When writing my admissions essay, how do short-term goals differ from long-term goals?
Short-term goals are your career plans right after completing the program, roughly the next three to five years. Long-term goals are bigger aims, such as a senior leadership role. Many students wrongly treat short-term as only the next year, so keep the two clearly separate in your essay.
Short-term goals are your career plans right after completing the program, roughly the next three to five years. Long-term goals are bigger aims, such as a senior leadership role in a major company. Many students wrongly treat short-term as the next year.
Short-Term vs Long-Term Goals
| Aspect | Short-term goals | Long-term goals |
|---|---|---|
| Timeframe | Immediately after the program, roughly the next three to five years | Further ahead in your career |
| What it covers | Your current career path and how you wish to change your life after the program | Your larger vision, for example a senior leadership role in a major company |
| Common mistake | Treating it as just the next year | Mixing a big ambition into the short-term plan |
What Universities Expect
Most universities ask about professional goals in their admissions essays. They may give one long question combining both goals or several short-answer questions, and they expect a specific vision from you.
My Advice
Write your short-term goal as a concrete next step, and keep your long-term goal as the bigger direction it leads to. Read each university's prompt carefully, since the wording differs.
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