name age e.mail ?? u have enough with that on A strcitly COVER...second page u put all academic/work info

I wouldn't put anything but your name on the cover (or on the spine in some cases.)
Your email belongs on your resume or on an overview page. Your age doesn't belong in your portfolio at all.

this is for a grad school admission, in case it matters, which it probably doesn't

A few schools either ask you to put the program to which you're applying on the cover with your name, or provide a sticker for you to fill out and place on the cover (or sometimes inside the front cover.) Unless they request this I would stick to just your name.

just the name - i agree. its all about restraint.

You should ask whoever your submitting it to. I made the mistake of only putting my name on my cover (actually a cutout to the title page inside) and every time I submit it for scholarships they freaking scotch tape the needed info to the cover.

They'll do this anyway. Usually when applying for grad school, scholarships, fellowships, etc. I'd get them back with various colored stickers, red check marks, stickers with people's initials on them, etc.
Usually if the schools want any other info on the portfolio itself they'll say so in the application instructions (and sometimes include a sticker for this purpose.) For instance, a few schools ask for a small photo of the applicant inside the front cover. Check over the application instructions well.

and then just go straight to your work on the first page? there doesn't need to be any more info?

There doesn't need to be any more info unless the school has requested it. Ordinarily you'll be sending your portfolio along with: your completed application, a resume, your statement of purpose, etc. So the portfolio itself really doesn't need the text of your life story.
Most people include a blank sheet or a title page (with their name on it) after the cover and before the first project.

Some students include their resume as the first or last page of their portfolio. But if the school has requested a resume (most do) you should include one that is NOT in your resume (i.e. a loose sheet) too, because the admissions people sometimes like to copy this (and some other materials) for each member of the committee.

In your portfolio you should have a system for labeling each project. Things you might want to include: name of project, semester completed (i.e. "Sophomore Studio, spring semester"), the name(s) of your studio teacher(s), the size and medium of each piece of work, the length of time allotted for the project if it was brief (i.e. "2-day charrette" or "2-week project" or "in-class drawing exercise"), and a brief description of the project.

Things you MUST include if any of your work is part of a group project: the names of others who worked with you on the project, and possibly a brief explanation of your particular role in the project. If you're including any drawings or models that you didn't actually work on at all but that were part of your group's presentation you should identify them as such.

oops - I meant you should include a resume that is NOT in your PORTFOLIO - even if you also include one as a page in the portfolio.

im unfamiliar with your background ormolu, are you a teacher, TA, etc. that has had previous experience with application reviewals? Cause it sounds good just wondering if your speaking from personal experience or speculation.

tman, I'd prefer not to get very specific about this, but here's the vague version: I'm an architect, I teach part-time, have taught in a few programs, had a stint in a low-level college administrative capacity at one point, and have been involved with admissions a few times.

Be careful using presentation material that you did not work on in your portfolio. For a short time I put a rendering of a school that I had completed some construction administration for. Even though I clearly labeled the picture as the work of my coworker, I was always asked "did you do this rendering." Then I would have to explain that although I was perfectly capable of producing such a rendering, it was done before I was employed at the firm and was merely there to represent the project. This got really old, so I got a construction photo that I had taken on the job site. It works much better. That's just my 2 cents today.

Thanks for all your help on the resume Ormolu.

(defenestrator)