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Create and Maintain Your Academic Portfolio

Your Academic Portfolio is a key to your success at Cal Poly. You will use it to plan and keep track of your academic career. If you attended Cal Poly's summer advising program (SOAR), you have already received an Academic Portfolio.

To create your Academic Portfolio, follow these steps:

STEP ONE

Get the following items:

  • A three-ring binder, 1” or larger
  • A set of 5-tab insertable dividers

STEP TWO

  • Print the Front Matter (PDF); the Table of Contents, a quick reference guide to the 2009-2011 Cal Poly Catalog, and a College Success Checklist. Put this page before the first tab in your portfolio.
  • Print TAB 1, College and Major Advising (PDF); information on Advanced Placement, USCP, GWR, and CR/NC grading policies, as well as the Pre-Advisor Meeting Checklist and Class Scheduling Worksheet. Put these pages under Tab 1 of your binder.
  • Print TAB 2, Course Registration (PDF); information on the PASS and CPReg systems, a registration checklist, answers to frequently-asked questions about wait listing, and information on Supplemental Workshops. Put these pages under Tab 2 of your binder.
  • Print TAB 3, Cal Poly Resources (PDF); information on advising resources, including the Academic Skills Center, the Study Session Program, on-line services, library services, and assist.org. Put these pages under Tab 3.
  • Print TAB 4, Important Forms and Documentation (PDF); allows you to keep a record of all academic transactions, including petitions/withdrawal forms, copies of transcripts from other colleges, and communications from the Office of the Registrar. Put these pages under Tab 4.
  • Print TAB 5, Career and Post-Grad (PDF); allows you to keep a record of extra-curricular activities, internships and co-op experiences, and information from Career Services. Put these pages under Tab 5.

STEP THREE

  • Obtain up-to-date copies of your major’s curriculum sheet, flow chart, and schedule of course offerings (View sample curriculum sheet, flow chart, and schedule of course offerings (PDF) if you are unsure what these are.). Put all of these under Tab 1.
  • Obtain up-to-date copies of your PolyProfile and your Degree Progress Report. Both are available through your Cal Poly portal. Put copies of these under Tab 1 as well.
  • Obtain up-to-date information on Study Skills seminars and other resources on the Academic Skills Center website. Put this information under Tab 3.
  • Use Tab 4 to keep copies of all administrative transactions during your time at Cal Poly. This includes copies of your registration records, withdrawals and other petitions, evaluations and other documents from the Office of the Registrar, and transcripts from any other colleges you’ve attended.
  • Keep a record of all your non-class activities. This includes any information or handouts from Career Services, résumé activities, summer internships, graduate school information, and information on graduate school exams (e.g. GRE, LSAT, or MCAT). Keep all of this information under Tab 5.

You have created your Academic Portfolio. Congratulations!
 Materials for the Academic Portfolio were created/contributed by Bradley Kyker, Donna Davis, Kris McKinlay, Charity Romano, Ellen Notermann, Kristi Weddige, Jenny Malinowski, Shannon Stephens, Kim Marsalek, and Matt Carlton. Updated: August 2009