Weird Tip: Make academic goals (And then re-evaluate them constantly).

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One of the best pieces of academic advice I ever received was that I shouldn’t make goals for my classes until I had my first grades.

This, of course, goes against everything we’re taught. You’re supposed to shoot for the moon, strive to be the best, only accept perfection… Right?

Well actually, you’re more likely to reach your goals, and be satisfied with your performance, if you’re realistic about your expectations.

You should absolutely make goals, but they should be attainable and realistic. We can’t all get straight As all the time. Sometimes there are classes that we’re happy to get a B in (have I mentioned I took astrophysics in college?). But if you make your goals before you really know what to expect from the class, you may find yourself giving up out of discouragement.

Okay then, what should I do?

Start off in every class the way you usually do, striving for that 100% or A.

Then see the syllabus and get a good picture of what the class is going to look like. Is it going to play to your strengths? Or are all of the evaluations in your least-favorite format. If you’re a mediocre at best writer, and a class comes down to one final essay, you may have to lower your expectations for the grade just a bit.

After a few weeks in the class, you’re going to have a decent idea of what the level of difficulty is going to be, and that might change your expectations a bit as well.

Then, finally, take the first test (or turn in that first essay, present your first oral presentation, etc). See how you do. Many times you’ll find that even though you thought you understood the material, you didn’t hit the level of detail you needed. Though you can always improve on a poor first test grade, oftentimes you will have to adjust your expectations after it returns.

Adjusting your goals is not admitting defeat. In fact, having realistic goals keeps you from rage quitting on effort. Well if I’m not going to get an A it doesn’t matter should never be your attitude.

If you can only realistically expect a B, don’t see that B as a failure. Make that B your goal, the best of your ability. Be PROUD of that B (again, have I mentioned astrophysics?)

The same goes for college admissions. While you can gauge your competitiveness, many of us oversell ourselves when picking out dream schools. Maybe that first rejection can help you adjust your expectations for what a realistic college is.

Be proud of what you have done, don’t dwell on lost dreams.