College, Military, and Career Portfolio Project

This amazing project allows students to research, explore, learn, and prepare for life after high school. The project gives students three pathways to choose from (college, career, or military) and requires them to research their chosen path and complete activities to prepare for it. Students bound for college apply for school, find and complete scholarships, sign up for testing, and prepare for financial obligations, academics, and student life. Students bound for the military research their chosen branch, prepare for recruitment and training, and begin to think about life post-military or a military career. Students bound for the workplace apply for jobs, create a resume and cover letter, and prepare for interviews. I like to have students complete this project at the end of their junior year or near the beginning to middle of their senior year. I use this in my English class, but it would also be great in a career-oriented class or a senior seminar. This project closely ties with the goals of Common Core while preparing students for real life. Time after time, my students have cited this project as the most helpful and engaging assignment they completed all year.I hope you find great success with it as well.