SENIOR PRESENTATION PVHS September 19, 2018

AGENDA The Application Process Student v. Counselor Responsibilities Naviance The Common Application The Essay Transcript Requests Letters of Recommendation Scholarships & Financial Aid Presenter- Melissa Zolla, William Paterson University Questions and Announcements

Applying to college is a team effort Students Parents Counselors Teachers

The application process Application & Payment SAT or ACT scores (CollegeBoard or ACTstudent) Teacher and Counselor Recommendations (Naviance) Transcript/ Secondary School Report & Profile

STUDENt responsibilities Student Meetings with Counselor: Discussion- Where are we at in the process Fill out Self-Profile Review Naviance Student and Ensure Common Application and Naviance are linked Turn in Transcript Approval Form Teacher Recommendations Speak with teacher in person (give adequate notice- ie: at least 3 weeks) Fill out Teacher Recommendation form Add teacher on Naviance Application Fill out appropriate application (School Application, Common Application, Coalition Application) Be mindful of supplemental materials that may be required (Essays, Forms) Send all required applications, materials, and payment prior to the school deadline

STUDENt responsibilities Send Standardized Test Scores SAT’s www.collegeboard.org ACT’s www.actstudent.org Fill out a Transcript Request Form and submit to guidance at least 2 weeks before the deadline Update Naviance Student indicating school you’ve applied to, which application was sent, and which deadline you were meeting (ie: Early Action, Early Decision, Priority, Rolling or Regular) Complete FAFSA with help from parent/guardian Update Naviance Student with Admissions Decisions (ie: Accepted, Denied, Deferred, Waitlisted)

Counselor responsibilities Meet with students to answer questions and keep the process moving Provide Student and Parent Workshops and Presentations Provide Students with a Counselor Letter of Recommendation Send the following documents: Official Transcript Copy of Secondary School Report and School Profile Teacher Recommendations Administer Senior Outcome Survey after May 1st

What is Naviance? Students can research colleges in depth Students can save research and a list of college that are of interest Students can keep a record of applications sent and decisions received Passaic Valley uses Naviance eDocs to send transcripts and student records electronically to over 8000 colleges in 100 countries https://student.naviance.com/pvhs

UPDATING NAVIANCE

TYPES OF APPLICATIONS and deadlines

the common application Over 740 colleges and universities, both private and public One application sent to multiple schools Must be linked to Naviance account to send transcripts electronically (Directions in Senior Packet) Completion of a FERPA waiver allowing Common App to communicate with Naviance Create account, fill out application and file online at www.commonapp.org

The essay Purpose: Things to keep in mind A sample of a student’s writing ability A sample of how well a student presents his/her topic A window into the student’s personality Things to keep in mind Stay within the word limit Should breathe life into the application Clearly present your position Be honest; write about what you know, believe and support Proofread! MAY NOT ALWAYS BE DIRECTLY INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION

Transcript requests Located in the senior packet and additional copies in guidance Last step of the application process One per application Must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the school’s deadline Must have a transcript approval form on file before any transcripts can be sent out

TEST OPTIONAL and Self reporting Students often “self report” their high school courses and grades on their application Many schools still request a high school transcript be sent, but others use an entirely self-reported system Examples of schools that require a Self-Reported Academic Record as a separate portion of the application process: Rutgers, University of Florida, University of Pittsburgh, University of California Test Optional Many school are now allowing students to omit Standardized Test Scores from their applications. Please read each school’s testing policy carefully as some will require additional materials if choosing this option.

Scholarships and financial aid Where Do I find them? Naviance Monthly newsletter Colleges & Universities The Internet www. fastweb.com www.raise.me Financial Aid FAFSA opens October 1st https://fafsa.ed.gov/ For More Information attend our PVHS Financial Aid Night Wednesday, October 3rd

Final reminders Apply early and give your teachers and counselors adequate time to prepare and send your records Call the colleges and speak to admissions representatives BEFORE contacting your counselor to check if materials have been received (allow at least 2 weeks of processing time once PV has sent your materials) Don’t Panic! https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=Dac2iUM2RM8