20 SMART Goals Examples for Students (+ Free Template)

SMART Goals for Students in Short

A SMART goal for students is a school, study or personal goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. "Get better grades" is a wish; "raise my GPA from 3.0 to 3.4 by the end of the spring semester" is a SMART goal, because on the last day of the semester you know whether you made it.

Below are 20 SMART goals examples for students in four groups: academic, study, personal and career. Pick one, change the numbers and dates to fit your classes, and write it into the free SMART goals template, which gives each letter its own tile.

Setting goals for your job or internship instead? See 10 SMART goals examples for work.

What Is a SMART Goal for Students?

SMART is a checklist for turning a vague intention into a goal you can act on this week. Each letter asks one question, and a goal passes only when it answers all five.

• Specific: what exactly will I do, and in which class or area?
• Measurable: which number tells me I made it: a grade, hours, pages, sessions?
• Achievable: does it fit my schedule, my other classes and my job?
• Relevant: does it move me toward something I care about, like a scholarship, a major or a career?
• Time-bound: by when: the end of the week, the midterm, the semester?

Academic Goals Examples

Academic SMART goals are about grades, exams and assignments. Each one names the class, the number and the date.

1. Raise your GPA: "I will raise my GPA from 3.0 to 3.4 by the end of the spring semester by studying 10 hours a week and going to office hours for my two hardest classes every other week."
2. Ace the quizzes: "I will score at least 85% on every biology quiz this semester by reviewing my lecture notes within 24 hours of each class."
3. Finish a paper early: "I will finish the first full draft of my term paper by November 15, two weeks before it is due, by writing 500 words every Monday, Wednesday and Friday."
4. Keep up with reading: "I will read all 12 assigned novels for English literature by the end of the semester by reading 30 pages a day."
5. Prepare for a big exam: "I will take one full AP Calculus practice test every two weeks from January to May, and aim for a 4 or 5 on the exam."

Study Goals Examples

Study goals are about habits rather than results. They work best when the number is time or sessions, which you control, instead of a grade, which you don't fully control.

1. Study every weekday: "I will study for at least 2 hours every weekday for the next 6 weeks and log each session in a study tracker."
2. Build vocabulary: "I will learn 20 new Spanish words a week for 10 weeks with flashcards and test myself every Sunday."
3. Focus in short blocks: "I will use the Pomodoro technique, four 25-minute rounds with 5-minute breaks, for every study session this month."
4. Study with others: "I will join a weekly study group before the midterm and attend at least 6 of its 8 sessions."
5. Never miss a deadline: "I will turn in every homework assignment on time this semester by adding each due date to my planner the day it is assigned."

Personal SMART Goals Examples for Students

Sleep, health and money affect your grades as much as study time does. The same five letters apply.

1. Exercise: "I will exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week until the end of the semester and note each workout in my planner."
2. Sleep: "I will sleep at least 7 hours on school nights for the next month by putting my phone away at 11 PM."
3. Save money: "I will save $600 by the end of the school year by moving 20% of my part-time paycheck into a savings account each month."
4. Read for fun: "I will read one book that isn't assigned for class every month for the rest of the year."
5. Cut screen time: "I will keep social media under 1 hour a day for 30 days using my phone's screen-time limit."

Career SMART Goals Examples for Students

Career goals connect what you do in school to what comes after. Keep them small enough to finish within a semester.

1. Land an internship: "I will apply to 10 summer marketing internships by March 1 and have the career center review my résumé before I send the first one."
2. Join a club with purpose: "I will attend at least 80% of the Environmental Club's meetings this semester and help organize one campus event, to see if a career in sustainability fits me."
3. Learn a skill: "I will complete an online Python course and build one small project for my résumé by the end of the semester."
4. Talk to people in the field: "I will hold informational interviews with 3 people who work in my target field before the fall semester ends."
5. Get work experience: "I will find a part-time job related to my major within the next 2 months and keep it to 15 hours a week so my grades don't slip."

How to Write a SMART Goal as a Student

Start with the vague version and fix one letter at a time. Here is "get better grades" turned into the first academic example above:

How to Track Your SMART Goals

A goal written in September and checked again in December usually fails. Check it weekly instead:

• Break it into milestones. A GPA goal becomes a target grade for each class, and a paper becomes outline, draft and final version, each with its own due date.
• Put the due dates where you'll see them. In xTiles, give each milestone a due date and open the Calendar view to see which weeks pile up before exams.
• Tell someone. Share the goal with a friend or your study group and ask them to check in every couple of weeks.
• Adjust, don't abandon. If midterms show you're behind, change the number or the deadline and write down why.

Conclusion

A good student goal names the class, the number and the date, and fits around everything else you have going on. Choose one example from this list, rewrite it for your own semester, and check it every week. When it's done, set the next one.