Academic Success and Goals

            For me, academic success goes far beyond grades or GPA. Though a student’s grades and GPA are definitely important and should not be ignored, academic success should revolve around the student being able to use and develop skills that allow them to obtain interesting or important knowledge that contributes to their career, interests, personal growth, etc. In other words, academic success is the process of using and developing skills or methods that help a student learn/absorb valuable knowledge that can transcend the classroom and benefit them in their career or everyday lives. Some of the skills/methods that are key in academic success can include time management, asking for help when needed, establishing specific goals, etc.

            In past academic years, I tended to focus far too much on my grades instead of the actual content being taught. I developed a terrible habit of momentarily absorbing information for the sole purpose of writing an essay or taking an exam but losing most, if not all, of that knowledge as soon as the quarter was over. Thus, my academic goal for this quarter, and remaining quarters, is to absorb much more of the content I am being taught so that I can start becoming a more well-rounded person who is knowledgeable in different subject areas.

            In order to achieve this, I will take my time reading any assigned texts­ – making sure to highlight/annotate information that I find interesting/important. I will begin working on written assignments at least three or four days before the deadline so that I may draft and re-draft my work to reflect/expand on my ideas further. Thus, there is one important element in achieving my academic goal: time. I need to allow myself more time to read, study, and complete assignments so I can better absorb the information and avoid my habit of cramming and forgetting.

            In order to ensure that this class will support me, I will treat it the same as any of my 5-unit courses. Meaning, I will take all the readings and assignments seriously, read and analyze the texts with care/thoughtfulness, and do my best to participate and/or ask questions in and outside of class to better my understanding of the material being taught.

            Ultimately, what I want most to achieve during my time at UCLA is to better develop my academic knowledge and self-confidence. These are two areas that I have personally struggled with for many years, and it would be nice to feel confident enough in myself and my academic knowledge so that I can pursue a career path without feeling scared or limited.