Check-in Groups

Registration for the Spring 2025 Check-In Groups is Closed.

Registration for Summer 2025 Check-In Groups will be posted here at the beginning of the Summer semester.

Check-In Group Basics

Every semester, GradPro facilitates weekly Check-In Groups designed to provide peer accountability and support to graduate students. In a Check-In Group, you will set weekly goals for yourself and find accountability for following through with your goals. GradPro trained facilitators guide the Check-Ins, fostering an informal yet supportive community. The Groups start at the beginning of each semester, so check back here at the beginning of a semester to register for a group, or sign up for our Professional Development Digest for the latest updates.

The goals of Check-In Groups are that participants will:

  • Gain access to and be part of a formalized peer support group that provides accountability for setting and achieving goals.
  • Develop collegial relations with graduate students across disciplines/departments to share knowledge, experiences, and advice through weekly sessions.
  • Learn about on-and-off-campus professional development and career exploration resources and opportunities
  • Learn about and practice planning and goal-setting skills relevant to professional, academic, and personal goal-setting.

Concerned about accomplishing your goals, but not sure if a Check-In Group would be right for you? Check out this Grad News post about Check-Ins or attend an information session at the beginning of next semester.

Check-in Groups are divided based on progress towards degree, degree type, or identity. These are the groups we are currently offering:

  1. Pre-Quals PhD Student Group Registration: For PhD graduate students who have not yet taken their qualifying exams
  2. Post-Quals PhD Student Group Registration: For PhD graduate students who have already taken their qualifying exams
  3. Masters & Professional Students Group Registration: For graduate students in M.A. programs or professional programs (e.g., Berkeley Law).
  4. Neurodivergent, Chronically Ill, and Disabled (NCID) Students Group Registration: For graduate students at any stage of their program who identify as Neurodivergent, Chronically Ill, or Disabled.

What to Expect

Check-In Groups meet weekly for 50 minutes over Zoom. During a typical meeting, each member reflects on the progress they have made on their goals as well as any challenges they’ve encountered. Everyone then has the opportunity to share their reflections, and the group members and facilitator offer support and advice. Most weeks, the group also delves into a discussion on a topic relevant to graduate school and professional goals, such as time management or imposter syndrome. The trained facilitator will suggest resources that complement this themed discussion. Finally, group members take some time to set goals for their upcoming week and share those goals with the group, which facilitates group accountability and community-building. While it is okay to miss an occasional meeting, it is important for peer accountability that group members attend regularly.

How to Join

Online registration for Check-In Groups is open for one week at the beginning of each semester. When open, the registration form is linked at the top of this page. During registration, select the group designation that’s right for you and indicate your availability. Once registration closes, GradPro will determine the group times that work for the greatest number of people, and the Check-In Group Team Lead will email you with the finalized schedule and next steps.

Information for Current Group Participants

Community Standards

In Check-in Groups, GradPro asks all participants to uphold these standards:

Keep it…

  1. Personal rather than universal—Use “I” statements and avoid “you should” statements.
  2. Respectful— If you take space and time, make sure to give space and time. Use active listening.
  3. Confidential—Everything group members share in the check-in group is confidential and should not be shared with anyone outside the group unless you have explicit consent. 
  4. Generative—Move dialogue toward positive, concrete action.

Active Listening on Zoom

Conducting discussions remotely via Zoom necessitates active listening and engagement. Here are some suggestions:

  1. If possible, keep your video on and try to look into the camera. 
  2. Use reaction emojis on Zoom and messages in the chat to show your engagement. 
  3. Make an effort to use others’ names even more so than usual. 
  4. Use gestures when speaking and nod to show others you are listening and relate to what they are saying.

Key Resources

Part of GradPro’s mission is to research and collect resources and opportunities for graduate students on career preparation and exploration topics. Collections of these key resources can be found on the Professional Development Resource List page.

Get Involved or Run Your Own Check-in Group

GradPro can offer training for members of the community who are interested in learning how to run a Check-in Group. This training typically takes place from mid-summer to the beginning of fall semester. Those who attend the training can start a Check-in Group in their own department or student group, or in some cases may work with GradPro to run a group collaboratively. To join the next training session, reach out to us at [email protected].

GradPro is also happy to share more details on how Check-in Groups are run for those that are interested; please reach out to us at [email protected].

Most GradPro Check-In Groups are designed for a particular group of students, whether this is students who are at a certain degree stage, or share a degree type, discipline, affinity, or identity. Group designations GradPro has offered include:

BIPOC Students
Black Students
Disabled, Neurdivergent, and Chronically Ill Students
First-Generation, Low-Income Students (FGLI)
Humanities and Social Science Students
International Students
Latinx/Latine Students
LGBTQ+ Students
Masters and Professional Students
Mixed Discipline Students
Mixed Discipline PhD Students
Post-quals PhD Students
Post-quals PhD Students (nearing graduation)
Pre-quals PhD Students
STEM Students
Undocugrad Students
Womxn Students

Check-in groups are structured and facilitated through a goal-setting spreadsheet, wherein group participants write down their goals for the semester and for each week. Participants also use the spreadsheet as a place to write down their reflections on how goal progress is proceeding. Group members share one spreadsheet document through Google Sheets, so that they can see each other’s goals, remain accountable to one another, and share links to important resources.

1. WELCOME & WARM UP (10 min)

  • Facilitators introduce themselves and give an overview of the agenda.
  • Facilitators share the group’s Google Sheet and have participants fill in their personal information on the Front Page tab.
  • Participants introduce themselves using the information on the Front Page tab.
  • If there is time, implement a community building activity.

2. SEMESTER GOALS (15 min)

  • Participants create tabs with their names by copying the Template tab.
  • Participants list 2-3 major semester goals with deadline dates. The deadlines should be toward the end of the semester. At least one should be a professional goal and at least one should be a personal goal.
  • Participants share one professional and one personal goal

3. WEEKLY GOALS (15 min)

  • Facilitators explain how to write weekly goals:
    • In their tab, participants write down outcome and process goals with due dates (usually the next check-in session).
    • Outcome goals are concrete outputs in the form of deliverables; e.g. a one-page document, updated LinkedIn profile, etc.
    • Process goals are actions that may help you complete outcome goals; e.g. write for one hour a day, use Google Calendar to plan each day, register for LinkedIn workshop, etc. Writing down process goals can help students learn what processes may help them reach their outcome goals.
  • Make sure to include at least one personal goal each week.
  • Facilitators give participants a chance to ask questions and time to write at least 2-3 goals.
  • Participants share a goal that they are exceptionally happy about or would like help with.

4. RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT (2 min)

The facilitator will share 1-2 professional development resources with the group. These resources can help participants with their goal-setting/accountability, career exploration, and skill development.

5. ANNOUNCEMENTS & BREATHING (5 min)

  1. WELCOME & WARM UP (3 minutes)
  2. REFLECTION (15 min)
  • Participants write a reflection in their tab next to the last session’s goals to think about the previous week. Reflecting on what went well and what didn’t help them think about their work processes and strategies. 
  • Sharing: Participants have 1-2 minutes each to share based on their reflection. It can be something they are happy about or would like input on. Others can give feedback via chat or verbally, if time allows. (Use breakout rooms if the group is larger than five participants.)
  • The first week of each month: Participants reflect on and write in a shared spreadsheet about their progress towards their semester-long goals,and adjust them if needed. If they have time, they can reflect on their weekly goals. Like weekly goals, they can then share their reflection with the group, how they adjusted their semester goals, and/or a highlight from the semester so far.
  1. GOALS (15 min)
  • Writing: Participants write down their new outcome and process goals with due dates (usually the next check-in session).
  • Sharing: Participants have 1-2 minutes each to share from 1-2 goals. It can be something they are happy about or would like help with. Others can give feedback via chat or verbally, if time allows. If short on time, have only one or two participants share or ask participants to take just 30 seconds each to share one goal. 
  • Last session: Participants should instead write 1-2 major professional and 1-2 major personal goals for the next semester (or summer). They can then share their goals and/or what they are looking forward to next semester.
  1. RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT (2 min)
  • The facilitator will share 1-2 professional development resources with the group. These resources can help participants with their goal-setting/accountability, career exploration, and skill development.
  1. THEMED DISCUSSION (10 min)
  • Facilitators lead a short discussion on a theme or topic related to grad school, professional development, or planning/goal setting. We conduct a short survey at the beginning of the semester to gauge what topics the group is interested in. The aim is for participants to share thoughts, experiences, and resources. Example discussion questions from Spring 2021:
    • What are your strengths as a graduate student?
    • What aspect of your role/job as a grad student might you be over-preparing and over-functioning in, at the expense of others?
    • What are your current sources of feedback? Do you feel you are currently getting the feedback you need?
    • What are your strategies for dealing with rejection or negativity?
    • What is one method you have used or want to use to proactively manage your stress, frustration, and energy levels during difficult points of the semester?
  1. ANNOUNCEMENTS & BREATHING (5 min)
  • The facilitator shares any announcements.
  • The facilitator ends the session with an optional breathing/relaxation exercise.
  • End exactly at the hour, or a few minutes earlier.
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