Test prep, test prep, test prep. It’s been drilled into the minds of students and parents since 1935 when Harvard first began requiring SAT scores to be included in its admission package. However, in recent years many schools like George Washington University, Sarah Lawrence, and NYU have become “test-optional” or “test flexible,” meaning students are not required to provide their SAT or ACT scores, while several other universities including UC Berkley and my own alma mater, Catholic University of America, have become “test blind” and won’t even consider scores in their application process.
Although Covid largely accelerated the transition with all the Ivy Leagues, including Harvard, suspending test requirements, many professionals believe it signals a much wider trend and could become the new normal.
While many students are breathing a sigh of relief, it has likewise raised questions about what college aspirants should be focusing on as they prepare for the application process. I reached out to several educators in Beijing and asked what we should be preparing our kids for, when we should start, and how we can avoid replacing test anxiety with portfolio panic.
First things first. What is a portfolio?
In academic circles, it’s the new buzzword and possibly the most important part of their application next to their grades. That is because every candidate to a top-tier institution has excellent grades. Your transcript will get you considered but your portfolio is what will set you apart. It’s simply a collection of a student’s work over the years. A way to show universities and employers a more complete picture than a transcript alone ever could. Basically, it’s documenting life experiences that build character and demonstrate a holistic individual ready to contribute to society. Jonathan Mellen, IB Co-ordinator and Career & University Guidance Counselor at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing) put it this way, “Universities and future employers are looking for quality people that are willing to make a meaningful contribution in society.” As such, a portfolio is a testament to your contributions and lets schools and future employers see where you might be interested in contributing in the future.
Hamilton Gregg, a college advisor at Harrow Beijing (HBJ) and senior consultant at Shang Nancy Friends stressed the importance of so-called soft skills like leadership, adaptability, communication, presentation, problem-solving, and work ethics. Gregg elaborates, “But it is not just talking about those skills, it is understanding what led to the development of those skills. Sports, clubs, charity, service, etc… students doing meaningful work in these areas and learning about themselves and how they contribute by engaging in them.” Mellen echoes the sentiment, explaining “Universities look for students who have fantastic interpersonal skills. One way to develop these skills is by initiating projects in the community. This allows students to plan out something that will benefit the community and then collaborate with others on it. Students are encouraged to work on…time management, stress management, and work ethics.”
So what makes a great portfolio?
Gregg says it all boils down to a student “Understanding who they are as a person. What makes them tick, what doesn’t?” It’s a tall order for most kids – I know plenty of adults who still struggle to define who they are – but that’s what your childhood is for. Discovering what you are passionate about and what you want to become an expert in.
That means starting early. A balanced childhood that leaves space for trying lots of different things and always asking your child, what did you like about that? What did you not care for? What did you learn? Then, over time, they’ll slowly begin discarding those activities that don’t bring them joy or spark curiosity and engagement. By the time they get to high school they should have a handful of activities they are passionate about and devoted to outside the classroom. On top of that, Gregg recommends three specific guidelines:
- “A student should not do any activity because they think it will get them into university. They should be genuinely interested in what they are doing and reflecting on why as well as what have they learned.”
- “Quality over Quantity. It is not about how many things a student has engaged in, but the quality of their engagement.”
- “There is no right activity, nor is there a right amount of things a student should be doing. However, a student should be more than just an in-class student focusing on their academic achievement…Education happens everywhere, all the time. Many times, it is not in the classroom, but on the sports field, the adventure trek, the community service project…”
This brings us to community service. Many high schools require it nowadays and it is a learning opportunity. But the debate rages over whether mandating good works nullifies the benefits. Mellen weighs in: “I think community service is just as important as good grades. It shows you are committed to investing in the community, making a meaningful contribution, and developing as a global citizen. …[But] the focus should not be on hours but meaningful, quality time spent on a project that a student is genuinely passionate about. Authenticity comes from the heart…Counting hours means they must tick a box and character is not a box-ticking exercise.”
So let’s say your child actually has tons of extracurriculars they are passionate about and they have one service project they are devoted too and they are creative and energetic and kind… but how do you show that?
What should actually go into a portfolio and when should you start compiling it?
A good place to start is by helping your child keep a journal, which they can start doing as early as 8 or 9. Nothing fancy, just regular entries about what they are working on, what they like or don’t like, and what their goals are. These can be as simple as “I want to learn how to bend my soccer kick” and “I want to draw a really great butterfly,” or as idealistic as launching a coat drive or clean-up project. But they should absolutely be things your child loves and wants to pursue, not what you think will look good on paper. That’s because this is not ever going to be part of the actual application. It’s just getting your little one used to goal setting, self-reflection, and evaluation.
Mellen suggests beginning to collect documentable items like artwork, social media posts, photos, and the like around age 10. “They should be able to show how they have developed and what they have worked to improve over a few years. The students should be selective and include artwork that reflects their experience, creativity, things that interest them, their personal style and technical ability.” You probably won’t use everything you save but having options will relieve a lot of stress down the road and allow your child to tailor the portfolio to the schools they are most interested in.
If this feels like a long process, that’s because it is. But it doesn’t need to be a stressful one. Remember, you are not creating portfolio content. You’re just helping your child actively and thoughtfully document the things they are already doing that make them unique and special. So don’t force them into debate, or cello or fencing because you heard a particular Ivy League school gives preference…they don’t by the way.
Gregg reinforced that idea. “One thing that is important is that there is no formula for getting into university…Students need to understand they are unique individuals and honor and respect their uniqueness. Life is not about a test, or getting into university, it is about learning life-long skills, that will help students manage and cope. My point is, don’t be a sheep following what others are doing. Break out and be yourself and then truly know who you are and what got you to that point of understanding.”
Over and over again the theme was passion, quality over quantity, and the ability to reflect and learn from failures as well as successes. It sounds an awful lot to me like what colleges are looking for are healthy, happy, unique young adults who are eager to learn and contribute to society.
My takeaway? In the early years, expose them to soccer and debate and music and art and design and science and any other opportunity that presents itself and seems even remotely interesting to your child. Let them try and potentially fail. If they do, brush them off and help them learn from it, and then cheer wildly for them when they succeed. See what lights them up and help them focus on that. Let’s not replace testing pressure with portfolio anxiety. Instead of pushing our kids to “get it right”, let’s help them discover what’s right for them. The admissions portfolio will then take care of itself, just make sure to snap a few pictures and write a couple of journal entries along the way.
Images: Pexels
This article appeared in the jingkids 2022 School Choice Guide issue
