1 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Chapter Four Choosing Goals for College and Life

2 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Learning Outcomes 1.How to identify goals 2.How to set goals 3.Locus of control 4.To identify myths and realities in achieving goals 5.Grade Point Average

3 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Identifying Goals Goals form the compass by which you organize and manage your life There are many different types of goals: –Short-term goals –Mid-range goals –Long-range goals –Personal goals –Social goals –Academic goals

4 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Goal setting Set SMARTER Goals State all goals in a positive form Use the Backward Planning Process Use Visualization –Is a tool you can use to work through goal setting as you consider and keep or eliminate options

5 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Setting Smarter Goals Specific: Is the goal clearly described? Measurable: Is your goal quantifiable? Achievable: Is the goal possible given your current resources? Relevant: Does the goal contribute to the achievement of a larger goal? Time-Sensitive: Does the goal have a deadline for completion? Evident: Is your goal in a place where you will see it often? Recorded: Did you put your goal in writing?

6 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill The Backward Planning Process 1.Write down your final SMARTER goal. What do you want to achieve, and by what date? 2.Ask yourself what milestone immediately precedes your goal. What do you have to do, and by when, so that you’re in a position to reach your final objective? 3.Continue to work backward. What do you need to do to make sure each previous goal is reached? 4.Continue this process until you identify the very first milestone that you need to complete

7 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Tips for Making Your Goals Reality Make a plan Be realistic Be positive Believe in yourself Have a support system Keep your goal in mind Keep a record of your success Change your perspective Reward yourself Keep trying

8 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Locus of Control Locus of control –Locus means “place” in Latin; person’s expectations about whether their behavior is controlled by external or internal factors

9 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Changing your Locus of Control Awareness is the first step in altering your locus of control Keep a written record of your successes and failures –Be aware that you are in control of your future is an important step in getting the future you want

10 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Achieving Goals Myths Work on one goal at a time Have to give up your status quo Setting and achieving goals is too much work Should modest about achieving goals Have to remain committed to your goal no matter what Realities Maintain goals that involve your health, family, friends, work, and so on Balance in your life is a goal within itself Goal are your life You need to celebrate your success You can change your mind and abandon a goal

11 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Grade Point Average (GPA) Grades are how the college system measures learning –Employers may look at your GPA Computation of GPA is a ratio of quality points, or the numerical value assigned to each letter grade from A to F, earned to course hours attempted Example: 23 Quality Points/Semester Hours Attempted = 23/11 = 2.09 GPA

12 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Degree Requirements Colleges require a minimum GPA –Below average GPA may result in academic probation Suspension –If grades are not improved over the probation period GPA also affects eligibility for grants, loans and/or scholarships –Once a scholarship is lost it is usually gone forever