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Reflective Essay for Senior Year

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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Senior Year Bucket List: 52 Things to Do Before Graduation

Reaching the end of high school is a bittersweet journey. On the one hand, you’re starting a new life, one where you can explore your passions, develop your career skills and ambitions, and find like-minded people along the way. At the same time, you’re also saying goodbye to friends, family, and your childhood.

Before you graduate, make sure you’ve gotten the most out of your high school experience, your hometown (whether or not you’re leaving), and your time with the people you love. And be sure to check off these senior year bucket list items — you’ll be glad you did!

1. Figure out your long-term plans.

This is a must-do for every senior. Planning to go to college? Start a job? Whatever you do, make sure you have a concrete plan nailed down well before graduation rolls around.

You should also identify resources that are available to you to help you as you formulate your goals for the future. For example, our Chancing Engine will predict your real odds of admission to hundreds of colleges and universities, and we offer essay guides to prepare you for supplemental and Common App prompts.

Virtual Activities You Can Do During COVID-19 (or Anytime)

This year, COVID-19 makes it difficult to do the traditional items on a senior bucket list, so we’ve included a few activities you can do from home.

2. Start a virtual book club.

When you start college, you may just realize how much you love (or miss) reading for pleasure. Starting a virtual book club now will help instill a sense of commitment to reading on your own, outside of what you need to do for class.

3. Have an all-night movie or TV marathon with your friends.

With tools like Netflix Party, you don’t even have to be in the same room to enjoy a show together.

4. Visit a world-famous attraction or museum via your phone or computer.

Never been to Paris? Don’t worry! Now, you can tour the Louvre from the comfort of your couch.

5. Attend a play.

Same goes with Broadway shows. Watch hits via Broadway HD. You even get a free trial!

6. Start a virtual club at school.

Do you regret not being more engaged in high school? Leave your mark by starting a virtual club — whether it’s speaking French, playing chess, or brainstorming community service projects.

7. Have a virtual karaoke night.

Belt it out on Zoom!

8. Take an online class in a skill or subject you’ve always wanted to learn.

From languages to coding to music, there are so many skills you can explore via online classes, sometimes even for free. Duolingo, Khan Academy, Udemy, and Codeacademy are places to start.

9. Download a budgeting app.

Now is a good time to start learning how to manage your money. Apps like Mint will help you budget and keep track of your finances.

10. Watch a TED talk.

Learn how to spot a liar. Discover what makes a good life. Ted talks cover so many interesting topics, and these are only the tip of the iceberg.

11. Create a LinkedIn profile.

This will prove essential to your career development. You’ll use it to discover jobs, apply to jobs, and network. Plus, you may even get noticed by recruiters. You’ll be glad you’re doing it now rather than later!

12. Start a blog or website.

Is there a topic you’ve always wanted to write about? Now is the time. 

Everything Else

13. sleep in..

Take the time to just relax and not set your alarm (we recommend the weekend for this one).

14. Learn how to cook the basics.

Like eggs, pasta, and maybe even a vegetable. Trust me, you don’t want to be subsisting off of ramen and Easy Mac during your entire college career…and everyone needs a break from dining hall food.

15. Do something that scares you.

Inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote “You must do the thing you think you cannot do,” I made this a new year’s resolution as an adult once. Every day, I made myself do something that I was afraid to do. While you don’t need to do something that scares you every single day, try to do something, even one thing, that requires courage you haven’t been able to muster in the past.

16. Make a new friend outside of your typical circle.

Some of your friends will stick with you through college and even the course of your adult life. But you may grow apart from others. Take this time to talk to someone you haven’t gotten to know in the past. This could be a lifelong friend!

17. Get to know a teacher outside of class.

High school teachers not only write your college recommendations; they can also become mentors and even friends. I still have coffee with some of my high school teachers whenever I return to my hometown.

18. Spend at least one day volunteering.

Take the time to give back to your community. Check out some of our suggestions for ideas.

19. Start a journal.

One day, you’ll be glad to look back on your thoughts when you were a teenager and reflect on how much you’ve grown.

20. Attend an athletic or school spirit event.

Even if you’re not really the school spirit type, these events can be a lot of fun. 

21. Write a letter to someone you admire.

It can be someone famous or a mentor — even a friend.

22. Make a physical photo album.

Sure, you have Instagram, but a physical photo album is a keepsake you can have forever. You’ll appreciate the memories when you’re in college and later on.

23. Get your driver’s license (if you haven’t yet).

This will be so, so useful, even if you’re going off to New York or another city with great public transportation.

24. Apologize to anyone you’ve wronged.

Try to make amends and close high school on a high note, without regrets. (Remember: the person doesn’t have to accept your apology. You can only control your own actions.)

25. Watch the sunrise.

Take a moment to appreciate the natural beauty of the world.

26. Read a long work of literature.

Long classics like War and Peace and Don Quixote are certainly worth your time and will contribute to your learning.

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

27. Register to vote as soon as you turn 18.

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that it is absolutely essential to participate in democracy. Usually, you can vote absentee in your hometown or in-person wherever you attend college (this year, many places allowed mail-in voting beyond the normal restrictions due to COVID). Try to get everything squared away before you leave home.

28. Take a trip.

Right now, it might be a little difficult, but if you can, try to visit a place you’ve always wanted to see — safely, of course!

29. Try a restaurant you’ve never dined at in your hometown.

It could be a fancy place — why not splurge? — or one you’ve always been meaning to try.

30. Visit an attraction in your hometown.

Be a tourist for the day. This may not be your town or city forever, so get to know it now.

31. Write a letter to your future self.

Seal it and open it the day you graduate college. 

32. Have dinner with your family every day for a week.

This is time you’ll never get back. Who knows the next time you’ll be able to sit together as a family?

33. Take a mental health day.

This should be parent-sanctioned, of course. Take a day to just relax after working really, really hard. Then go back to school refreshed.

34. Buy yourself something completely frivolous.

Maybe those great boots you’ve been coveting?

35. Donate blood.

Help save a life! (NB: age, weight, and other restrictions apply.)

36. Develop a mental health regimen.

Try different techniques to find out what really helps you, such as mindfulness meditation, a long run in the morning, or getting out your thoughts on paper.

37. Start a new tradition.

This could be solo or with family or friends. For example, perhaps you’ll establish pizza Wednesdays.

38. Spend an entire day with your sibling(s).

Sure, they irritate you sometimes, but you love them underneath it all. Have a day when you hang out, just the two of you, before you head off into the real world. 

39. Give your younger siblings or friends one piece of really good advice.

What did you wish you knew when you were their age?

40. Ask a mentor, teacher, or parent for one piece of really good advice.

What did they wish they knew when they were your age?

41. Secure a summer job.

Start developing your work ethic and earn a little spending money.

42. Learn how to self-soothe.

When you’re really upset, you probably want to turn to someone for support, like a good friend. That’s okay! But it’s also important to learn how to self-soothe and work through your feelings on your own by developing strong coping skills. You will encounter challenges, and this is an important way to get through them.

43. Make someone a birthday cake.

A parent, a friend, a sibling, your pet (I have a great dog cake recipe!), or even yourself!

44. Get into the habit of exercising.

It’s an important, healthy habit you should establish now so it will become part of your regular routine.

45. Write thank-you notes to the teachers who have inspired you.

Teachers love hearing from students they impacted. Why not let them know how much you learned from them and the lessons you’ll take with you?

46. Write thank-you notes to your parents or guardians.

They gave you guidance and support, put up with your bad moods (you know you had them), and, of course, raised you to be the person you are today. They will certainly appreciate the recognition.

47. Do something for yourself just because.

Whether that’s getting a pedicure, eating a cupcake, on building a snowperson.

48. Get a credit or debit card.

And use it responsibly, always keeping track of bills and due dates and not exceeding what’s in your bank account.

49. Save money.

Create a rainy day fund, along with putting away money in your savings account. You’ll find it incredibly helpful to have extra spending money next year.

50. Do a social media cleanse.

Just for a day — or longer if you can!

51. Redecorate your childhood bedroom.

Don’t throw out your childhood treasures, but store them away and redecorate according to your current tastes so you have someplace appealing to stay when you visit.

52. Graduate.

You did it!

What’s on your senior year bucket list?

Remember to sign up for your free CollegeVine account to get a jumpstart on your college search. We can help you create a best-fit school list based on your chances, finances, and preferences. 

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

7 Goals for Your Senior Year of High School

🎓 overview of senior year.

Welcome to senior year! It's the final year of high school—and time to think about your future. Use the many articles throughout the "College Handbook" category to stay organized throughout the year. There will be lots of links, resources, and templates throughout the articles to help on your journey and be informed about the process.

✅ Key Goals for Senior Year

1. Go through the process of applying to college

• ➡️ How to Apply to College

2. Contact folks in admissions

• ➡️ Contacting Admissions Officers

3. Submit relevant test scores

• ➡️ ACT & SAT

4. Apply for financial aid

• ➡️ Financial Aid

5. Apply for outside aid

• ➡️ Searching for Scholarships

6. Apply to a major or field of study (or choose to remain undecided)

• ➡️ Comparing Majors

7. Commit to a university

• ➡️ Coming soon!

Guide Outline

Related content, first-gen: preparing for the college application, what extracurriculars should high school sophomores do, college checklist: what to accomplish in your junior year, 5 goals for your freshman year of high school, 10 goals for your freshman year of high school, college essay tips for first-gen students.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Admit-a-bull // official admissions blog, how to finish senior year strong.

By Emily Young | Last Updated: Jul 15, 2022

Congratulations. You’re in the spring of your senior year, which means you’re almost done with high school. Be proud of this accomplishment, celebrate it — and prepare for a busy semester. Before you don that cap and gown, you’ve still got plenty of academic and emotional challenges left to tackle. We’re here to help. Here are six tips to help you finish senior year strong (including how to fight off senioritis).

Identify Your Academic Goals

The first step is knowing what you need to accomplish this year. If you haven’t already done so, talk with your guidance counselor to determine your academic objectives. This includes maintaining your high school GPA as well meeting college application deadlines. Use this timeline to prioritize goals such as:

• Visiting colleges
• Taking the SAT or ACT
• Assembling college application materials
• Applying for scholarships

A daily planner or time management app can help you keep track of deadlines for both college paperwork and homework assignments. (It can be distracting to apply for colleges. Make sure you’re still focused on your high school grades, too.) 

Identify Your Life Goals

Along with academic goals, you may want to create a list of practical life goals for this year. You are entering a period of development known as  emerging adulthood , and when you leave for college, you’ll start leading a more independent life. In other words, it’s time to learn the all-important skill of “adulting.”  

If you practice adulting while you’re still living at home, it can make the transition to college easier. Try asking mentors such as your parents or guidance counselors to teach you the adult skills that will prepare you for college life . For example:

• Learn how to cook go-to meals that you can make from start to finish. Buy the groceries, keep to a food budget, follow a recipe, and do the cleanup. (Bonus points if they’re meals you can cook in a dorm room.)
• Understand finance skills such as paying bills, budgeting, building your credit, and avoiding college debt .
• Be responsible for your own well-being. Schedule annual checkups with your doctor, get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and learn how to care for your mental health.

Learn Good Time Management and Study Skills

Now you know your academic and life goals for senior year. But how do you find the time to accomplish them all? Implementing time management skills and good study habits can help you make the most of your schedule.

• Instead of tackling a big assignment all at once, break it into smaller tasks . For example, you could divide an essay assignment into brainstorming , outlining , completing a first draft , and revising. Try not to procrastinate.
• Create a study space that cultivates creativity. Keep the space tidy.
• Listen to music that helps you focus. As this article in The Guardian explains, your brain has two attention systems — a conscious system, which is wrestling with your homework, and an unconscious system, which is easily distracted by the world around you. Music entertains your unconscious system, similar to “giving small children a new toy to play with while you’re trying to get some work done.” While your unconscious system is entertained, your conscious system can work on acing that exam.
• Every hour, take a five-minute break to walk around. Frequent physical activity scattered throughout your workday may boost your mood and give you more energy, according to the results of this study.
• Make time for yourself. No matter how many time management tips you use, you only have so many hours in a day. It’s OK to decline certain invitations during a busy senior year. Set aside the time you need to accomplish your academic and personal goals, and don’t forget to rest.

Limit Your Screen Time

Do you know where your smartphone is right now? If it’s near you, even if it’s powered off, its very presence is eating away at your concentration. This is called “brain drain,” according to a 2018 article in The New York Times . Here’s how it works: Your brain is constantly resisting the urge to check your phone. This takes mental energy, which means you have less energy to study or stay focused. Basically, our phones are kryptonite. When you need your brain to operate at full power — such as when you’re studying for your SAT — keep your phone out of sight.

While you’re at it, use a feature such as Apple’s Screen Time to track how many hours you spend on your phone. If you’re like most young adults, you average five hours a day . Think of what you can accomplish in that five hours. During this busy year, you’ll need all the time you can get.

Beat Senioritis  

At some point this year, you might be tempted to ask yourself, Do I really need to study this hard? Does it make a difference what I get on that next exam? Spoiler alert: It does.

The last semester of your senior year matters to colleges, even if you’ve already been accepted. Colleges are looking for a consistent level of academic rigor, and a sudden drop in your GPA could be a red flag.

Plus, what you’re learning now is going to affect your first semester of college. According to Peterson’s, “50 (percent) to 60 percent of incoming freshmen end up completing remedial work in their first year just to regain their skills in core topics such as math.” Pay attention now to avoid playing catch-up later.

If you still find yourself struggling with senioritis, try these tips:

• Form a study group with friends who share your academic goals.
• Give yourself a night off to practice self-care. Your “senioritis” may be exhaustion.
• Talk to someone such as your school guidance counselor about how you feel. They can help you refocus.

Remember Why You’re Doing This

Give yourself tangible reminders of why you’re working so hard. If you’ve already chosen your college, hang its flag on your wall. If you have a dream job, write it on a sticky note and paste it to your mirror: I’m going to be a veterinarian. A journalist. An educator. Your hard work this semester is getting you one step closer to accomplishing your goals. 

If you have questions about the college application process, the USF Office of Admissions is always ready to help. Contact us online  or by phone:  813-974-3350 .

About Emily Young

Emily Young is a freelance writer and editor based on the gulf coast of Florida. A proud USF alumna, she cares about connecting readers to resources and helping students find success.

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Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

• Apply For A Job
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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.

BLS – Career planning for high schoolers

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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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110 Goals Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Setting goals is an essential part of personal and professional development. Goals provide us with direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose. However, coming up with goal essay topics can sometimes be challenging. To help you get started, here are 110 goal essay topic ideas and examples:

• My top 3 personal goals for the next year
• How I plan to achieve my career goals
• Setting realistic health and fitness goals
• The importance of setting financial goals
• How to set and achieve academic goals
• My goals for improving my mental health
• Setting relationship goals for better communication
• The role of goal setting in overcoming challenges
• Setting goals for personal growth and self-improvement
• My goals for contributing to my community
• Setting goals for work-life balance
• Achieving work-related goals through time management
• The impact of setting goals on motivation and productivity
• Setting goals for learning new skills or hobbies
• My goals for creating a more sustainable lifestyle
• Setting goals for improving emotional intelligence
• The benefits of setting short-term vs long-term goals
• How to stay motivated when working towards your goals
• Setting goals for better communication in relationships
• My goals for building stronger connections with others
• Setting goals for personal finance and budgeting
• Achieving career goals through networking and professional development
• The role of goal setting in personal happiness and fulfillment
• Setting goals for personal branding and self-promotion
• My goals for reducing stress and improving overall well-being
• Setting goals for time management and prioritizing tasks
• Achieving personal goals through perseverance and resilience
• The impact of setting goals on self-confidence and self-esteem
• Setting goals for personal growth and self-discovery
• My goals for practicing gratitude and mindfulness
• Setting goals for improving physical health and fitness
• Achieving academic goals through effective study habits
• The benefits of setting goals for professional development
• Setting goals for career advancement and promotions
• My goals for creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace
• Setting goals for improving leadership skills
• Achieving goals through collaboration and teamwork
• The role of goal setting in building resilience and adaptability
• Setting goals for personal finance and investing
• My goals for achieving a better work-life balance
• Setting goals for networking and building professional relationships
• Achieving career goals through continuous learning and skill development
• The impact of setting goals on personal growth and self-improvement
• Setting goals for mental health and emotional well-being
• My goals for improving communication skills in relationships
• Setting goals for building stronger social connections
• Achieving personal goals through self-reflection and introspection
• The benefits of setting goals for lifelong learning and personal development
• Setting goals for improving time management and productivity
• My goals for creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle
• Setting goals for improving emotional intelligence and empathy
• Achieving goals through effective goal setting and planning
• The role of setting goals in achieving success and fulfillment
• The impact of setting goals on personal happiness and satisfaction
• Setting goals for building stronger connections with others
• My goals for contributing to my community and making a difference
• Setting goals for improving mental health and emotional well-being
• Achieving academic goals through effective study habits and time management
• The benefits of setting goals for personal growth and self-improvement
• Setting goals for physical health and wellness
• Setting goals for improving communication skills in relationships
• Achieving personal goals through perseverance and determination
• The role of goal setting in building self-confidence and self-esteem
• My goals for creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture
• Setting goals for improving leadership skills and abilities
• Achieving career goals through collaboration and teamwork
• The impact of setting goals on resilience and adaptability
• Setting goals for financial independence and stability
• Setting goals for networking and building professional connections
• Setting goals for

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29 Personal Goals Examples for Students (Academic, Life, Money, etc.)

By: Author Amanda L. Grossman

Posted on Last updated: March 14, 2024

My personal goal examples from when I was a student, plus tons of other personal goal examples for students and high school seniors.

Setting goals and attempting to achieve them teaches teenagers and students so much about themselves, about the world, and about life.

But picking meaningful goals (the kind that will motivate them to see the goal process work) can be difficult for someone so new to the process.

That's why I'm sharing both my personal goal examples from when I was a student, and other examples of personal goals your students can adopt for their own growth in their academic, money, and other areas of their lives.

Personal Goals Examples for Students

Below are tons of personal goal examples for students.

I want to give you an example of what setting one of these goals can look like so that they can get a better idea of what the goal-setting process looks like.

Psst: you’ll definitely want to use one of these free teen goal setting worksheets pdfs and free goal setting worksheets for kids once you choose a goal to go after from below.

Personal Goal Example: Set Up and Consistently Use a Study Block System

A student might want to establish great study habits as prep for college, or to get better grades by X date, or to be able to apply to certain schools and scholarships.

Various action steps a student might take to meet this goal include:

• Research a Few Study Systems : You first will need to find a study system that you want to set up and do, consistently.
• Choose and/or Create Your Own Study System : Pick a study system, or create your own from scratch, and make tweaks as you use it. For example, you could set up a study block system that closely resembles a block schedule , or you could use the Pomodoro technique when you study.

How a student might measure their success with this goal:

• Habit Tracker Checkoff to Measure Consistency : You’ll want to figure out what “consistently use” means, such as 3 days per week, and then use a habits tracker to check off each time you use the system as part of measuring your success. You can also simply put an “X” on each calendar day that you use your new system.
• Measure Grade Improvement : The second way to measure success with this goal is to compare your grades after using it for X number of months, with your grades before using it.

Alright, next up I’ll give you a sneak peek at my own list of various goals I had as a student (what a fun trip down memory lane I had creating this list!).

My Own Personal Examples of Goals in the Life of a Student

Guess what? I had many goals when I was a student.

I’d love to share them with you now to show you some great ones to go after.

Examples of goals in the life of a student:

• Type 60 words per minute
• Study abroad in a foreign country
• Get accepted to a college with a Japanese language program
• Study abroad in Japan
• Graduate college in the top 10 of my class (actually made the top 3!)
• Save up enough money to buy my prom gown
• Get a paid internship
• Buy my first car
• Get to go to Senior Week at the beach
• Redo my bedroom as a high schooler
• Pass a Spanish fluency test to get a certification (just barely missed this one)
• Volunteer 2-3 hours per week

I could go on – setting goals has always kinda been my thing – but let’s move on to more in-depth examples of student goals.

Personal Life Goals for Students

Here are some personal life goals students might want to add to their list of what they want to achieve.

1. Start a Growth Journal

You’re reading a blog from someone who has been journaling since kindergarten. Seriously – my uncle bought me a journal in kindergarten and I have crayon-written, half-sentences all over it.

It’s such a pleasure for me to go back through the 17 or so journals I have to reflect on my past, to gain a better understanding of myself, and to remember times of good and times of bad.

Not to mention, it’s extremely therapeutic to be able to write my thoughts and feelings out on paper – it always gives me more clarity.

Here’s an excellent growth mindset journal for teenagers .

Psst: here are 39 journal topics for high school students .

2. Make a Goal to Use Social Media Less

Social media can take over a person’s life. Little by little, you spend more time on your phone or computer checking statuses and making updates…until before you know it, you’re spending more time online than in real life.

Your student could set a goal to cut down their social media use by half.

Set phone reminders or use their phone’s stopwatch to time themselves, and just allow two 15-minute slots in their day on social media (or whatever other timeframe you want to use that is considerably less than what they’re doing now).

Do this for one month, and have them journal about the changes they’ve seen in their life and in themselves.

3. Read a Book Every Month

Set a goal to read one book – outside of assigned ones – every single month for the next 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months.

Pssst: Here’s a bunch of teen books about money , and 7 investment books for teens .

4. Accomplish Their First Individual Goal

Set a goal (there are plenty of ones here to choose from!), give it a deadline, and then actually accomplish it.

That, in and of itself, is a huge goal!

Pssst: you can use these teen goal setting worksheet PDFs for help

Academic Goals for Students

Some fun and productive academic goals for students to set are included here.

1. Enter a Competition

When I was 16, I entered a pageant for the Chester County Dairy Princess. I worked really hard on my speeches, prepped for the interview, and created a presentation.

And you know what? I won!

That year spent as the Chester County Dairy Princess was transformative in my life and for my resume.

Encourage your student to try entering a competition for something – they may not win, or even get close. But they'll learn so much about themselves and from others just going through the process.

Here are 19 youth entrepreneurship programs that include competitions as well, to get you started.

2. Set Up and Consistently Use a Study System

We discussed in the personal goal examples above how to set up and consistently use a study system. Definitely a worthwhile goal to set.

Money Goals for Students

Check out this section for money goals students can go after – all act as money training wheels to help teach them how to manage their future job paycheck.

Psst: you'll also want to check out my article on short term financial goals for high school students .

1. Create Your First Budget

Budgets are like living, breathing things – the budget you set to begin with is not likely to be the same one you go into young adulthood with. And that’s perfectly fine!

BUT, what’s not fine, is failing to set a budget at all.

Get your students to take the time to create their very first budget with one of these free teen budget worksheets . Help them learn from budgeting each week, make tweaks, and get really good at this before they reach their early 20s.

2. Create a Savings Goal to Reach By 18

Ever wondered how much a teen should have saved by 18 ?

That really depends on what their life situation is going to look like right after graduating high school.

I’ve got an entire article to help you + your teen calculate an estimated savings goal. Sit down, figure out an estimated amount, and then start looking at how to meet that savings goal.

How much time does your teen have between now and when they turn 18? What would they need to save each month, or each week, in order to meet that savings goal?

All great questions to answer when setting their savings goal.

3. Get Their First Job

My first real job (I lived on a dairy farm, so I had been earning extra cash and “working” for quite some time) was mucking horse stalls at a local veterinarian’s clinic.

And wow, was it an eye-opening experience!

A teen getting their first job is exciting, as it creates a new level of independence and learning.

Some things to think about (all in my free teen first job guide):

• They’ll need to figure out if you are old enough to work
• They’ll need your parent’s permission
• They’ll need to figure out how many hours you can work per week
• They’ll need to do a teen job hunt

Don’t forget that if they can’t get a traditional job right now, there are ways to make money on the side as a teen with these online apps that pay teenagers .

Parents? Here’s my guide on money conversations to have with your child once they receive that first paycheck .

Career Goals Examples for Students

In this section, you’ll find either career goal examples for students, or goal examples for stuff that will help your teen start their career.

Also, definitely check out these resources for career exploration for students .  

1. Work on the Congressional Youth Award

Have you heard of the Congressional Award Program for Youth ? Frankly, I’m blown away – and if I had heard of it when I was a teen, I definitely would’ve gone after it.

You can start at the age of 13.5, and you have until 24 years of age to complete the various levels.

2. Get Their First Media Appearance

Media appearances can stick with you – and your resume – for years to come. They also help you to cement a viewpoint you have, or become more knowledgeable on a topic.

Have your student set a goal to do one of the following:

• Get interviewed by your local news station
• Get interviewed by your local newspaper
• Get interviewed by a blogger
• Write a story and submit it for publication
• Write a press release and submit it for circulation
• Write a magazine article and submit it for publication

3. Work with a Group on a Goal

Working in a group and being able to accomplish a goal is quite different than working on a goal by yourself. And, it’s a really, really, important trait to have. Because if you end up working for a company or organization one day? You’ll likely be thrown into groups and have to accomplish certain tasks.

Goals for High School Seniors

High school seniors are about to enter the real world – whether that’s getting their own apartment, starting college in the fall, getting that first real-paying job, or having to help pay rent at home for the first time.

Because of all the transitions and changes that come right after this year of high school, there are tons of great goals high school seniors can set for themselves.

Help ease your senior’s transition with these teen personal goal examples:

1. Apply for One Scholarship or Grant Per Week

I would say this is the minimum goal a high school senior should set if they want to attend college.

And here’s another trick you need to tell your seniors: keep applying for scholarships all throughout college!

Your scholarship and grant search goals do NOT need to end once you get accepted and pay for that first year. You could snag a new scholarship to decrease your overall student loan bill your sophomore year, over summers, and even your last year of college!

2. Book a Senior Week Trip with Friends

When I was a senior in high school, I realized that I didn’t have any plans for where to spend Senior Week (and boy did I want to go somewhere). SO, I gathered a handful of my friends who were interested, and I set about booking a house in Delaware on the beach.

I can’t tell you how many cool memories I have from that week with my senior classmates and friends – one of the last times I saw most of them.

When did I set this goal and start planning for it? In the fall of my senior year, I knew I’d need to:

• Find a location a bunch of people would want to go to
• Price houses
• Get a group of interested people together
• Come up with the deposit money
• Calculate and save up for the cost per person
• Collect funds from everyone
• Plan out meals

Lots involved with booking a trip. And so much learning, too!

3. Learn to Cook One Entire Meal (from Scratch)

Look – seniors are going to have to figure out their own food in short order. SO, the best way to help them not busting their budgets (plus get them curious and interested in cooking for themselves)? Is by teaching them an entire meal from scratch.

That includes:

• Appetizer (optional)

And to accomplish this? They’ll have to pick out a recipe, budget for ingredients, shop for those ingredients, and then get timing down in the kitchen (like, do you cook the side dish first earlier in the day to free up time to focus on the main dish? Can you cook the main dish ahead of time and reheat it while making the salad and dessert? It takes practice).

4. Set Up and Use a Planner for 30 Days

One of the biggest changes that comes when you take responsibility for yourself as an adult is learning how to organize and prioritize your time.

What better way for your students to beef up skills in this area than by setting a goal to set up and use a planner every day for 30 days?

They can try a digital planning system, or use a paper one (you might want them to start with a paper one so that they can wrap your head around things by writing them down, first).

Here’s a free student binder printable to get you started .

5. Volunteer X Hours Per Week or Month

Students can set a goal to volunteer a certain number of hours either per week or in a month.

Places I’ve personally volunteered include:

• Nursing homes
• Agricultural events
• Start-up company
• Habitat for Humanity

Check out my article on volunteer opportunities from home ! Also, here are charities for kids to donate to you can donate to where $12 or less makes a big difference.

My last tip for a student setting a goal: the magic of goal-setting really comes from the lessons learned and from moving on to the next goal. SO, in order to get your students and teenagers interested in setting goals a second, third, and umpteenth time, you want to help them set a really achievable first goal. Build their confidence , and watch them soar over the coming months and years!

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