Portfolio Content: Education Research

Research for Tomorrow (Yes, It's that Close)

Believe it or not, college is right around the corner. For over decade you've dreamed the dream of graduating from high school and making the proverbial leap into adulthood by attending college. For some, college represents freedom and independence. It's what you've been waiting for your entire life – no more curfews or getting the third–degree about where you've been, what you've been up to, or who you've been with. You'll make the decisions now.

For all of you, I hope college represents opportunity – opportunity to explore, to learn, to be successful, to make your dreams a reality.

So, You Want to be a(n) Insert Name of Mascot Here

Go to the post-secondary school's (university, technical, vocational) website you are interested in. Spend some time browsing through the website to get a feel for the school and where to find information. Before you move on to the next step, research the programs they offer for the degree or certification you need to get the job you want. If the school doesn't offer a program for what you need, find a school that does.

Once you finish browsing through the school's website, research and record the following in a Word document for a page in your portfolio:

School or Institution Description

  1. Write a brief description of the university or vocational school you plan to attend. If you plan to enter into the military, this also applies to you.
  2. Include the vision or mission statement. This could also be the philosophy of the institution. If you plan to enter into the military, this also applies to you.
  3. In your own words, write a brief description of the campus and the city/town of the institution
    • A description should include the climate, surrounding landscape, available recreational activities, shopping, housing, etc.
  4. Include the the student-to-teacher ratio
  5. Include demographic information (male-to-female ratio, ethnicity ratio, etc.)
  6. Include an image of the campus and a graphic of the logo for the institution
    • collegeboard.com is a great resource for these statistics - if you set up an account it will save your information (under the student section) - this can be an invaluable resource as you head through the college process

Academics

  1. Include the academic admissions requirements for incoming freshman
    • GPA, SAT/ACT scores, required classes such as English, Science, Math, Foreign Language
  2. Write a brief description of the undergraduate program you intend to enter
    • "Program" is essentially a broad term applied to the various degrees offered in a department — for example: a Business Program might offer degrees in Management, Accounting, or Marketing
  3. Write a brief a brief description of the major you intend to complete including the academic requirements needed to obtain the degree
    • This is a specific description of your major — for example: a person in the Business Program might earn a degree in Marketing with an emphasis in sales
  4. Explain what type of degree you will pursue — Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Masters, or Doctorate
  5. Include a timeline to illustrate the time it will take to complete your degree

Tuition and Living Expenses

  1. Create a budget for a typical year at school. Include:
    • Cost of tuition — specify if this is for resident or non-resident
    • Average cost of books and supplies
    • Average cost of housing — specify if you plan to live on campus, in an apartment, or at home
    • Average cost of food
    • Other essential necessities such as fuel, phone, clothing, etc.
  2. Paying for school
    • Research two scholarships or grants the school offers which you may qualify for
      • Include a brief description of each
      • List the requirements for the scholarship or grant
      • Include how much money you may potentially receive and for how long — one year, two years, four years?
    • Federal Student Loans
      • Write a brief description of a Stafford Unsubsidized Loan, including maximum amount
      • Write a brief description of a Stafford Subsidized Loan, including maximum amount
      • Include the current interest rate of a Federal student loan
    • Write a paragraph that justifies taking out a student loan to pay for college.
      • Think of a student loan as an investment in your future. Calculate how much you might expect to pay for tuition over the span of your college years
      • Then, calculate how much you might earn over a 30-year period using the starting salary you found for your dream job in the Career Exploration page. Bear in mind, this figure doesn't factor in raises or benefits over the course of your career
      • Finally, factor in the average yearly salary for someone with a high school diploma - it's around $28,000 — for a 30-year period. How much of a difference is there between your potential career earnings, and someone who only has a high school diploma?
      • Conclude with an assessment about the advantages of investing in your education and the potential return from your investment

Fun Facts:
The average yearly salary for someone with a Bachelors degree is around $52,000
The average yearly salary for someone with an advanced degree is around $78,000