My lovely and talented wife has been an ELP / GT teacher for about 14 years and a teacher for 28 years. We have two GT sons, our eldest just graduated HS this last fall.
Going through the process of applying for scholarships, it’s not unusual, especially for the scholarships with larger sums, for there to be an interview. My wife started logging artifacts for our boys at an early age and keeping track of their activities, volunteerism, and awards, then, at toward the start of our eldest’s Jr. year, began assembling those artifacts and information into a formalized portfolio.
The portfolio has been the clincher in numerous scholarships I feel. Many of those interviewing my son have told him he’s the only one, or one of only a few through the years they’ve been interviewing who presented a portfolio. Those interviewing my son have spent considerable time looking through the artifacts. You have to consider that it allows those looking at it to see development over time and what got that child to where they are at present standing before those interviewing.
I encourage each parent to start collecting artifacts for the purpose of a portfolio for future use, it’s served us well.
Thanks for sharing your experience. We would act on your suggestions if we were not so disorganized
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On a policy note, your experience confirms my belief that using "holistic" criteria for awarding scholarships and seats in selective colleges can be less fair to low-SES children than supposedly biased standardized tests. What about the children whose parents aren't as motivated and organized as you are?
