College Portfolio
Each assignment below will have its own due date for the draft version with the exception of the thank-you letters; those will be due with the final portfolio. Refer to your class calendar for these dates. The final portfolio (with revised drafts of each assignment) will be due together as one bound portfolio. Again, refer to the calendar for the final portfolio due date. You may submit it in a folder or simply staple it as a multi-page paper. Please note that the first three assignments will be due in hard copy form and digitally to turnitin.com. A final portfolio checklist is provided at the bottom of this page.
Assignment #1: College Resume
Many colleges do not include enough space for extracurricular activities. Some are especially interested in what you have done outside of your academic work. Create a résumé that makes a good first impression. It will also be useful to you now for college, scholarships, and job applications.
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RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
DOES YOUR RESUME LOOK EMPTY? If you only have one or two areas of involvement, spend time beneath each listing your job duties and responsibilities as a member of that organization. List the name of the organization and then provide a bulleted list of your duties, responsibilities, roles, etc. that begin with SPECIFIC verbs. Use the suggestions here: |
Assignment #2: The College Essay
Some colleges use the essay to help them select their students, while others do not require an essay. Most, however, do not object to having an essay submitted. Because competition for admission is keen, an essay might help the committee select you even though you might not meet their entrance criteria. You may choose an essay topic that you are already required to write as part of an application for a specific college or scholarship, OR you may choose one of the Common Application topics below.
DRAFT SUBMISSION: Your essay must be between 250-650 words. Your draft must be double-spaced, 12-point sans-serif font, MLA format, and error-free. Please retype the prompt beneath your MLA header and before your essay so that your reader will have context for your response. You must bring a hard copy to class. Submit a pdf copy of your essay to turnitin.com. Common Application Essay Prompts: Choose ONE:
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RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
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Assignment #3: Requests for Letters of Recommendation
Write two brief, formal business letters requesting letters of recommendation from your references. ONE letter must be addressed to a teacher, and ONE letter must be addressed to another adult. (Family members or extended family are not appropriate for this assignment.) In this letter, explain:
DRAFT SUBMISSION: Your letters will be due in hard copy form in class, as well as digitally to turnitin.com. There will be two upload assignments on turnitin for your letters. |
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU
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Assignment #4: Thank-you Notes
You need to include copies of two thank-you notes to those who you intend to ask for a letter of reference if the need arises. Though you won’t be thanking them for the actual letter in this note, you should express to them why they have been meaningful in your life and how they have helped you “above and beyond” their role in your life (maybe a teacher tutored you or helped you through a rough time, or a family friend’s house was always your “second home” growing up). The actual notes should be hand-written on a card or stationery, not typed on regular paper. For the portfolio, you are including COPIES of these notes, since the originals, of course, will go to the people to whom they’re addressed. This is good practice, because it is customary to write thank-you notes for graduation presents you receive and professional to write thank-you notes to people who offer to invest their time in your potential success.
You do not have to submit a draft version of these notes. Your thank-you notes will be due with the final college portfolio. Don't forget your cover page for the portfolio as a whole. (See the first paragraph on this page.) |
FINAL PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST: Arrange in order of the items listed below.
- (5 points) A professional cover page (You have creative license. Just remember that it needs to be "grown up" and professional. No cheesy report covers.)
- (20 points) A REVISED resume that includes references OR a separate reference page - Revise based on feedback from instructor and peers.
- (20 points) A REVISED college essay. Remember to type out the prompt beneath your MLA header and before the essay for context. Revise based on feedback from instructor and peers.
- (10 points) A REVISED business letter #1 requesting a letter of recommendation from a teacher - Revise based on feedback from instructor and peers.
- (10 points) A REVISED business letter #2 requesting a letter of recommendation from another reference - Revise based on feedback from instructor and peers.
- (10 points) A COPY of thank you note #1 addressed to the teacher you requested a letter of recommendation from.
- (10 points) A COPY of thank you note #2 addressed to the other person you requested a letter of recommendation from.
The seven requirements listed above must be bound or stapled and submitted in hard copy form at the beginning of class the day it is due (refer to class calendar). You do NOT need to submit final portfolio to turnitin.com. The final portfolio will count as a summative (major) grade for 85 total points.