Identify Goals

Step One: Goals

Use the questions below to help you determine the goals that will help define your project. 

What do I need to accomplish?

What do I want to accomplish over the coming semester/ over the coming year/ before I graduate?

• Finish a language requirement?
• Experience a specific culture/region?
• Develop a specific skill?
• Explore an industry/line of work to inform my future career plans?

What type of experience do I want?

What type of experience would I find most valuable and productive?

• Academically focused (research, study) or practical (internship, project)?
• Structured (study abroad program, Yale-organized internship) or unstructured (research, independent project)?

What makes sense for me?

Be honest with yourself about what you are ready for and what your work style is:

• Are you a self-starter or do you find that you perform better with clearly defined expectations?
• Are you happy to forge your own way in a new place or would you prefer to have an established community?
• Is this your first time undertaking a self-directed experience?