Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, and Family Connection Oh my! The technical part of requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation for your college application!

How does my student request documents? Transcripts: Students need to submit the yellow Transcript Request Form to Ms. Studenick Also need to request transcripts on Family Connection by adding schools/universities to “Colleges I’m Applying To” Helpful video (watch until 2:29, the rest does not apply to our students): https://vimeo.com/144143529

Scroll down the computer screen Students will see this at the top of the screen, this is important, but we’ll come back to this. For now, they would scroll to the bottom of the page to start adding colleges they are applying to.

OR Search for College by name or by “College Picker” a pre-sorted grouping of popular colleges FHS students apply to.

George Mason University was typed in “look up by name” and all campus options popped up. Students need to be sure to select the correct school---GMU in Fairfax---not international campuses.

After selecting a college, students can indicate which Decision Type they are going for (Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, Rolling, etc).

Students can see the list of schools they are applying to Students can see the list of schools they are applying to. They can view their Decision Type, Deadline, they can see how they have to submit their documents (CA, Direct to Institution, or snail mail), they can make edits to any of this, and still add additional schools to apply to. If they have a “CA” (Common Application School) they need to complete the Common Application and link it to Family Connection. (at the top of this page on their computer screen)

What is the Common Application? An undergraduate admissions application that applicants can use to apply to any of the 700+ member colleges Basic demographic information is put into this application and can be sent to multiple schools, simplifying the process of collecting information in one place This prevents students from repeating details of their background, education, activities, and testing, over and over in applications Member institutions may also require unique college-specific questions or supplemental questions related to their particular school. If you need help….. http://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/five-things-applicants-need-know-about-2017-2018-common-app

The list of the Most Applied to Colleges/Universities by Freedom students in the past three years. All schools highlighted in yellow are Common Application schools.

Now, students need to match their Common Application with their Family Connection account. Follow the 2 steps above, enter the same email address used for both the Common Application and Family Connection, student Date of Birth and click “Match”. This will now allow counselors and teachers to submit documents. We cannot send documents for Common Application schools without having Matched the accounts!

Letters of Recommendation: For Teacher Recommendation (if required): 1)Student asks teacher in person 2) Students Provide the green Teacher Recommendation Form to the teacher (at least 15 school days in advance) 3) Student needs to request teacher letter of recommendation through Family Connection * Teachers provide: a letter of rec and if sending to Common App school, a CA teacher evaluation will accompany letter. “Cheat Sheet” will be provided to students in their 1 on 1 meeting packet on how to do this through Family Connection https://vimeo.com/181063284/f1f004ab52 “Cheat Sheet” will be provided to students in their 1 on 1 meeting packet on how to do this through Family Connection https://vimeo.com/181063284/f1f004ab52

If student wants to use a RECOMMENDER outside of FHS: For Common Applications—student selects “other RECOMMENDER” on the Common App and inputs their name, title, and email address. For Non-Common Application “other” RECOMMENDER--have the RECOMMENDER email their recommendation to the school counselor at least 5 days prior to the first deadline needing the teacher letter of recommendation.

To request Letters of Recommendation through Family Connection—Under Colleges Tab My Colleges Letters of Recommendation

Select FHS teacher’s name from drop down options Select FHS teacher’s name from drop down options. Select which school(s) this teacher rec is going to. Write a brief note to your teacher. Submit the request!

Student’s will see the confirmation of their requested teacher recommendation. The teacher will then receive an email from Family Connection with the request.

For Counselors: No matter what, students need to provide the Transcript Request Form (at least 15 school days in advance)! To request a Counselor Letter of Recommendation, students need to provide Senior Worksheet to School Counselor along with the Transcript Request Form. Students must get the yellow transcript request form in to counselors 15 school days in advance of first deadline. If students need or would like a Counselor Letter of Recommendation, they also need to submit the Senior Worksheet along with the Transcript Request form (15 school days in advance). Counselors will automatically send midyear reports in early February when Semester One grades are available. Counselors will send a final transcript to the school the student plans to enroll in, after the student completes the Senior Survey on Family Connection this spring. Counselors send: Transcripts, School Profile, Secondary School Report, Letter of Rec, & if CA School—CA Counselor Evaluation Form. Counselors will automatically send midyear transcript and report to all colleges students applied to!

15 school days before college deadline IMPORTANT COLLEGE DEADLINES & SUBMISSION DATES BELOW Deadlines for giving *Teacher Recommendation Worksheet to teacher and *Senior Worksheet and *Transcript Request Form to Ms. Studenick: 15 school days before college deadline College Deadline *Forms due to Teacher and Counseling Office November 1, 2017 October 11, 2017 November 15, 2017 October 23, 2017 December 1, 2017 November 3, 2017 December 15, 2017 November 21, 2017 January 1, 2018 November 27, 2017 January 15, 2018 December 7, 2017 February 1, 2018 January 9, 2018 February 15, 2018 January 24, 2018 March 1, 2018 February 7, 2018

Happy Application Season!!