QUESTIONS TO EVALUATE YOURSELF

 
1.   What aspects of your high school years have you enjoyed most?  If you could live this period again, would you do anything differently?

2.  What values are most important to you?  What do you care about most?  What concerns occupy most of your energy, effort, and strength?

3.  What type of person would you like to become?  Of your unique gifts and strengths, which would you most like to develop?  What would you most like to change about yourself?

4.  Is there anything you have secretly wanted to do or be?  If you had a year to go anywhere and do whatever you wanted, how would you spend that year?

5.  What events or experiences have shaped your growth and way of thinking?

6.  What are some of the potential career options you have considered?  Are you considering graduate school or professional school? 
 

 
7.  What are your academic interests?  Which courses have you enjoyed the most?  Which courses have been most difficult for you?

8.  What do you choose to learn when you learn on your own?  Consider interests pursued beyond class assignments, such as topics chosen for research papers, lab reports, independent projects, independent reading, school activities, and jobs or volunteer work.  What do your choices show about your interests and the way you like to learn?

9.  How much do you genuinely like to read, discuss issues and exchange ideas?  What has been your most stimulating intellectual experience in recent years?

10.  How well has your school prepared you for college?  In what areas of skill or knowledge do you feel confident or inadequately prepared for college study?  Have you been challenged by your courses?

11.  Have you worked up to your potential in high school? Is your academic record an accurate measure of your ability and potential?  Are your SATs an accurate measure? 

12.  Are there any outside circumstances (in your recent experience or background) which have interfered with your academic performance?  Consider such factors as:  after-school job, home responsibilities or difficulties, excessive school activities, illness or emotional stress, parental pressure, English not spoken at home, problems of course scheduling or other factors which are unique to your background.   
 

 
13.  What activities do you most enjoy outside the daily routine of school and other responsibilities?  Which activities have meant the most to you?  Looking back, would you have made different choices?

14.   How would others describe your role in your school or home community? What do you consider your most significant contribution?

15.  Do your activities show a pattern of commitment, competence or contribution? 
 

 
16.   How would you describe your family and home town?  How has your environment influenced your way of thinking?  How have your interests and abilities been encouraged or limited by your school and home? 

17.  What has been the most controversial issue in your school or community?  How does the issue concern you?  What has been your reaction to the controversy?  What is your opinion?

18.  Do you often encounter people who think or act differently from you?  What viewpoints challenge you the most?  How do you respond?  From this, how have you learned about yourself and others? 
 

 
19.   How would someone who knows you well describe you? Would you agree with her/his assessment?  What are your finest qualities? Your most conspicuous shortcomings?  How have you grown or changed during your high school years? 

20.  Which relationships are most important to you and why?  Describe the people whom you consider your best friends, critics and advocates.

21.  How are you influenced by others who are important to you? Have you felt pressures to conform? How important to you are approval and recognition?  How do you respond to pressure, competition or challenge?  How do you react to failure, disappointment or criticism?