Junior Seminar The College Application Process Part II

What to do, What to do Review Graduation Requirements and courses for next year Review Graduation Requirements and courses for next year Standardized Testing: SAT, Subject Tests (if required) and ACT Test Dates (June/Early Fall) Standardized Testing: SAT, Subject Tests (if required) and ACT Test Dates (June/Early Fall) Visit Schools and narrow down prospective list Visit Schools and narrow down prospective list Complete Resume Complete Resume Complete Counselor Questionnaire Complete Counselor Questionnaire Complete Teacher Questionnaire Complete Teacher Questionnaire Ask teachers (face to face) for letter of recommendation and give them a copy of your resume Ask teachers (face to face) for letter of recommendation and give them a copy of your resume Log onto Commonapp.org (after August 1 st ) Log onto Commonapp.org (after August 1 st ) Begin Essay Begin Essay

Fall of SENIOR YEAR!!! Applying ED or EA? Check in with your counselor Send SAT and/or ACT scores to each school Attend COLLEGE VISITS at SHS Sign the FERPA waiver and Match Common App to Naviance Request transcripts for each school to which you are applying You need to do this ON Naviance Printouts and s with directions to follow You need to give your counselor at least 3 weeks

Before you can request transcripts and recommendations you MUST… First, complete the FERPA waiver on commonapp.org First, complete the FERPA waiver on commonapp.org Next, match your Common App and Naviance / Family Connection accounts on Naviance Next, match your Common App and Naviance / Family Connection accounts on Naviance

How to Request Transcripts & Teacher Recommendations on Naviance You MUST add Common App schools to your Common App list before requesting transcripts on Naviance! You MUST add Common App schools to your Common App list before requesting transcripts on Naviance!

You can now click “transcripts” on the left hand side of the page. Then click on “colleges I’m applying to”. You will need to determine what type of application you are submitting (application types are briefly explained below): REGULAR DECISION: apply by the regular deadline date and will receive notification of admissions based on how that college processes applications ROLLING: colleges process the application as soon as it is complete PRIORITY: often colleges will have a priority date for scholarships and other benefits. EARLY DECISION: apply by an early deadline date, and if accepted (usually by Jan 1) students are legally bound to attend EARLY ACTION: apply by an early deadline date, the college will notify you of acceptance early (on or before Jan 1) you are not obligated to attend

Next pick the college(s) you are applying to (you can do this several ways) - click on the blue “lookup” text next to the box and choose a college from the “college picker” list or - search by the name of the college, or the state or the country The Guidance Department does NOT send test scores, colleges request that they be sent directly from College Board. Please allow enough time for your deadlines.

You can continue to request additional transcripts by following the same procedure in each of the fields available. When you are ready to order transcripts, simply click the “Request transcript” box. Please note that transcripts MUST be requested AT LEAST 3 weeks prior to the application deadline When you go back to the “Colleges I’m applying to” menu you will be able to check on the status of your applications (see above), the date it was mailed is the (postmark) transmission date. You should give some time for the college to process the transcript within their system (generally 2-4 weeks)

Requesting Teachers For Letters of Recommendation

What is in a college application? STUDENT Sends In: STUDENT Sends In: Common Application or individual school applicationCommon Application or individual school application The bulk of the application The bulk of the application Lists all of biographical info, your school history, your classes, your activities, short and long essays Lists all of biographical info, your school history, your classes, your activities, short and long essays Supplements Supplements Standardized Tests: SAT I, SAT II, ACTStandardized Tests: SAT I, SAT II, ACT Students go to collegeboard.org or actstudent.org and send their scores to EACH school. This is not automatic and can take up to 6 weeks. Students go to collegeboard.org or actstudent.org and send their scores to EACH school. This is not automatic and can take up to 6 weeks. Schools have different requirements- student responsibility Schools have different requirements- student responsibility Schools will take your best scores in each category Schools will take your best scores in each category Not necessary to take test more than 3 times Not necessary to take test more than 3 times

What is in a college application? COUNSELOR Sends In: COUNSELOR Sends In: School ProfileSchool Profile A snapshot of our school and community A snapshot of our school and community Your transcriptYour transcript All final average grades from every class 9 th grade-current senior year grades All final average grades from every class 9 th grade-current senior year grades Your GPA and class rank on your transcript Your GPA and class rank on your transcript Secondary School ReportSecondary School Report Lists all of your senior year classes, your GPA, rank, asks counselor about your academic history, your integrity Lists all of your senior year classes, your GPA, rank, asks counselor about your academic history, your integrity School Counselor RecommendationSchool Counselor Recommendation We talk about your academics, your extra curricular activities, and your character We talk about your academics, your extra curricular activities, and your character

What is in a college application? TEACHER Sends In: TEACHER Sends In: Teacher ReportTeacher Report Tells the school how long the teacher has known you, in what capacity. Asks teacher to evaluate you on everything from academic potential to your motivation to your character Tells the school how long the teacher has known you, in what capacity. Asks teacher to evaluate you on everything from academic potential to your motivation to your character Teacher RecommendationTeacher Recommendation Teachers often address your strengths in class as well as positive qualities they have noticed outside of class Teachers often address your strengths in class as well as positive qualities they have noticed outside of class

Teacher Recommendations Only put down the colleges to which you want that specific teacher to send your recommendation when you are requesting them. (i.e.. you only want Mrs. Green to send her recommendation to BU. You should tell Mrs. Green to only submit to BU. (not to all the colleges to which you’re applying). Only put down the colleges to which you want that specific teacher to send your recommendation when you are requesting them. (i.e.. you only want Mrs. Green to send her recommendation to BU. You should tell Mrs. Green to only submit to BU. (not to all the colleges to which you’re applying). It is important that you do your research and find out how many letters of recommendation each college requires/wants. With the new electronic submission, you can only send what the colleges requires. Therefore, if they want 2 recommendations, only two recommendations will be able to be sent electronically. You cannot submit more than that! It is important that you do your research and find out how many letters of recommendation each college requires/wants. With the new electronic submission, you can only send what the colleges requires. Therefore, if they want 2 recommendations, only two recommendations will be able to be sent electronically. You cannot submit more than that! DO NOT ask more teachers to write/submit recommendations than are wanted or accepted by the colleges because the teachers will not be able to submit them!

Teacher Questionnaire

Senior Year Stress?! Don’t let this happen…

The End