1. OSBOURN PARK HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2017
WELCOME TO YOUR SENIOR YEAR!!

2. SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Ms. Pamela Gardner- Director of School Counseling
Mrs. Maureen Andrada- A-B
Ms. Suzanne Salvo- C-FE
Mrs. Shronda Peake- FI-JENKINS
Ms. Lillian Orlich- JEO-MELE
Mrs. Keisha Mercer- MELG-POR
Ms. Taylor Oakley- POS-SLY
Mrs. Eleanor Engler- SM-Z
Mrs. Melissa Bach- A-Z Pre-Governor’s & Governor’s School
Mrs. Margy Stielper- Secretary
Mrs. Alicia Halter- Secretary
Mrs. Tammi Hayter- Testing Coordinator
Mrs. Toni Gibson - Registrar

3. ASK YOURSELF NOW!
WHERE DO YOU
WANT TO GO??
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO AS A CAREER?
WHAT TYPE OF LIFESTYLE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?

4. Family Connections/Naviance
College search tool
College/Career planning tool
Scholarship Information
College Visit Information
College Application tracking
Transcript Request tool
A great tool for all seniors to use for post high school planning!!

5. Family Connection/Naviance
Logging in to Naviance:
Go to the OPHS website. Click “School Counseling” on the left hand side of the page. Click on the “Family Connection” Link
Your user id is your student number
Your password is your birthdate, eight digits DD/MM/YYYY
After you login in the first time, change your passcode and write it down in a safe place.

6. College Visits at OPHS
Our college visits start in September each year. Find out when your college(s) of interest will be here and sign up today!
Click on the Colleges tab and view all upcoming college visits
Sign up for your college visit of interest
Print the confirmation page and show it to your teacher to be dismissed from class
Dismissal is at your teacher’s discretion
You can also search for a college under the College Research section under the Colleges tab

7. The College Application Process
It is the student’s responsibility to check the admission requirements for each college.
Now is the time to research the application process for each college which may differ depending on the college. Examples include:
Common Application
School’s Individual Application
Apply to at least 3-6 colleges.
It the student’s responsibility to submit the application directly to the college or university. Students should complete the application prior to requesting a transcript through Family Connection/Naviance.

8. GPA and Rank
Senior grades are important! Class Rank and GPA are computed at the end of the first semester and at the end of the year. At the end of the first semester, the new GPA and Class Ranking are sent to all of the colleges to which the student has applied.
GPA: A grade point average is a number representing the average value of the accumulated final grades earned in courses over time. More commonly called a GPA, a student's grade point average is calculated by adding up all accumulated final grades and dividing that figure by the number of grades awarded.
Class Rank: is a mathematical summary of a student's academic record compared to those of other students in the class. It usually takes into account both the degree of difficulty of the courses a student is taking (AP®, honors, college-preparatory or regular courses) and the grade the student earns.
GPA can significantly differ depending on the school a student attends. Some high schools weigh certain courses and others do not so a 3.7 GPA at one school may be equivalent to a 4.5 GPA at another school, therefore, colleges consider GPA and class rank together to see what a student's GPA means at a particular school. The knowledge that student with a 3.7 is in the top 5% of her class seems a lot more impressive than if she is in the bottom 20% or if no information on rank is provided. Our transcripts indicate GPA and Class Rank.

9. The Common Application
The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any one of its 700 partnering colleges
Create your account
Add your schools
Know Each College’s Specific Requirements
Gather Your General Application Info
Transcripts, extracurricular activities, test scores/date for college entrance exams, and parent/guardian info
Visit
If you are applying to a school that uses the Common Application, you must sign the FERPA waiver within the common app
You must then match your common app to your Naviance account in order for the counselor to complete the necessary forms
Matching your common app is done by logging into your Family Connection/Naviance account & entering your address in the blue box at the top of the “colleges I’m applying to” screen

10. Types of College Application Deadlines
Early Action- Usually Nov. 1 or 15th Deadline- Non-binding. Admission based on end of year grades from junior year and SAT/ACT received by deadline.
Early Decision- Nov. 1st or 15th as well- Binding
Regular Decision- Ranges depends on the school. Decision usually includes semester grades from Senior Year.
Priority Deadline- Varies by school…Nov-Dec timeframe to be considered for scholarships
*Colleges will receive mid year and final transcripts and reserve the right to rescind acceptance based on Senior Year performance
Student must indicate in Family Connection/Naviance the type of admission-Early Decision, Regular Decision

11. Community College/Technical Programs
Northern Virginia Community College
Apply online
Request HS transcripts
Take a placement test in English and math
Guaranteed Admissions agreements (GAA) after earning your Associates Degree!

12. Requesting a Transcript
You must submit a signed authorization for release of educational record (parental consent) form before you will be able to request transcripts
ALL transcripts must be requested through Family Connection/Naviance
Login to the Naviance website
Select the “colleges” tab
Click the “transcript” link on the left hand side of the page.
You must select the type of application you are submitting (e.g. early decision, early action, regular…)
Find and select the name of the college you wish to apply to by using the “lookup” link
Click “Request Transcript” at the bottom of the page
***Each student is allowed three free transcripts. Each additional transcript will cost $ Any unpaid balance is due by June 1***

13. Verifying Your Transcript Request
Once you request your transcript(s), click on the “Colleges I’m applying to” tab to verify those requests
Make sure that you have selected the correct Type for your application (regular decision, early decision, early action………)
Make sure to pay attention to the “Submissions” column. If there is a question mark in the computer icon, then that particular institution allows you to submit your application directly through that college’s website or by using the common app.
If there is a question mark, it is very important that you click on the I’m not sure yet link to let us know if you applied directly to the institution or using common app so that we can make sure that your transcripts are sent thru the right portal
If you find a mistake on one or your request(s), click on the Edit icon for that particular college to make updates to your information

14. Requesting Teacher Recommendations
Meet with the teacher you are requesting the recommendation from in person and give them a copy of the Letter of Recommendation form.
Login to the Family Connection/Naviance website
Click on the Colleges tab
Click on Letters of Recommendation
Click Add Request
Click on the drop down menu and select the teacher’s name
If the teacher is only doing a recommendation for one school (or select schools), be sure to check the box beside the college(s), indicate it in the comments section, and mention it when meeting with the teacher. **There’s also a ‘select all’ option if you would like for your teacher to submit the letter to all of your colleges
Click Save to send your request to the teacher.
Click on the ‘x’ next to the request to cancel

15. Completing the Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire
Log into your Naviance/Family Connection account and click on the About Me tab
Click on counselor recommendation questionnaire in the top left corner (under Surveys to take)
Complete the form and Click Save to submit your answers
This document should be completed and available to your counselor for the purpose of completing the Student Secondary Report and recommendations for college and scholarship applications.

16. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Know application deadlines Know application fees
Know financial aid deadlines
The OPHS College Admissions Handbook is a great Resource and can be found on the OPHS Counseling webpage or simply copy and paste the link below

17. ACT/SAT SAT Test dates: ACT Test dates: Oct. 1st Sept. 10th Nov. 5th
Oct. 22nd
Dec. 3rd
Dec 10th
Jan 21st
Feb 11th
Mar 11th
Apr. 8th
May 6th
June 10th
June 3rd
SAT Registration/Practice:
ACT Test Registration & Information:
Test Registration Fee Waivers – See your counselor
**OPHS on-site test dates are hi-lighted in blue**

18. FAFSA Form FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(official website)
Forms available October 1, 2016
Scholarships – merit & need based
OP’s Money Tree

19. NCAA Eligibility There are new requirements for college-bound student
athletes enrolling full time at an NCAA Division I college or
university on or After August 01, 2016
Minimum core-course GPA of 2.3 required for completion
Ten core courses required before beginning of senior year for competition
Changes in GPA/test score index (sliding scale)
To register and view all updates, visit the clearinghouse website
Visit the following link to view a detailed Powerpoint of the changes

20. PWC College Fair Night
Battlefield High School on Monday, Sept. 26th from 6 to 8 p.m.
Garfield High School on Thursday, Oct. 13th from 6 to 8 p.m.
**Students may register online at prior to the fair.

21. U.S. Armed Forces Branches Service Opportunities Army Air Force
Active Duty
Navy
Enlisted
Commissioned
Marines
Reserve
Coast Guard
National Guard
Opportunities
ROTC/Scholarships
Academy

22. Post High School Planning
Counselors will work with all members of the Class of 2017 to ensure that each student has a post high school plan .
Military recruiters and technical schools visit OPHS throughout the year.
Going straight to work? Be sure to discuss your options with your counselor.

23. Surviving Your Senior Year
If you are falling behind, see your counselor or another trusted adult
Talk to your teachers if you are having difficulty
Communicate with your parents
We want 100% of the
Class of 2017 to graduate!

24. Conclusion
Check with your counselor to ensure you are on track to graduate
Keep college application information updated through Family Connections
Study hard

25. Follow us on Twitter
@OPHSCounseling