1. Welcome to Olentangy Liberty High School
The College Application Process
Senior Parent Night 2018

2. Meet the Guidance Department
Angela Rafey (A-Cl)
Ron Waterwash (Co-Go)
Jill McGrew (Goddard) (Gr-Le)
Jenna Purlee (Li-O)
Brittany Vallier (P-Si)
Bobbie Sisko (Sk-Z)

3. Guidance Website & Twitter
-The Guidance Department has a Schoology Course called Counselor Corner: OLHS - all students have access to this course
-Use the site to access up-to-date important information, student services forms, links, resources, seminars, announcements, etc.
**Follow us on

4. Tonight’s Goals Understanding the college application process
Learning the role Naviance plays in the application process at LHS
Planning for college

5. Application Process

6. College Applications
Application (online) - Application fee required for most colleges
Written Essay - Students should have someone review their essays
Transcript Requests - All transcript requests must go through Naviance
Class Rank - we do not rank; however, you can request in writing (form) to have it placed on transcript. Once it’s on, it’s on permanently.
Transcripts will be available to submit starting mid-September
Letters of Recommendation - All letters of recommendation must go through Naviance
Check w/ each college - some require none; some require letters from certain individuals
Test Scores - All test scores MUST be official; you can request them through either or

7. Submit application to the college FIRST, THEN request transcripts/letters of recommendation
Ensures college already has a file started for your child (preventing lost materials)
DON’T PRINT OR DOWNLOAD ANY FORMS
Counselors use:
Our own Counselor Forms OR
Common App Counselor Form online
These get sent automatically with transcripts

8. How to Apply
FIRST visit the university website for application instructions
Coalition Application (
Use the Common Application ( whenever possible
Check if supplement is required
If an institution is not part of the Common Application, access their website directly to apply
READ directions:
Recommendation letters?
Scholarship deadlines?
Essays?
Secondary School Report?
Mid-year Report?
Deadlines?

9. The Common App Undergraduate admissions application
Nearly 600 schools linked to common app
One general application
Can add as many schools as needed
Complete each school’s supplemental materials
Common App & Naviance MUST be matched in order to send transcripts/recommendations
FERPA must be completed within the Common App BEFORE matching process

10. Application Boot Camp
Counselors will be available every Tuesday/Thursday during the month of October during 11th and 12th periods for any and all application questions.
Computers will be provided
No appointment necessary but students will need to sign in
Student Services Classroom

11. What Are Colleges Looking For?
Most Important Considerations:
GPA
Rigor of curriculum taken
ACT/SAT scores
Other Considerations:
Application essay
School/community involvement
Recommendation letters
How can you stand out among the pool of applicants?

12. Safe vs. Reach Schools
When applying to schools, students should create a list of:
Safe Schools - colleges where students know they will be accepted (meet all requirements)
Reach Schools - colleges where students may not be accepted (lower scores than average, highly competitive admissions process, etc.)

13. Early Decision vs. Early Action
Early Decision - Apply this way ONLY if your child is absolutely sure this is where he/she wants to go
Legally binding contract
You will withdraw your applications from all other schools once accepted
You will go to this school
Early Action - Apply this way if you want to take advantage of the opportunity to get an acceptance sooner than regular application students

14. Naviance

15. What Does Naviance Do? Students can: Do college searches
Sign up for college representatives visiting LHS
Request transcripts (MUST use Naviance for this)
Track transcript requests
Request letters of recommendation (MUST use Naviance for this)
Build a resume
Research careers
Do scholarship searches
Search for other types of financial aid

16. Naviance Website:connection.naviance.com/olentangylhs
Student username: address
i.e.
Student password: they picked
We recommended during Junior seminar last year to use OLHS+student ID#
i.e. OLHS48321
Or myolsd password

17. Transcript Request Notes
There is an option to request that test scores be sent
DO NOT CLICK; we do not send test scores
Request test scores be sent from and/or
Most colleges routinely send out notices immediately upon receiving a student’s application that they need (or do not have) the student’s transcript. This does not mean we haven’t sent it.
In most cases, you and your student can track the dates we send transcripts from LHS and the dates colleges receive them
Each transcript accompanied with an LHS School Profile
details Honors/AP Courses offered
grading scale
GPA ranges of students
Let’s colleges know LHS is an academically rigorous school
Please allow 10 working days notice BEFORE a deadline in order to complete transcript/letter of recommendation requests due to the volume of requests handled (see Important Dates slide)

18. Transcripts for NCAA Eligibility
First, go to NCAA website and register
Second, go to Naviance and request transcripts for NCAA Eligibility Center (same as for college transcript requests)

19. Naviance & College Visits @ LHS
Use Naviance to sign up for meetings with college representatives
Click “College Visits”

20. College Visit Reminders
Students must sign up AT LEAST a day in advance; they cannot sign up the day of a visit here at LHS
Students can be gone from a class THREE (3) times to meet with a college LHS
Students can meet with a college rep an unlimited number of times during study hall/lunch
Outside of school, students are allowed up to THREE (3) on-campus visits

21. ACT/SAT Testing

22. SAT Preparation
Students can go to for SAT preparation assistance
Download real, full-length practice tests
Watch videos with step-by-step solutions to problems that students missed
Math, Reading, and Writing tutorials of real, previously unreleased SAT problems

23. **LHS is an SAT test site** Register at www.collegeboard.com
SAT Dates
**LHS is an SAT test site**
Register at
Test Dates
August 25, 2018
October 6, 2018
November 3, 2018
December 1, 2018
March 9, 2019
May 4, 2019
June 1, 2019
Registration Deadlines
July 27th, 2018
September 7, 2018
October 5, 2018
November 2, 2018
February 8, 2019
April 6, 2019
May 3, 2019

24. **LHS is an ACT test site**
ACT Dates
**LHS is an ACT test site**
Register at
Test Dates
October 6, 2018
December 8, 2018
February 9, 2019
April 13, 2019
June 8, 2019
July 13, 2019
Registration Deadlines
September 7, 2018
November 2, 2018
January 11, 2019
March 8, 2019
May 3 , 2019
June 14, 2019

25. Scholarship & Financial Aid
October 10, Financial Aid Workshop
@ Liberty HS at 7:00 p.m.

26. Scholarships/Financial Aid
Financial Aid (Need Based)
Must complete FAFSA online (October 1)
Scholarship (Merit Based)
Primarily awarded by individual colleges
Local, regional, and national also available
students can locate all scholarships online through Naviance (check often)
NOTE: Many colleges have earlier application deadlines for scholarship consideration

27. FAFSA
Go to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website
FAFSA - FSA ID
Students and parents will create get his/her OWN FSA ID number
These numbers follow students through the rest of their higher education careers (KEEP THEM SAFE)
We recommend doing this now

28. Important Dates
October 18, Transcript request deadline for November 1st
November 8, Transcript request deadline for December 1st college application
December 3, Transcript request deadline for January 1st college application
October 1, FAFSA application available
February 15, FAFSA deadline for many colleges
April 1, Deadline for colleges to communicate financial aid packages
May 1, National College Declaration Day
May 19, p.m. Schottenstein Center (OSU)

29. District Seminars for Parents & Students
September 13, Preparing for the College Admission and Selection Process
@ Orange HS at 7:30 p.m.
October 7, Suburban College Fair
@ Otterbein University from 1-3:30
October 10, Financial Aid Workshop
@ Liberty HS at 7:00 p.m.
November 15, Education Options
@ Olentangy HS at 7:00 p.m.
December 6, College Credit Plus
@ Berlin HS at 7 p.m.
March 24, NACAC National College Fair
@ Columbus Convention Center -

30. Final Thoughts... Overwhelmed? Don’t worry; we’re here to help
Encourage your son/daughter to talk to his/her counselor
Senior seminars are next week and will be full of helpful information for your child
Thank you :)

31. Q & A Session