Creating a high school portfolio

When it comes time to apply for colleges and scholarships, a well organized high school portfolio can be an invaluable resource. But how does one go about designing and organizing a high school portfolio? And what should you put in a portfolio? If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, here are some tips and suggestions to get you started.

What you save depends on your student.
Every student is different and unique, and every homeschool experience is different and unique. So what you put in a portfolio very much depends on the current interests and experiences of your student, as well as their goals and objectives for life after homeschool. Does your student play an instrument or a sport? Save photos, programs, and certificates documenting these activities. Perhaps your student competes in academic competitions such as spelling bees or science fairs. Save verification from this. You want this portfolio to represent the well-rounded experiences your student has gained during high school and create a picture of them as an individual.

How to organize your portfolio.
A high school portfolio doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be organized. One great (and simple) way to organize a high school portfolio is by using a three ring binder, labeled tab dividers, and clear page protectors. Use the tab dividers to create different sections by topic or activity, and then simply organize the items within each tab by date, with the most recent items first. The tab dividers can help you to easily locate pages related to each sport, musical instrument, or other activity, and the clear page protectors will not only keep your items safe, but will also make it easy to remove them from the portfolio if you need to provide copies for verification along with scholarship or college applications.

For example, my high school portfolio included the following sections: community service, Congressional Award, piano, swimming, volleyball, 4-H, essay contests, sewing/arts/crafts, and baking. I included certificates, programs, athletic schedules, essays, photos of sewing work, score cards from competitions, etc., as related to each section. If a scholarship application asked, for example, about community service experience, I simply flipped to that section in my portfolio and described my experiences. I didn’t have to worry about forgetting something important I had done in 9th grade or wonder what year I’d received specific recognition.

Hard copy or digital?
You may be asking yourself if you should create a hard copy or digital portfolio. Digital portfolios can be handy, especially if your student will be sharing the portfolio with someone else. They can be created online, or on your computer in a presentation style format. They can also be highly specific, such as a digital portfolio of art or design work, and if your student is applying to a program in the arts, a specific digital portfolio of related prior work is usually a good idea.

But when it comes time to complete general college and scholarship applications, it can be extremely helpful to have a hard copy of your portfolio available for access. A hard copy also allows you to easily maintain (and access) any official certificates, score cards, etc., that you may need to provide as verification of a particular accomplishment. So it’s up to you and your specific goals if you create a digital portfolio, but either way, a hard copy is nearly always important.

Creating a high school portfolio doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In the end, it should serve as a record of your student’s participation in extracurricular activities and paint a picture of the well-rounded homeschool education they received. Make it easy to add to so you don’t put off including new information, and keep it organized so you can easily access it when needed. And most importantly, make it individualized to your student and their experiences.