At some point during your educational career, you’ll need to figure out how to get where you’re going. Enter the academic plan — it’s the map to your educational goals. With a plan, you can see the path you need to take to get where you want to go. Academic plans can be incredibly useful in helping you stay on track, regardless of what comes your way. Since every student is different, every academic plan is too. Here are some ways to create an academic plan that works for you.
Determine Your Goal(s)
Before you can make a successful academic plan, you need to understand the goal you’re working toward. Are you hoping to attend medical school after college? Or working in robotics? Or bringing the latest technology to far-flung communities? Ask yourself what you want to accomplish. This could be one goal or multiple goals. You won’t be able to map a successful academic plan until you determine where you want to end up. Once you establish your objective, you can put your plan together.
Meet with an Advisor
Now that you know where you’re going, talk to people who can help you figure out how to get there. A good first stop is an advisor who can walk you through your options, what classes you may need to take, and whether your plan is feasible on your timeline. You can bounce ideas off your advisor, get access to additional resources, and talk through any concerns you have. Advisors are eager to help you, and they will appreciate being included early in the process to help steer you in the right direction.
Identify Program Requirements
More often than not, students are enrolled in programs that require specific courses in order to graduate. Find out early on what those requirements are, and be sure to leave plenty of time to complete them. Some classes are offered only once per year, or every other year, making it more difficult to complete them in your time frame. Make sure to plan out when you can take these classes, so you are not left scrambling.
Map It Out
There’s no better way to see and understand your academic plan than to put it on paper (or in some digital format). Having a visual of your entire plan from start to finish will not only help you get a better picture of what you need to do and when, it also will serve as a constant reminder of your long-term goals. In addition, a visual map will help you see if any potential changes are needed, if anything is missing, and if you need to connect with someone to stay on track.
Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot
Even the best laid plans don’t always work out. Keep that in mind as you get closer to your goal. Some things may be out of your control, and you will need to pivot so you can still move forward in a way that makes sense for you. For example, you may not get into your first-choice graduate school, but you are admitted to your second-choice school. Both offer good programs but are on opposite sides of the country. Your goals may change as you decide if you want to wait and reapply to your first-choice school, or move across the country on a new adventure. Whatever choice you end up making, don’t be afraid to make a decision because it doesn’t perfectly match your initial goal.
Mapping an academic plan can be both challenging and rewarding. It can provide you with greater clarity around your academic goals — both short- and long-term — and can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing where you want to go and how to get there. But that doesn’t mean the process won’t change, or entail asking for help along the way. Be open to making changes as you progress, and even consider making a backup plan in case your first one doesn’t pan out. But do make your plan — it can be a great tool to help you visualize where you want to go and how you will get there.
On Topic
Marcie Carter, Nez Perce Tribe, received a BS in environmental biology from Lewis-Clark State College and a master’s degree in wildlife resources from the University of Idaho. She is currently working on a PhD in natural resources at the University of Idaho and expects to graduate in December 2020. In addition to her studies, Carter is the mother of two children and works full time as watershed coordinator for the Nez Perce Tribe’s Department of Fisheries Resources Management, Watershed Division. Carter understands the importance of time management and the benefit of a well-laid plan.
What inspired you to map your academic plan?
I have had a full-time job throughout my academic career, so I was forced to plan my classes, my research, and my writing around my job.
When did you begin the process?
I started planning as soon as I decided what I was going to major in. Most classes, especially upper level classes, are typically offered every other year or semester. In order to squeeze them all in, you have to have a plan in place that ensures you can make the time to take each class.
What resources helped you map your plan?
As an undergraduate, I received help from my assigned major professor. As a graduate student, my major professor and my committee assisted me with my planning.
What are the short-term goals of your academic plan?
Right now, my short-term goals are to just make time to continue researching and to keep writing.
What is the long-term objective for mapping your academic plan?
My ultimate goal is to finish my dissertation and, perhaps, teach a few college courses.
How often do you refer to your academic plan?
I checked my plan out every year to make sure that classes were still offered and to be sure I remained on track to finish.
How has mapping your academic plan helped you stay on course?
Creating an academic plan was very important and effective for me. It basically provides a timeline along with a map of classes. It worked to provide me a pathway to my ultimate goal — a diploma.
