What does it mean to be a strategic student?
Sent by Lasse Palomaki | May 1, 2025
This post was originally published in The Strategic Student Newsletter — a monthly email sharing practical strategies to help students turn their degree into job offers. Want future editions sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe here.
What Does It Mean to Be a Strategic Student?
In college, it's easy to stay busy and feel like you're doing all the right things. Go to class, join clubs, even get an internship, and still wonder if it's actually getting you anywhere. I get it. I've seen it happen to students across every major. And I saw it happen to myself when I was in college too.
Here's why it is so tricky. Going to class, joining clubs, and getting internships are all the kinds of things students are told they should be doing. And they often are. But here's the thing — it's not just about what you do, but also how you do it and why you do it.
That's what dictates whether you're approaching college by default or by design.
Let me give you an example. Going to class is something every student is expected to do, and most students show up. But why is it that some students get so much more out of those classes than others?
Because their how and why are different.
Student A: Goes to class (the what), sits in the back row and puts in their AirPods for the duration of the class (the how), so that they can get attendance credit and pass the course (the why).
Student B: Goes to class (the what), sits toward the front and engages throughout (the how), so they can fully understand the lesson material and apply it later — in internships, case competitions, or their future career (the why).
The same idea applies outside the classroom too — in clubs, projects, internships, and more. Are you just showing up to show up, or are you reflecting on the value of the activity and engaging in a way that moves you toward your goals?
Now, let's zoom out and apply the same lens on college as a whole.
Student A: Attends college (the what), follows the graduation plan their advisor gives them and focuses on maintaining a decent GPA (the how), so that they can graduate in four years (the why).
Student B: Attends college (the what), explores different paths early on, then intentionally chooses classes, projects, and experiences that build career-relevant skills and relationships (the how), so that they can graduate with job offers in hand and feel confident that their investment paid off (the why).
Both paid the same tuition. Both will graduate. Both will get the same degree.
But chances are that only one gets a massive return on their investment of time, money, and effort — because they took the time to reflect on their long-term goals (the why) and then made everyday choices that moved them closer to those goals.
That's what being a strategic student is all about.
It’s not just about doing the right things — it’s about doing the right things the right way, for the right reasons, so you actually get a return on your investment.
Doing what you're told (the bare minimum) is not a strategy. It's survival.
Designing your own experience through reflecting on your goals, learning from others, and aligning your actions with those goals? That's a strategy.
And here's the kicker.
Being strategic doesn’t mean you have to have everything figured out right now. Being strategic isn’t about working harder than everyone else. Being strategic isn't about staying busier than everyone one.
It’s about working with more intention and aligning your actions with your long-term goals, not just reacting to today’s challenges.
And asking yourself: "If I keep doing what I’m doing, will I be able to walk across the stage and say, 'I took the time to understand what I wanted out of college and took ownership of making it happen'?"
Because if your actions don’t reflect your goals, your results won’t either.
Bottom line: Being a strategic student doesn’t require extra talent — just a shift in mindset.
A mindset of ownership, reflection, and intentional action.
And that’s a mindset any student, including you, can choose to adopt.
This Month's Challenge
Each month, I'll share a simple exercise, habit, or mindset shift that, when repeated and built upon, can help you maximize the return you get from college over time.
Here’s this month’s challenge:
Step 1: What would make college "worth it" for you?
Ask yourself: When I graduate college, what would make me say 'That was worth it'?
Take a moment to reflect:
Why am I in college?
What kind of opportunities or experiences do I want to create for myself by the time I graduate?
What outcomes would make me feel like my time, money, and effort were well spent?
As always, there are no right or wrong answers here.
Your answer might be about landing a certain type of job, building a network of professionals in your target industry, developing greater confidence and a stronger sense of self, or something else entirely.
What matters is that it's your definition — not anyone else's.
Write your answers down, then move on to Step 2.
Step 2: Audit Your Actions
Write down three activities you spend the most time on right now — inside or outside of the classroom. This could include classes, part-time work, clubs, studying, social time, or even screen time.
For each one, ask yourself: "Is this helping me build skills, experience, or relationships that move me closer to my goal?"
If the answer is yes, write down specifically why that activity is helping you — what skill it’s building, what opportunity it’s creating, or what relationship it’s strengthening.
If the answer is no, identify one small adjustment you could make this month to shift your time or energy toward something more aligned with your future goals.
This isn’t a one-and-done exercise. You should come back to it regularly — at least a couple of times every semester.
Why?
Because your goals will evolve as you move through college. Every semester, every experience, and every conversation will introduce you to new ideas that might reshape what a positive return on college looks like for you. And that’s a good thing.
As your goals evolve, your actions should evolve too.
Quick note: This isn’t about turning every moment into hustle mode. You don’t need to optimize every minute — no one does. But a few intentional shifts can go a long way.
Ready to Be More Strategic About College?
I’ve worked with thousands of students on a wide range of career readiness topics, and the underlying message I always share is this: You can approach college either by default or by design.
In fact, this idea is so important to me that I offer two ways to help students design their experience intentionally:
College by Design Workshop: A workshop (and an accompanying workbook) designed to help high school seniors and first-year and sophomore college students shift to a College by Design mindset — a strategic, intentional approach where they actively shape their college experience to align with their personal interests and career goals.
College by Design 1:1 Coaching: A personalized coaching package designed to help high school seniors and first-year college students build a tailored college strategy that fully leverages the opportunities on their own college campus.
Interested in learning more about how I can support you (or your students)? Just reply to this email — I’d love to hear more about your goals and explore how I can support you or your students.
Quick note: While these services are designed for students who want to be intentional from the very start, it's never too late to apply a College by Design mindset to your college journey, whether you're a first-year, sophomore, or beyond.
Thanks for taking the time to read today's edition. I can't wait to get next month's into your inbox — it's a good one.
In the meantime, you can check out a full list of our resources — including free guides, tools, and more — here, and follow me on LinkedIn for weekly content here.
College is an investment. Let's make sure you get a return on it.
Lasse
Founder, The Strategic Student
