express exactly how the specific program relates to those goals. This shows that you’ve researched the merits of the program and understand exactly how it fits into your professional goals.

Show you’ve considered your future. This goes along with the first two points — show that you know how to set goals and consider the path toward achieving those goals, and you’ll have an easier time convincing the reader that you’ll know how to set goals while participating in the program. They’ll see that you know how to prioritize education because you have a clear vision for navigating your career path.

While some scholarships might come right out and simply ask, “What are your career goals?” most will rework the question into something different that still accomplishes the same goal.

Below are some examples of career goals essay prompts that a scholarship program could pose to its applicants:

Discuss your career goals. Many scholarships prefer the most direct approach when giving an essay prompt to their applicants. This type of question gives the candidate a lot of wiggle room to discuss their passions, motivations, and career goals.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years ? This question is often used as a prompt for a career goals essay because it gives the applicant a timeline to describe their aspirations. It forces them to be realistic about where their career will be and how they will accomplish this within the next ten years.

How will this scholarship contribute to your professional success? A scholarship committee wants to be sure that the money they’re giving will contribute to a student’s overall professional success. This question asks about the applicant’s game plan in the long-term and evaluates how this program is going to assist in their future.

What is your dream job ? Since a dream job is often categorized as a person’s career goals, this is a common question phrasing in scholarship essays. Asking about a candidate’s dream job answers whether this program aligns with the student’s long-term career goals.

What matters most to you and why? Sometimes, a scholarship essay prompt won’t ask about your career or future at all. Instead, they’ll ask a question like this that assesses your motivations , values, and character.

Use these examples of career goals essays for scholarships to help write your own. Pay special attention to how they’re organized, rather than the content, to inspire your own career goals essay:

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

When I was six years old, I was riding bikes with my older sister around our neighborhood. She had just taught me how to ride, and I was excited to have to freedom to explore with her. When she was rounding a particularly difficult bend to see around, a car happened to be coming along at the same time. It struck her. That bike ride changed our lives forever. Over the next year, I went with my sister every Tuesday and Thursday to her physical therapist ’s appointments to help her regain walking strength. Watching her physical therapist patiently assist my sister back to becoming herself awoken something in me. A passion for helping others in the same way eventually turned into a career goal of becoming a physical therapist myself. I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in exercise science. After graduating in 2019, I knew that the next step for me was to attend a graduate program in physical therapy. I was accepted to Lassell University Master of Science in Rehabilitation Services. This presented me with my latest goal along my career path, and I’m eagerly waiting to start. This scholarship would help me afford the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Lassell University class of 2023, allowing me to continue working towards my ultimate career goal of becoming a physical therapist and helping others to become themselves again.

Career goals essay example 2 – Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years, I will have been successfully running my own construction business for about five years. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Texas, pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. I decided to get my MBA because I knew it would be a positive asset toward my long-term career goal of owning a construction business. In my high school years, I worked as a construction apprentice for a local business. I loved many aspects of the business, such as building something from nothing. I knew that I wanted to incorporate this work into my long-term career, but I didn’t want to work as an apprentice . This led me to pursue business. In ten years and with the help of this scholarship, I will have graduated with my MBA almost a decade prior . After graduation, I plan to take a business administration internship with a carpentry business to help myself get a footing in the field. After about two years of this, I will have started my own construction business.

Career goals essay example 3 – What matters most to you and why?

The people I surround myself with matter most to me. Whether it be my relatives, friends, or professional acquaintances, I always care the most about the happiness of the people around me. Making the people around me happy matters the most to me because I truly because we find our happiness through others. I believe that this drive to make a positive impression on the people around me is what drove me towards a career as a nurse . I always thought of hospitals as places where people need someone to support them and make their day a little happier. I wanted to be one of those who spend their careers positively impacting people in need. This scholarship will enable me to finally afford nursing school and go after my dream job full force.

Career goals essay example 4 – What are your short- and long-term career goals, and how will earning this degree contribute to achieving those goals? Please provide a minimum of 200 words.

My short-term career goals involve working directly with underprivileged young people to increase the literacy rate in my community. As a student of an underfunded and understaffed school, I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact early literacy education makes on long-term achievement. It broke my heart to see my peers embarrassed at their struggle with reading at an advanced age, and this shame added another dimension to their lack of opportunity. Being a literacy educator for young people would allow me to serve this community directly to show them not only the necessity of strong written communication skills, but the joy of reading for pleasure. This program focuses specifically on early literacy, and would provide me a direct route to a career in serving the community I hope to serve. As for long-term career goals, I hope to one day create a program where socioeconomically parents can bring their children for literacy education, not only to increase their ability to navigate the world of language, but also to instill confidence and joy in the written word. What drew me to this program was that it also has administrative, legal, and business dimensions that would set me on the path toward achieving this goal.

Here are some tips to keep in mind for writing a career goals scholarship essay:

Write about goals relevant to the scholarship. Although you may have many different kinds of goals for your personal and professional future, a scholarship essay only discusses objectives that are relevant to the program you’re applying for.

Be honest. Applying for a scholarship is stressful because the applicant’s education is usually reliant on receiving these funds in one way or another. Even though it’s tempting to exaggerate your skills or pretend you’re more passionate about something than you are to make yourself a more competitive applicant, it’s a bad move.

Use your own, unique voice. The essay portion of a scholarship application is your chance to stand out by using your voice. Nobody else, regardless of their academic or professional achievements, is you. Make this clear in your career goals scholarship essay by keeping your unique written voice engrained in the words you produce.

Be specific. A big reason that scholarship committees ask applicants to write a career goals essay is to determine how prepared they are in planning their long-term professional goals. They aren’t interested in providing a scholarship to students who aren’t going to follow through with their career plans.

Explain long and short-term goals . Even if the essay prompt asks you to describe where you see yourself in ten years, you still need to tell them the steps leading towards this picture of success.

Include the short-term goals that add up to your larger career objectives in your essay response. Explain how accomplishing the smaller goals gives you an advantage when tackling long-term ones.

Explain how the program and scholarship will help you. Before writing your career goals essay, consider how this program and scholarship will help you in your career. The answer to this question is essential.

Follow the essay formatting guidelines. This may sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget this step when your essay is finally flowing and when you’re scrambling to get it submitted on time.

Check, double-check , and triple-check the essay guidelines for content, word count, and formatting requirements. If you miss any of these steps, your essay may be immediately disqualified no matter how good it or the rest of your application is.

Many times career goals essays are written by students who have already completed at least some college or are applying to a post-graduate program and need more money to continue.

There’s a good chance that your career goals have changed since you started or graduated college. For example, say you wanted to be an engineer , so you got your undergraduate degree in engineering but realized you didn’t like it after working in the industry for a few years.

You decided that nursing would be more up your alley, and now you’re applying for a scholarship for a nursing program. While this isn’t unusual, it can make it more difficult to write a career goals essay since your past work doesn’t necessarily match your future goals.

In this case, you’ll simply need to explain why you changed your career path and why this next one is the best choice for you. Share your decision-making process to show that you haven’t taken the switch lightly, and talk about what you’ve already done to try to pursue this path.

How do you write a career goal for a scholarship essay?

You write a career goal for a scholarship essay by sharing your passion, explaining both your long- and short-term goals, and relating your goals to the scholarship.

Explain why you want to pursue the career you’re pursuing, where you hope to be in the future and how you plan to get there, and how the scholarship will help you do this.

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

You describe your career goals in an essay by explaining what you want to do in your career, why you decided on this career path, and what you’ve done so far to make that a reality.

You can usually work these factors into any prompt you receive, so think through them before you start writing so that you can use them as an outline of sorts.

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

Becoming a department manager and eventually an executive in your field.

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

Some goals for success include growing in your role, building your network, and finding joy in the job. Most careers don’t just happen overnight and require you to set the right milestones that work best for you. Not everyone will have the same goals for success.

How do you start a career goals essay for a scholarship?

You can start a career goals essay for a scholarship by directly answering the prompt. Most scholarship prompts include a word count of between 200 and 500 words, so it’s essential that you immediately respond to the prompt. Attention-grabbing sentences and narratives can be helpful for setting the scene, but an efficient and direct answer will show a clarity of mind that helps enhance the quality of your answer.

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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Examples of Scholarship Essays for the “Career Goals” Question

Emily Wong is a writer at Scholarships360. She’s worked as a social media manager and a content writer at several different startups, where she covered various topics including business, tech, job recruitment, and education. Emily grew up and went to school in the Chicago suburbs, where she studied economics and journalism at Northwestern University.

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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Writing an essay is often the trickiest part of the scholarship application, not to mention the most time-consuming. However, the essay section also allows room for creativity and individuality. If you can communicate effectively, you can use the essay portion to stand out from the crowd. Let’s go over some tips for writing, as well as a couple of scholarship essay examples about career goals.

How to write a scholarship essay 

At this point, you’ve probably gained plenty of experience writing papers for school. However, it may still take a couple of tries to nail the scholarship essay. Since scholarship teams often have to get through a lot of applications, it’s important to stand out while staying concise. Here are some simple guidelines for writing scholarship essays.

See also: How to write a winning scholarship essay (with examples!)

Take five minutes to brainstorm

Before you even start your essay, take some time to gather your thoughts. Think about what you’ll want the paper to focus on. Why did you choose to pursue your career path in the first place? Where do you want to be in five years? How would this scholarship help you further your studies and work toward your goals?

Once you’ve jotted down a few ideas, choose one or two to center your essay on. Identifying the focus of your paper, it’ll make it easier to keep your thoughts organized. In turn, it’ll make it easier for the reader to follow.

Related : How to start a scholarship essay (with examples!)

Stay within the word limit

Unlike the four-page essays that you may have written in English class, scholarship essays are often only a paragraph or two. In order to respect the selection committee’s time, be wary of going too far about the specified word count. A general rule of thumb is to stay within 20 words above or below the limit. That may entail a few rounds of edits to get the wording just right.

Stay positive!

Feel free to use part of your essay to talk about your life’s challenges. After all, the selection committee often wants to give the award to a candidate who needs it. However, make sure your anecdote doesn’t devolve into a sob story. If you’re going to bring up hardships you’ve endured, try to balance it by talking about how you’ve overcome them. By demonstrating resilience, you can show readers how you would use the scholarship to succeed in your current situation.

Leave time to proofread

Especially for a short scholarship essay, proofreading can take as little as 5-10 minutes. Still, it can be tempting to just hit “submit” after your first draft. However, being too impulsive can leave your essay riddled with typos and grammatical errors.

Try to avoid unnecessary mistakes by finishing your draft at least 24 hours before the scholarship deadline. That way, you can proofread it with fresh eyes before you submit it.

If you’re struggling to close out your essay, read how to end a scholarship essay in five steps .

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How to write a 100-word “career goals” essay.

When writing a 100-word essay, you’ll have to choose your content carefully. Since space is limited, you’ll want to identify the most important details to include beforehand.

First and foremost, make sure to clearly communicate your current pursuits. Talk about your academic and extracurricular activities related to your career goals. Additionally, it’s important to be specific about what you plan to do in the future. Then, if you have extra room, you can talk about how the scholarship will help you reach your goals.

My name is Alison MacBride, and I’m a sophomore at the University of Illinois. I’m currently pursuing a major in Journalism with a minor in Natural Resource Conservation. After completing my program, I plan to combine my areas of interest to become an environmental journalist.

During high school, I volunteered at an eco-conscious farm, where I learned about how our actions affect the earth. Since then, I’ve been set on raising awareness for the environment. This scholarship would go a long way in helping me finish my degree with the skills I need to investigate and report about critical issues.

Word count: 100

How to write a 250-word “career goals” essay

For the 250-word essay, you can go into more detail. Give the readers some context by talking about how you first got interested in your chosen career. Storytelling can be especially effective in engaging your audience. Try to capture their attention by choosing one or two concrete examples and relaying them vividly.

Additionally, you can spend more time talking about the scholarship and how it’ll make a difference in your studies. Go into more detail about how and why you need the award, but remember to keep it positive! For more help, check out how to write a 250 word essay . 

I first decided that I wanted to pursue a career in environmentalism in early high school. The summer after my freshman year, I joined a volunteer program at an eco-conscious farm in my community. In addition to helping out with the operations, I learned about current environmental issues related to farming and other consumer industries.

After learning about the agricultural industry’s impact on the planet, I was inspired to make a difference. The next year, I started a monthly earth magazine at my high school in which we broke down environmental issues and offered tips on how to be more eco-friendly. When I started college, I founded an on-campus publication with the same mission.

In recent years, I’ve been troubled to see how some media outlets downplay the gravity of issues like climate change and deforestation. I’ve admired reporters who publish trustworthy and comprehensible information about environmental issues, and I aim to follow in their footsteps.

When I entered college, I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t have enough money to finish my degree. Fortunately, I’ve been able to cover most of my tuition using merit scholarships and paychecks from my part-time job on campus. Receiving this scholarship would allow me more time to focus on acing my classes and pursuing environmental advocacy work on campus.

Word count: 261

Final thoughts

Planning is essential in making your “career goals” essay clear and concise. Hopefully, these scholarship essay examples about career goals can be your guide to writing a scholarship-winning essay. Good luck!

Additional resources

Maybe you need to write a longer scholarship essay? We can help with our writing a 500 word essay guide ! Be prepared and learn how to write essays about yourself and how to craft an impressive personal statement . Learn the differences between a personal statement and a statement of purpose as the terms might come up on college websites. If you haven’t decided on a college already, check out our guide on how to choose a college . No matter where you are in your educational journey, make sure that you apply for all the scholarships you qualify for!

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Writing Tips for a Career Goals Essay (2023)

Jennifer Finetti Mar 1, 2023

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For your college scholarship essay, you may be asked about your career goals. The scholarship committee wants to see how investing in your education will help your career. Do you have a definitive plan? Will a college education fit into that plan? These are the answers they want to see.

In this guide, we will provide some scholarship essay examples about career goals to jumpstart your essay writing.

Writing tips for career goals scholarship essays

Here are some quick tips for writing career goal scholarship essays:

• Write about career goals that tie into the scholarship. This doesn’t mean you have to lie about your career goals to make them fit. Find a way to relate them to the scholarship committee or other elements of the scholarship.
• Be precise about your career goals. Avoid vague statements that suggest you do not have a plan. Judges like to see determination because it shows they’re making a worthy educational investment.
• Discuss how your education will help you achieve your career goals. The scholarship will assist with your education. Show a connection between the two so they can see why you deserve this scholarship.
• If you mention multiple goals, indicate which one you feel most strongly about. Longer essays may allow you to mention a backup plan, but the committee needs to see where your focus lies.
• Avoid cliché statements. Describe how your specific talents, experiences, and degree pursuits will help you succeed.
• Point out solutions, not problems. You may mention struggles you’ve had in the past, but pinpoint how you will learn from them. Moreover, show how those struggles led to your career goals.
• Organize your thoughts in a fluid manner. This will most likely be in chronological order, starting with your degree and progressing through your career growth.
• Write, revise, rest, revise. This goes for any essay writing. Write the first draft from start to finish. Then read through it and edit any grammar or flow errors. Take a break, preferably overnight, and then re-read your content with fresh eyes.

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Example 1: Scholarship essay about career goals (100 words)

In a 100-word scholarship essay, you need to quickly make your point. There is not enough room for a lengthy intro or backstory. Use concise, comprehensive statements to deliver the most information in the fewest words.

I’m a sophomore at Texas Tech University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Companion Animal Science. After graduation, I hope to attend Texas A&M to become a veterinarian serving rescue organizations and animal shelters. I was born and raised in the south, where it is common for people to abandon animals in rural areas. Those animals then go into a rescue – emaciated, frightened, and confused. I want to work with rescues to provide affordable veterinary medicine to the animals they save. This scholarship would help me continue my education and potentially save thousands of abandoned animals in the future.

Word count: 99

Example 2: Scholarship essay about career goals (250 words)

With a 250-word scholarship essay, you have a little more room to discuss the details of your career goals. You can explain situations from your past that inspired your career pursuits. You could use one paragraph to talk about your short-term goals and another to talk about your long-term goals. Just make sure the big picture ties into the scholarship.

My name is Patrick Holden and I am a freshman at the University of Michigan, majoring in English and minoring in linguistics. I plan to become an English teacher, but this wasn’t always what I had in mind.  When thinking about my future, I always saw myself in some sort of corporate office, perhaps as an executive assistant or a loan officer at a bank. My father works in the finance office for a car dealership and my mother works at a call center. I assumed I would follow a similar, albeit boring, path in life. In my junior year of high school, everything changed. My English teacher inspired me in ways I could have never imagined. She got me to love writing, literature, etymology, and everything about the English language. She made me want to be a better student in all of my classes, and she helped me see the value of education. I decided then that I wanted to inspire other students just as she did for me. My parents are unfortunately not able to contribute much toward my college expenses. I have earned a tuition scholarship based on my ACT score, but I still need additional funding for books and supplies. English majors have particularly high book costs because we have to purchase multiple books for each class. With the help of this scholarship, I could afford to continue my degree and become an English teacher.

Word count: 240

Example 3: Scholarship essay about career goals (500 words)

With 500 words or more to play around with, you have plenty of space to talk about your career goals. Maintain the same theme throughout the scholarship essay. Each paragraph should connect to the next, and they should all work together to describe your career plan. Avoid making disconnected statements for the sake of word count. In the end, the scholarship committee should have a clear view of your educational plans and professional aspirations.

Internet marketing has gone from an optional method of advertisement to a vital step in business outreach. Even small businesses in remote towns look to the internet to attract customers and spread the word about their services. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing with an emphasis on Digital Marketing. With this training, I will be able to enter a profession that will only grow year by year. When I was younger, I found print advertisements to be fascinating. I loved reading the newspaper with my father just to see the full-page ads in between stories. When I got older though, those ads became less appealing because they were not adaptive. They seemed dated, static and ill-fit for changes in society. That’s when I discovered internet marketing. It was still in its infancy when I was in middle school, but by the time I graduated high school, it had become a staple in business development. I loved the way internet marketers had to constantly adjust to fit Google’s algorithms, new mobile devices, and new audiences. I knew this was the career for me. Originally, I planned to focus solely on business marketing because there were not many digital marketing degrees available. Over the last two years though, several schools throughout the country have developed internet marketing courses that explain fundamental methods of search engine optimization, website analytics, and more. These are the foundations I will build my career around. The best part about internet marketing is that there is always something new to learn. I can use my creative mind and exploratory nature to try new advertising methods that help businesses succeed. Every time they do well, I do well. This is the kind of job fulfillment most people can only dream of, but my educational plan and job prospects will allow me to achieve it. I have picked up some freelance jobs online to supplement my studies and help pay for my education. It is difficult to maintain a steady stream of income in freelance because I spend so much time on my school work. This scholarship could offset some of the costs and reduce my workload as a whole. While I will still work throughout the semester and full-time in the summers, having extra financial aid would greatly reduce my stress in college. I look forward to a future where I can use my marketing skills to help business owners achieve their career goals. I plan to spend the first few years after graduation working for a successful, long-standing digital marketing company. After I have enough on-the-job training to feel confident in my abilities, I will open my own internet marketing company in Chicago, where my family lives. I have a clear picture of where I will be in the next 10 years, and I know this degree is going to help me get there.

Word count: 481

• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

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Career goals Essay: Short-term and long-term goals

What career goals should you write in your MBA applications? How do you ensure that the short-term career goals are aligned with the long-term goals?

Vibhav Agarwal sure knows a thing or two about crafting winning MBA applications. He’s helped many applicants get into the most selective programs in the world.

In this post he shares some tips on tackling the career goals MBA essay .

by Vibhav Agarwal

I may probably know where I can be in the next 3-5 years. But beyond that who knows, right?

Think of it this way. MBA education is going to be one of your biggest investments – not just with money, but with the time and effort as well.

So, it’s very important that you focus on the right things in terms of coursework, network, placements etc. during those 1-2 years that you spend in the college.

( Take it from us, time flies in a b-school, the more your priorities and goals are clear, the easier it is to navigate those ten thousand opportunities that you will get at the school to do something or be a part of something)

Now, who better understands the importance of this prioritization than the ad-com? And this is their rationale of asking this question.

They want to see and understand the clarity a candidate has in terms of being able to understand and showcase the clarity in their short-term and long-term career goals.

Let us tackle the key requirements for short-term career goals first.  

Short-term career goals

Short-term goals are those where you see yourself as soon as you graduate out of the school. These goals need to be a very precisely defined in terms of industry, geography, set of companies you are aiming at and the role that you are looking for.

You are expected to have complete clarity on the skillset required to do this role, the key responsibilities you will be handling and the results that you are expected to showcase in the next 1-2 years.

The ad-com wants to understand the above from your essay and then ascertain whether “you” the candidate have a realistic chance with the MBA education and his current experience to gain that role in light of the skillsets required for that role and the competition posed by the typical MBA class.

In this context, there are typically 3 scenarios that candidates are likely to define their short-term goals. A quick disclaimer first.

Disclaimer: We’ll include some representative examples to clarify the key principles. Blindly copying these career goals in your essays, without understanding the bigger picture, is sure to backfire. More on this in the last section.  

1. Career Progression

This is the scenario when you are already performing a role in the similar industry and you would like to accelerate your progress in terms of the career ladder or in terms of the organizational brand.

For example:

• I am a consultant in big4 consulting firm or KPO who wants to move into McKinsey or BCG
• I am a software engineer with product development experience who wants to move into product management role in a Silicon Valley tech firm
• I am a commerce graduate with CA or CFA background who wants to move into Investment banking or Private banking in a top-tier bank
• I am working in a corporate law firm and want to shift into M&A or strategy team for a big conglomerate

  Such shifts are very logical and easier to explain and manage. The requirements remain the same when it comes to explaining in the short-terms goals essay, but your ability to visualize yourself in that role and showcase the skills you bring to the role are easier to explain since you are already have counterparts or seniors who are performing that role and can explain the difference between it and your current role  

2. Career Shift

This is the scenario when you want to “shift” into a more exciting role in probably a more exciting industry and organization. So basically, you are looking to change your industry, role profile and probably geography as well. This scenario accounts for more than 60% of the candidates who want to do MBA. For example:

• I am a project manager in IT services firm in India who wants to get into product management for a B2B SaaS product in US
• I am a team lead in a semi-conductor firm who wants to get into business development roles in an IT services or IT product firm
• I am a software engineer in a tech firm who wants to move into a business strategy role with a bigger tech firm/start-up
• I am a client-side consultant with an IT-services firm who wants to into corporate finance role with a top-tier tech firm
• I am an entrepreneur who wants to become a product manager in a tech firm

  Such shifts require a lot of introspection and research. The ad-coms would like to see what is your understanding of the role, what skills are “transferable” from your current role into the new role and on top of it, how will the MBA help you gain the skillsets that are missing.

They also want to get a clear understanding of the role from your viewpoint in terms of key responsibilities, performance metrics and impact areas.

In order to showcase all the above in the essay, we recommend that candidates leverage LinkedIn and their networks to connect with at least 2-3 people who are actually performing that role they aspire and have a frank conversation to gain a clear and deep understanding of the role.

Once they do that, they can also discuss their present roles and gain an understanding of the transferable skills that can be leveraged for the new role. This understanding is paramount to showcase in a good short-term goal essay.

This helps convince ad-com that you stand a good chance of being shortlisted for that role based on your CV and pedigree during the placement season..  

3. The management consulting bug

One of the biggest aspirations for all MBA candidates who want to shift roles and otherwise is to get into management consulting with a top-tier firm like McKinsey, Bain or BCG .

Irrespective of their current roles and backgrounds, the consultant role is actually the one where your MBA performance and business acumen take precedence.

But even then, when you are showcasing it as your short-term goal, you need to have a clear understanding of the skillsets that define a good consultant and where have you demonstrated those skills in current roles.

For example, skills like problem solving, management communication, data analysis are cornerstones of any good consultant and they need to be showcased in your CV as well as essay.  

Long-term career goals

Coming to long-term career goals, essentially the easiest path and the one taken by most of candidates is to showcase the career ladder growth as the long-term goal.

So, you see yourself as a partner in the consulting firm, you see yourself as a product management leader in the tech firm or as a CXO of a conglomerate.

These are all acceptable as long as there is a clear and straight-line path between short-term and long-term goals. The ad-com sees the logic and ambition here and that’s a tick from their side.   The other category is those who aim to turn entrepreneurs. That is also acceptable as long as there is a defined synergy in your short-term and long-term goals.

As long as ad-com sees that the skillsets you are gaining in short-term career and the industry knowledge and network you are building shall be used in the entrepreneurship venture you are aiming for, they are happy to give you the tick.   Now, if you have read till here, you get to know a little secret. The reality seldom matches the essay. Once you get into the school, there are new interest areas, new avenues that you may end up exploring or change your mind to take a safe bet and stick to same industry.

But it’s important that the story you present in your essay showcases your ambition in a logical way in line with your current career path and also in line with how the college can place you (Read How important are MBA essays ).

After all, their reputation is built on the alumni they have the best positions in top-tier firms!   A strong application generally is one which is able to create a cohesive and persuasive story not only about the career goals of the applicant, but also dovetail it into his past achievements, his extra-curriculars and his personal highlights.

This is the most important ingredient to a successful application.

An admissions consulting team like MBA Crystal Ball, can not only help you discover the right set of career goals, but also help you create an overall impactful story. One that will impress the ad-com enough to invite you for an interview.  

You’ll find some of Vibhav’s success stories at the end of this article: Career Change from Software IT to Product Management after MBA .

And here’s a success story of an ISB reapplicant who used career counselling for MBA admissions .

Mini-MBA | Start here | Success stories | Reality check | Knowledgebase | Scholarships | Services Serious about higher ed? Follow us:                

12 thoughts on “Career goals Essay: Short-term and long-term goals”

I have large experience (8+) in big CPG companies in India in varied sales and marketing (mid-managerial) functions (Sales, Sales Development, Trade Marketing, Customer Marketing). My short term goal is to leverage my experience and work as a strategy consultant with McKinsey for CPG clients. It will not only add to my managerial skills but also help me build and gain insights into cutting edge innovations in the industry.

(Long term Goal) After working 3-4 years as a strategy consultant, I would like to take up a senior management role (Head of Business, CXO) and work in a CPG startup firm in India providing and implementing cutting edge strategies and solutions to break ground and win the market. The startup setup in CPG is a new booming space in India and given the customer base and demand for CPG products, there is tremendous scope in the coming years.

How does my short term and long term goal look? Would this be put down as being too unrealistic? Pls help.

Tough to say per say since consulting is a very common goal. It’ll eventually depend on how well you explain the need for MBA to begin with, and then, why consulting. Why not say CPG itself? Start from there.

Dear Sir, I am currently pursuing B.Tech Marine Engineering and will be sailing in 2021. I plan on sailing 5-7 years and then settle onshore. Although, I am uncertain about the career options available to me. Certainly, I have considered doing MBA and pursuing a job. But at this point, it’s very confusing to have a clear mindset as to what is to be done. I’d highly appreciate if you could guide me and tell what I should be doing and where I should be looking for some more guidance.

Once you’ve sailed for a year or so, see if you want to explore this intervention with us, if still unclear: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/career-counselling

I am a BE (EEE) graduate with following details: 1. 10th – 85% 2. +2 – 94% 3.BE – 81% – 2008 passout

I have Two Years of Experience in Software Testing in ADP India Pvt Limted(2008-2010) and Currently working as Manager in Powergrid Corporation Of India Limited (A Central Govt Mahartna PSU) from 2010. Profile in ADP: Test (Automation) Engineer in ADP – Dealing with Tax and Financial Services for Clients in USA Profile in POWERGRID: 1.Was incharge of execution of Power Transmission Projects of 400kV ,765kV level with Cost of Projects ranging from 250Cr-700Cr. 2. Worked as Special Technical Assitant to Executive Director of Southern Region,India which exposed me to various functions of Organization line HR, Contracts (Procurement Services), Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Operation of one of the Largest Power grids in World etc.. 3. Was part of Competitive Bidding group in Transmission Project which involved preparation of Bids for the projects, Financial Modelling for calculation of returns, Cost Control etc.. As seen from above I have many dots and all of them needs to connected and hence want to pursue a proper MBA.

Now I am interested to do Global MBA in USA . GRE:320. TOEFL will write in July-2020.

How are my chances to get into reasonably Top MBA schools in USA.

Overall profile looks decently poised. We don’t do profile evaluation here. For that, you can start here: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/profile-evaluation

I have persuing my MBA in finance and human resource. I want to do study PHD in management in USA. Please guide me how it is possible.

@Jasbir, start here: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2018/04/11/phd-after-mba/

Sir i have completed my B tech in textile technology in 2017 since then i am unemployed and preparing for ssc and banking exam. Now in 2020 i would give cat ,mat exam . What are chances of getting a decent or mediocre mba college with a gap of 4 year with no experience and what problem will i face in getting my job

@Ravi, gaps are always very tough to explain: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2016/04/01/how-to-handle-career-gaps-in-mba-applications/

Beyond chasing another education, you should make a very hard attempt at starting your professional journey first.

Thank you for this amazing exposition. I am currently working as an in-house counsel in a reputable professional regulatory body and I intend to do MBA for the purpose of advancing my career. However, I am not exactly sure what are the career goals for an in-house lawyer like me who seeks to do MBA. I would be glad if I could get some perspectives from you.

@Mide, you are approaching the thing from the wrong end. Don’t decide to do MBA and then figure things out. Think first about what you’d like to do in your career ( https://www.mbacrystalball.com/career-counselling/ ) and then, work backwards from there to assess whether MBA is even needed. Don’t consider an MBA as a be all and end all.

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Long-Term Professional Goals, Essay Example

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What are your long-term professional goals? How will a Ross Executive MBA help you achieve your goals?

It is my greatest hope to become a student with the Ross Executive MBA program in order to provide me with the opportunity to achieve strong career goals.  By earning a degree in Business Administration, I will become prepared to build upon my career as a managing director in the construction industry to eventually become the CEO for a Fortune 500 company.  This program will provide a strong educational background and business skills to help me graduate from college and move on to advance in a career that will be very enriching and fulfilling.  It is my deepest goal to serve as a business professional in a career that allows me to work with a company that can provide endless growth opportunities, a strong salary and excellent benefits package.  From my past experiences, I know what it is like to have to struggle finding a job and working to support myself and others.  This is not an easy task, but by obtaining a degree from Ross Executive, it will help overcome the economic problems that many people are faced with today and allow me to succeed and fulfill even greater achievements.

There is one very special achievement in my life that I am extremely proud to have accomplished.  Many working professionals never need to worry about many serious issues in life.  For me, the situation is very different.  I have been working since 1992 and have seen many positive and negative circumstances in the profession and for my career.  In order to achieve my long-term goals, I am faced with the task of being a full-time student while working a full-time job.  By focusing a particular skill set and all efforts, I have been able to become successful in the areas of personal finances and make a positive life for myself and my family.  This is not an easy task, especially with how difficult the economy has become, but it is important to learn to persevere during difficult times and work to become self-sustaining.  Through this strong achievement, the addition of a Ross Executive MBA to my resume will help ensure that I will be able to obtain a comfortable career that can provide a very strong sense of pride and opportunities for advancement.

I believe that Ross Executive will provide me with the necessary skills to achieve these career goals.  There is no doubt that the excellent professors and curriculum will teach the many skills I need to become successful.  Ross Executive will also help develop computer skills, practice and improve written and verbal communication skills, and also to learn about many other different forms of business administration and management to gain a stronger understanding of the industry altogether.  This is important so that I can become more marketable to the workforce and have a greater chance of working my way towards earning a position as a top-CEO for a Fortune 500 company.  All of these skills will be learned at through Ross Executive and will provide me with the additional resources and contacts necessary to advance within the field.

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