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Displaying your accomplishments

By Beth Ziehmer

November 30, 2022

Winter break is a good time to get caught up on projects that are harder to find time for during the school year.

Whether you are in college or high school, you've accomplished a lot and those accomplishments can help you with future success. Having an organized way to display your accomplishments may give you an edge in an interview, whether for a job or for a scholarship. With a small investment in time and supplies, you may make a valuable impression on interviewers and you can preserve your accomplishments for years to come.

Consider using a three-ring binder with page protectors to neatly organize and display your accomplishments. Other supplies you might need are dividers, cardstock to use as backing for pages, double-stick tape, and an acid-free ink pen.

If you haven't already, start collecting items to help chronicle your journey and activities through your college or high school years. College students may create an online portfolio for projects related to their major, but some items on paper may be helpful, too.

Here are some items to consider including:

• High school:
• Personal information sheet listing your high school activities and accomplishments
• Academic information:
  • Copy of ACT score
  • High school transcript
  • Special writings, poems
• Awards/recognition:
• Award certificates
• Admission letters
• Scholarship notifications
• Extra-curricular activities:
• Sports information, memorabilia
• Special programs
• Newspaper articles and pictures
• College:
• Resume
• College transcript
• Special projects, papers
• Awards/recognition
• Information that pertains to your major

Here are a few more tips:

• Keep it simple! Don't be tempted to make it so elaborate that it detracts from your accomplishments.
• Remember, neatness counts! Keep the articles trimmed and taped neatly.
• Consider typing any captions, or write neatly with a special pen.
• Make a front cover and spine for the binder.
• Depending on how active you have been, you may need to limit what you put into the binder so it is not too big to take along to an interview. You may want to have an overflow binder for items that don't have a place in the binder at the current time.
• Be sure to have extra page protectors on hand for graduation time to keep additional special items that you collect, such as programs and scholarship certificates.
• It's never too soon to start a binder, even if it's just to collect the information to later organize and finalize.

Congratulations on your accomplishments and have fun showcasing them!