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Portfolio: Planning for College

Use the following list of activities as a guide for organizing your portfolio. Many of these activities have worksheets for you to complete, save and refer to throughout the college process. Place the completed documents in your portfolio behind your “Planning for College” tab.

Choosing a college

High school “To Do” lists

Applying for college

  • Use the College Application Checklist [Word document] to be sure that you meet college application deadlines and include all requested information for your top three choices of colleges.
  • Think of one or two individuals who you would like to write you a letter of recommendation. On the Asking for Recommendation Letters worksheet [Word document], jot down a list of the activities that you participated in with that individual. Did you demonstrate leadership, teamwork, responsibility or dependability? Write a short paragraph about the positive skills you exhibited.

Financial aid

  • Costs of college. Go the CollegeBoard Web site. Enter the name of a school in which you are interested. Click on the cost and financial aid link. Write down the projected costs for tuition and housing. What information and suggestions are listed for financial aid at that institution? Print out a summary sheet for each college you wish to apply to and place it in your portfolio.

Taking standardized tests

  • Manage test scores. After you take your standardized test, place a copy of your SAT and/or ACT scores in your portfolio. Also, include a listing of the schools who received your scores.

Deciding on a major

  • Download the Meeting with Your Guidance Counselor worksheet [Word document]. Take the “Discover Your Perfect Career Quiz.” This quiz ties your personality type into potential career paths for you to consider. Print out your results and place them in your portfolio. Schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor to talk about the results of your career quiz and other available resources to assess your career interests. Develop a plan to conduct research and narrow down your interests
  • Researching careers. Choose one to two careers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook in which you are interested. Print out the summaries and place in your portfolio. Read about the requirements, work environment and projected trends. This source is nationally recognized for career information and is designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives.

Reaching my goals