How do you review admissions portfolios with other staff and faculty?

1 Establish clear criteria and rubrics

Before you start reviewing portfolios, you need to have a clear and shared understanding of what you are looking for in the applicants. What are the specific learning outcomes and competencies that your program expects from the incoming students? What are the indicators of creativity, originality, and critical thinking that you value in the portfolio? How do you weigh the different components of the portfolio, such as academic transcripts, personal statements, letters of recommendation, and samples of work? To answer these questions, you should develop and use a common set of criteria and rubrics that define the standards and expectations for the portfolio review. These criteria and rubrics should be aligned with the program's goals, mission, and curriculum, and should be communicated to all the staff and faculty involved in the review process.

2 Use a consistent and transparent system

Once you have your criteria and rubrics ready, you need to have a system that allows you to apply them consistently and transparently across all the portfolios. This system should include the following elements: a platform or tool that enables you to access, view, and comment on the portfolios online; a workflow or protocol that specifies how many reviewers are assigned to each portfolio, how they coordinate and communicate with each other, and how they resolve any disagreements or conflicts; a timeline or schedule that sets the deadlines and milestones for the review process; and a feedback or reporting mechanism that informs the applicants of the results and the rationale behind the decisions. Having a consistent and transparent system will help you streamline the review process, reduce errors and biases, and enhance accountability and trust.

3 Provide constructive and respectful feedback

One of the main purposes of reviewing portfolios is to provide constructive and respectful feedback to the applicants, both to inform them of their strengths and weaknesses, and to help them improve their skills and knowledge. Therefore, when you review portfolios, you should avoid making vague, generic, or negative comments that do not offer any specific guidance or suggestions. Instead, you should focus on providing concrete, actionable, and positive feedback that highlights the applicants' achievements and areas for improvement, as well as the reasons and evidence behind your evaluation. You should also use a respectful and supportive tone that acknowledges the applicants' efforts and aspirations, and encourages them to continue learning and growing.

4 Collaborate and learn from each other

Reviewing portfolios with other staff and faculty is not only a way to assess the applicants, but also a way to learn from each other. By collaborating and exchanging ideas and perspectives with your colleagues, you can gain new insights and knowledge about the applicants, the program, and the field. You can also identify and address any gaps or challenges in your own portfolio review skills and practices, and seek feedback and support from your peers. Moreover, you can foster a culture of collaboration and learning among the staff and faculty, which can enhance the quality and effectiveness of your program and your teaching.

5 Review and improve your process

Finally, reviewing portfolios with other staff and faculty is an ongoing and dynamic process that requires constant review and improvement. You should regularly monitor and evaluate your portfolio review process, using both quantitative and qualitative data and feedback from the applicants, the reviewers, and the program. You should identify what works well and what needs to be changed or improved, and implement any necessary adjustments or innovations. You should also seek out and adopt any best practices or emerging trends in portfolio review that can help you enhance your process and outcomes. By reviewing and improving your process, you can ensure that your portfolio review is always aligned with your program's goals, responsive to the applicants' needs, and reflective of your standards of excellence.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?