Before the first bell rings, students are already thinking ahead. Some glance at assignment lists on their phones, others mentally rehearse what they need to say in class or what they hope to finish by the end of the day. Juggling exams, practices and extracurriculars, students are constantly working towards something, whether they realize it or not.

Goal setting plays an important role in student life. Whether grades, college goals or physical aspirations, students often define success by their goals and progress. While goals can look different for everyone, research suggests that how students set and approach them can make a difference in performance and success.

For instance, according to research from the University of Toronto, struggling students who participated in a formal goal-setting intervention saw their grade point averages rise by 30% and were significantly less likely to drop out compared to their peers. 

For freshman Phoebe Prasse, goal setting is largely academic. She said one of her current goals is to finish the semester with all A’s.

“I’ve always wanted to get into a really good college,” Prasse said. “So I really try hard to have good academics.”

While the goal is short term, Prasse said she sees it as part of a longer trajectory and habit-building.

“I feel like it sets me up,” Prasse said. “If I get more into doing assignments on time and putting a lot of effort in, I think those habits will carry over.”

Prasse said many of her goals stretch across months or years rather than weeks, with academics and school activities taking priority over personal or other goals. For her, the appeal lies not only in outcomes, but in the structure goals provide.

“I’m a very bad procrastinator,” Prasse said. “But I want to build habits of getting stuff in on time and not waiting.”

She said that she relies on smaller checkpoints to track progress and stay motivated.

“If I get this far, then I’ll go to the mall one day or go out with friends and get ice cream,” Prasse said. “That kind of motivates me through doing stuff, because I know there’s always something good along the way.”

Research supports her approach. An article by the American Psychological Association showed breaking large goals into smaller, attainable steps can improve follow-through and reduce stress, particularly for students balancing multiple responsibilities.

Other students take a different approach to their goals, such as incorporating personal interest and development into other goals.

Accordingly, one of senior Diako Dabiri’s current goals is passing Advanced Placement (AP) United States Government and Politics with a strong grade.

“In the past, I’ve had to deal with stuff like [bad grades],” Dabiri said. “So hopefully I can get a B or an A.”

He says that this goal specifically originates from an interest in the class’ subject matter.

“I’m very into politics,” Dabiri said. “I like focusing on the different events in the world.”

For him, success requires more than a letter grade. He said the ideal outcome is being able to engage more thoughtfully with political issues.

“I hope to be able to form better opinions on politics and be able to converse better with others on the topic without making it awkward,” Dabiri said.

Dabiri said his motivation was largely intrinsic.

“It’s fun,” Dabiri said. “It’s something nice to work on. Look at politics and think about class.”

An article titled “What really motivates us” by the University of Rochester describes how intrinsic motivation, or motivation that comes from internal sources rather than external validation or reward, is associated with greater persistence. People who find their own reasons to stick to their goals fulfill their basic need of autonomy, which helps them stick to it.

While students’ goals vary widely, Lisa Tazelaar, physical education teacher, said she notices a strong school focus among students.

“I notice a focus on academic goals,” Tazelaar said. “Sometimes I wish their goal setting was more balanced and touched on the physical and the personal realm.”

Tazelaar said balance is essential, noting that neglecting physical or personal well-being can make academic success harder to sustain.

“It’s hard to achieve the academic goals that are set if the other areas are forgotten about,” Tazelaar said.

She said that effective goals should be challenging but realistic.

“I think it’s important to set goals that are obtainable,” Tazelaar said. “Then once you achieve that goal, you set the bar higher each time.”

This insight aligns with research on goal-setting. Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, psychologists from the University of Maryland and University of Toronto, respectively, report that specific, challenging goals tend to lead to higher performance than vague or easy ones, particularly when individuals are committed to the goal.

However, Tazelaar cautioned that goals driven by external expectations may be less effective.

“Sometimes I do believe goals are driven by the wrong purpose,” Tazelaar said. “Goals should come from within and not be influenced by what others want for you.”

She added that students who don’t personally believe in their goals may struggle to maintain motivation over time.

“If you don’t believe in the goal, you’re never going to achieve it,” Tazelaar said.

Tracking progress, she said, is another key component of effective goal setting.

“I’m a big believer in actually writing your goals down so you can revisit them,” Tazelaar said. “I do regular check-ins.”

According to a 2007 study published by the Dominican University of California, individuals who wrote down “action commitments” for their goals achieved them at a much higher rate than those who simply wrote down what they were or only thought about them.

Tazelaar also said that setbacks are an inevitable part of the process.

“I think it’s important to understand that sometimes you won’t achieve your goal,” Tazelaar said. “And that’s OK.”

Failure, she said, can help students stay committed.

“That’s what gives you grit and makes you more resilient,” Tazelaar said.

For many students, the pressure to succeed academically can make failure feel especially daunting. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health shows that adolescents experiencing high academic stress are at greater risk for anxiety and burnout, especially when stakes for success are high.

Despite differing motivations and strategies, students like Prasse and Dabiri share a common thread: their goals help them make sense of what they’re working toward.

“I want to go to schools like [Harvard],” Prasse said.“That’s my ideal outcome.”

For Dabiri, the value lies in his own engagement with it.

“It’s just fun to stick to goals,” Dabiri said.

As students continue navigating academic demands and future aspirations, goal setting remains constant as a way to track their own growth, development and progress.

No matter the kind of goal or the approach they take, students consistently find ways to motivate themselves and make progress towards their aspirations.