1. James Hubert Blake High School College Night
“Nuts & Bolts”
THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS
September 13, 2018

2. Application Process Four year Institutions Two year Community Colleges
Career & Technical Schools

3. How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
Target
Safe
Reach
No magic number
6-8 is about right
Make arrangements to visit college campuses and meet with admission reps who visit Blake.

4. Four Year College Applications
Application – Biographical Data
Common Application (
Coalition Application (
Black Common App (
Application Fee – ranges from $0 - $90
Official Transcript – GPA & Courses
Official Test Scores – sent from College Board or ACT
– Test optional colleges
Essay
Letters of Recommendation – teacher & counselor
Audition/Portfolio/Interview – specific to colleges

5. College Admission Vocabulary
Early Decision: Binding Early Action Priority: Best Chance to be Admitted Rolling Admission: Apply Early! Regular Admission Open Admission: MC

6. The UMCP Application Priority deadline is November 1.
Submit by this date for best chance of admission & consideration for Honors, Gemstone, Scholars, & merit scholarships.
90% of the class will be selected from these applicants.
Test scores need to be sent directly from ACT or College Board to College Park. Request no later than October 1st.
Request official transcript no later than October 11.
Apply using the Coalition App, mycoalition.org

7. Score Reporting Send official scores: SAT www.collegeboard.org
ACT
4 free score reports if requested during registration; after test-$12 each
Blake HS does NOT mail/fax test scores.
*Many colleges award scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores as well as GPA.

8. Blake College/Career Center Website
Access College Information, Scholarships, Financial Aid, College Testing and Preparation
Blake H.S. Code
210959
Required for SAT or ACT registration and college applications

9. (See or email your Counselor if you need your password reset)
Use Naviance Student
(See or your Counselor if you need your password reset)

10. College Visits in College/Career Center
Sign up on Naviance Student at least one day in advance
Click Register Now, then View Details. Print Page & Get Signed by Teacher (subject to classroom teacher’s approval)

11. Search for Colleges in Naviance
School Type (2 or 4 yr)
Location
Student Body - Enrollment Size
Majors & Minors
Athletics
Cost + Financial Aid
Special Programs (clubs, newspaper, band, ROTC, etc)

12. Benny Bengal considers Frostburg

13. Colleges I’m Thinking About

14. Move colleges to “colleges I’m applying to” before you turn in Transcript Request Form
Colleges MUST be posted here to send your transcripts.
Note the submissions type and deadline.
Use the COMMON APPLICATION for all CA schools.
Use the COALITION APP for Maryland, Virginia Tech, Florida & Washington

15. IMPORTANT: Link your Common Application account to your Naviance account
Steps to link your Common App account to your Naviance account: Watch the quick video on the Naviance Home Page with step by step instructions.
Make sure to sign the FERPA waiver & authorization on the Common App. Choose “Yes, I waive my rights to read my letters of recommendation.”
Colleges want students to waive their rights to read their recommendations so they know that the letters were written freely without the students looking over their teachers’ and counselor’s shoulders. There is an explanation of this on the Common App website under “Recommendations” on each college’s specific questions.
Create a common app account
Add at least one college
On the Education tab, find Blake HS
Go back to the College tab, click on Recommendations

16. How to Request a Teacher Recommendation
Ask early in PERSON
at a convenient time for the teacher
Provide the teacher with the blue “Request for Recommendation Letter” form with colleges and deadlines listed.
Addressed envelopes with postage (if college does not accept electronic submission)
Copy of resume is suggested
Add teacher in Naviance Student.
Check in with teachers closer to deadlines.

17. Teacher Recommendations
AFTER speaking to the teacher in person, submit a REQUEST to the teacher on Naviance.
From the Colleges tab in Naviance Student, click on Letters of Recommendation

18. On the recommendation request page, click on the blue Add Request button to submit requests, one teacher at a time.

19. Step 1: Select a teacher from the drop-down Note: Counselor letters do not fall under this category.

20. Step 2: Review the colleges and check one or more boxes to indicate which schools the teacher should be sending the letter of recommendation.
Note the # of required and # of allowed recommendations for each school.
Colleges are pulled directly from your “colleges I’m applying to” list

21. Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher
Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher. Click the SAVE button at the bottom of the screen.

22. See the Registrar Ms. Marks (15 school days in advance of deadline)
Complete Transcript Request Form
1-3 transcripts = free
4 or more transcripts = $3 each
Envelopes w/postage stamps (if required)
Addressed to college’s admission office
Scholarship transcripts

23. Transcript Request Form (return to Ms. Marks, Registrar)
Complete with parent signature

24. Secondary School Report
LET’S REVIEW
STUDENT SUBMITS:
BLAKE SUBMITS:
Transcript
(Transcript Request Form)
Application
Secondary School Report
SAT/ACT Scores
Counselor Recommendation
(Student/Parent Reflection Forms)
Teacher Recommendation
(Blue Form)
Blake School Profile
Application Fee

25. Two Year College Applications (Montgomery College)
Simple Online Application. Beginning October 1st FREE for MCPS students!!
No Essay or Recommendations or Transcript
Due Date for MC Scholars & Macklin Business Scholars is in Jan Separate application.
Official transcript and letters of recommendation required.
Apply at montgomerycollege.edu

26. MC College Ready Scores
Accuplacer determines if you need remedial, non-credit courses in college
MCPS Accuplacer October 10, 2018

27. Blake P.O.S.T. Expo, Dec. 4, 6:30 – 8 pm
CAREER TECH SCHOOLS
Application deadlines - 2nd semester.
Apply to Career Tech schools after contact with admission office.
Check MHEC website for accreditation
Blake P.O.S.T. Expo, Dec. 4, 6:30 – 8 pm

28. FAFSA opens October 1 Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Financial Aid Workshop
Wednesday
October 3, 7:00 pm
Amphitheater

29. Scholarships Start NOW, don’t wait until the Spring
Follow ESSAY prompts carefully!
Discuss your personal financial need
Adhere to all Deadlines! Be neat!
There is MONEY out there, but you have
to find it
Utilize links on College/Career Center webpage

30. Scholarship Transcript Request Form
Request in advance
Provide addressed envelope w/postage and transcript fee.
See registrar if online transcript required.

31. School Counseling Staff
Ms. Conter A - Card
Ms. Smith Care - F
Ms. Hayes G – Kar
Mr. Tolbert Kas - Man
Ms. Baer Mao - Par
Mr. Thomas Pas - She
Ms. Costenbader Shi - Z
Mrs. Prochnow College & Career Coordinator
Ms. Marks School Registrar
TBD ACES Coach

32. Just think, this time next year you can rent out their room!!
Questions?
Just think, this time next year you can rent out their room!!