Goal Map Worksheet

Use this worksheet to identify and organize your short-term and long-term academic and personal goals. Be as specific as you can, and think about the steps and supports you’ll need to reach each goal.

Student Information

Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________________

1. Short-Term Academic Goal

What is one academic goal you want to achieve in the next month? (e.g., improve a grade, complete assignments on time)
Goal: ________________________________________________

2. Short-Term Personal Goal

What is one personal goal you want to achieve in the next month? (e.g., build a habit, improve a skill)
Goal: ________________________________________________

3. Long-Term Academic Goal

What is one academic goal you want to achieve by the end of this school year? (e.g., raise overall GPA, master a subject)
Goal: ________________________________________________

4. Long-Term Personal Goal

What is one personal goal you want to achieve by the end of this school year? (e.g., develop leadership skills, maintain well-being)
Goal: ________________________________________________

5. Action Steps for Each Goal

List at least two specific steps you will take to reach each goal. Be realistic and clear about what you need to do.

Short-Term Academic Goal Steps

1. ________________________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________________________
   
   

Short-Term Personal Goal Steps

1. ________________________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________________________
   
   

Long-Term Academic Goal Steps

1. ________________________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________________________
   
   

Long-Term Personal Goal Steps

1. ________________________________________________
   
   
2. ________________________________________________
   
   

6. Supports & Tracking

1. What support or resources do you need to help you reach these goals? (e.g., tutoring, check-ins, materials)
   ________________________________________________
   
   
2. How will you track or measure your progress? (e.g., journals, charts, meetings)
   ________________________________________________
   
   

7. Reflection

What might be a barrier to reaching your goals, and how will you address it?
_______________________________________________

When you have completed this worksheet, share it with your counselor to plan next steps and check-ins.

Goal Map Answer Guide

Use this guide to support discussion with students as they complete the Goal Map Worksheet. The examples below illustrate strong, SMART-style goals and concrete action plans. Adapt them to each student’s needs.

1. Short-Term Academic Goal

Sample Response:
"Increase my English grade from a C to a B+ by the end of next month."

Why This Works:
• Specific: identifies subject (English) and target grade (B+).
• Measurable: grade change is quantifiable.
• Achievable: one-letter improvement in a month is realistic with extra effort.
• Time-bound: sets a clear one-month deadline.

Teacher Prompts for Discussion:

• How will you know you’ve reached a B+?
• What challenges have held your grade back so far?

2. Short-Term Personal Goal

Sample Response:
"Meditate for 10 minutes every morning, at least five days per week, for the next four weeks."

Why This Works:
• Specific: meditation practice specified.
• Measurable: 10 minutes × 5 days/week.
• Achievable: short duration makes the habit attainable.
• Time-bound: four-week commitment.

Teacher Prompts:

• Where and when will you do your meditation?
• What will you do if you miss a session?

3. Long-Term Academic Goal

Sample Response:
"Raise my overall GPA from 2.8 to 3.2 by the end of the school year."

Why This Works:
• Specific: defines current and target GPA.
• Measurable: GPA scale makes progress clear.
• Achievable: 0.4 improvement over several months is reasonable with ongoing support.
• Time-bound: end-of-year deadline.

Teacher Prompts:

• Which classes need the most improvement?
• What ongoing strategies will you use to maintain progress?

4. Long-Term Personal Goal

Sample Response:
"Join the student leadership council and plan at least one school service event by June."

Why This Works:
• Specific: joining council + leading an event.
• Measurable: participation and number of events.
• Achievable: aligns with student interests and timeline.
• Time-bound: plan completed by June.

Teacher Prompts:

• What leadership skills do you want to develop?
• How will you balance this with academics?

5. Action Steps for Each Goal

Short-Term Academic Steps (to raise English grade):

1. Attend weekly after-school tutoring sessions on Wednesdays.
2. Complete all essays at least two days before the due date for teacher feedback.

Short-Term Personal Steps (to meditate daily):

1. Download a guided-meditation app and set a daily 8:00 AM reminder.
2. Journal for five minutes after each session about how I feel.

Long-Term Academic Steps (to boost GPA):

1. Create a subject-by-subject study calendar with biweekly goals.
2. Meet with each teacher for progress check-ins at least once per quarter.

Long-Term Personal Steps (to lead a service event):

1. Apply for leadership council by October meeting deadline.
2. Brainstorm event ideas with council members and assign roles by December.

Teacher Notes:

• Ensure each step is concrete, time-specific, and within the student’s control.
• Check that steps align directly with their stated goals.

6. Supports & Tracking

Sample Supports:

• English tutor, peer-study group, access to essay-editing software.
• Meditation app subscription or school counseling check-ins.

Sample Tracking Methods:

• Weekly grade-tracking spreadsheet updated every Friday.
• Habit tracker chart on bedroom wall or phone app reminders.

Teacher Prompts:

• What resources does the school provide?
• How often will we meet to review your progress?

7. Reflection (Barrier & Solution)

Sample Barrier & Plan:
"Barrier: I often procrastinate on essays, leading to rushed work.
Solution: Break essays into smaller tasks—outline, draft, revise—and set mini-deadlines on my calendar."

Teacher Notes:

• Encourage honest identification of obstacles.
• Discuss contingency plans and where to seek help if barriers reappear.

Using This Guide:

• Share examples selectively to inspire students without prescribing one “correct” response.
• Reinforce SMART criteria and celebrate incremental progress.

End of Goal Map Answer Guide

Goal Map Session Script

Duration: 15 minutes
Materials: Goal Map Worksheet, Goal Map Answer Guide

1. Introduction (2 minutes)

Counselor: “Hi, [Student Name]. Today we’re going to fill out your Goal Map Worksheet together. This will help you set clear academic and personal goals and plan the steps you need to reach them.

Counselor: “I also have our Goal Map Answer Guide here. It has sample SMART goals and questions I can use to help you clarify your ideas. You don’t have to follow the samples exactly, but we’ll refer to them if you need inspiration or want to check that your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.”

Counselor: “Sound good? Let’s get started!”

2. Short-Term Academic Goal (3 minutes)

Counselor: “What is one academic goal you want to achieve in the next month? For example, improving a grade or turning in all assignments on time.”
(Student writes on worksheet.)

Counselor: “Great. Now, let’s make sure it’s SMART. I’m looking at the answer guide’s example: ‘Increase my English grade from a C to a B+ by the end of next month.’

• How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?
• What subject and target grade are you focusing on?”
(Pause for response; help the student refine their goal.)

Counselor: “Perfect. Let’s write that goal exactly here.”

3. Short-Term Personal Goal (2 minutes)

Counselor: “Now, think of one personal goal for the next month—maybe a new habit or skill, like exercising or journaling daily.”
(Student writes.)

Counselor: “The answer guide gives this sample: ‘Meditate for 10 minutes every morning, five days a week, for four weeks.’

• Where and when will you do this habit?
• How will you handle days when you might miss it?”
(Pause; support the student in adding details.)

4. Long-Term Academic Goal (2 minutes)

Counselor: “Let’s look ahead to the end of the school year. What’s one academic goal you’d like to reach by then?”
(Student writes.)

Counselor: “Our guide’s example is ‘Raise my overall GPA from 2.8 to 3.2 by year’s end.’

• What’s your current number and your target?
• Which classes will need the most work?”
(Pause; refine the goal.)

5. Long-Term Personal Goal (2 minutes)

Counselor: “Finally, a personal goal for the long term—maybe building leadership skills or improving well-being by June.”
(Student writes.)

Counselor: “The sample is ‘Join the student leadership council and plan one service event by June.’

• What specific activity do you want to complete?
• When will you check in on your progress?”
(Pause; finalize wording.)

6. Action Steps (2 minutes)

Counselor: “You’ve named four goals. Now let’s list two concrete steps for each one.

For example, to raise an English grade, the guide suggests:

1. Attend weekly after-school tutoring on Wednesdays.
2. Complete essays two days before the due date for feedback.

Counselor: “What steps will you take for each of your goals? Let’s jot them down.”
(Pause as student writes; offer prompts from the guide if needed.)

7. Supports, Tracking, and Reflection (2 minutes)

Counselor: “Last section: What support do you need—tutoring, check-ins, apps? And how will you track your progress—charts, journals, meetings?”
(Student writes.)

Counselor: “The answer guide also reminds us to think about barriers. What might get in the way, and how will you address it?”
(Pause; help student complete reflection.)

8. Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

Counselor: “You did a fantastic job setting clear, SMART goals. I will keep this worksheet and check in with you regularly.

Counselor: “If you want to revisit any examples, our Goal Map Answer Guide is a great reference.

Counselor: “Thank you for your hard work. Let’s plan our next check-in date now.”

End of session script.