The Portfolio Model: A Successor to the Current College Application Process

 

 

 

Often parents and students are overwhelmed with the anxiety that surrounds the college admission process. While we work with students to manage this process and make it stress free, my goal is always to help each student grow into who they want to become.

 

I emphasize the right fit over the school's name. I encourage students to discover their passion and not follow the well-meaning but often limited suggestions from teachers and parents, "you are good at math, become an engineer" "you are so smart, you should become a doctor" and similar comments that are solely based on skills but not desire, passion, or interest.  

 

I do not want students to miss out on the opportunity to find a career path that will fulfill them, consistently inspire them to succeed, and that they will enjoy. With recent reports showing that 62% of kids experience depression in college due to feeling unsure of their path, I think the following article is timely in so many ways.  Our current education system does not allow students to develop their own path - it focuses on four core classes and accelerating the level of those classes without regard to students goals or interests.  If more colleges adopted the portfolio method of assessing a college application, high schools would be able to encourage students to find their passion and discover the best path before dropping their first $30k on year one of college in hopes of figuring it out. 

 

The following is a great article on changes that could make the college process more impactful and less stressful.  The Kelly MacLean Achievement Center helps students discover their interests, think beyond the 12 career fields they have heard of, and really understand the vast opportunities available to them. We work through career options, paths to achieve the desired career, and set students up for success by really understanding what their future can look like on a day to day basis..  

 

Enjoy the following article written by our fellow KMAC employee - Lawrence.