Portfolio Portrait Berry

Using Your 4 Year Plan

CREATING A HIGH SCHOOL PORTFOLIO

When my oldest started high school, I knew I needed a new planner. This one would be different from any of my other planners because it would be as much about record-keeping as lesson planning. The result of my brainstorming was the High School 4 Year Plan, a resource designed to ensure that my high schooler and I would have everything we needed all in one place when it came time to create her transcript or a portfolio.

When it came to keeping up with records, though, I discovered that there were always a few extras that needed to be kept as well. Samples of work, test scores, awards, and more all needed to be sorted and organized, and I didn’t want to just slide them into the planner and run the risk of losing them. So, I decided instead to purchase a binder, remove the spiral binding from the 4 Year Plan, and store everything together inside the binder.

What Is A College Portfolio

PRESENTING WELL: CREATING A COLLEGE PORTFOLIO

The high school years are a busy season, and time can quickly get away from even the most organized student. If your student is planning to attending a college or university, however, it is important to think ahead! This is especially important when it comes to create a college portfolio.

A college portfolio is a presentation of accomplishments and achievements throughout the high school years. Even if your student has not yet made a decision about whether or not to attend college, it would be wise to begin a portfolio during their freshman year. If college ends up not being the route your student chooses, the portfolio can still be a great resource when applying for a job or pursuing training in a specific trade or profession.

For those who do choose to attend college, the application and portfolio are your student’s first impression to admission boards. For this reason, it is important for your student to make sure their portfolio is well organized and professional. The typical portfolio is created and maintained in a three ring binder divided, using tabs, either by high school year or subject matter. The latter is often preferable when applying for a specific scholarship or major.