1. College Application Process
A-F Mrs. Williams
G-N Mr. Humphries
O-Z Mrs. Swartz
All 9th graders Mrs. Cook
School Counseling Secretary
Mrs. Hollins

2. College Entrance Exams
ACT: October 26 and December 14, 2019
Registration Deadline September 20th and November 8th
SAT: October 5, November 2, and December
Registration Deadline September 6th, October 3th and November 8th .
SAT Subject tests required for admissions for selective universities
October and November Test Dates are Recommended. Test given at CSHS on those dates. Register online. Prep materials in Career Center

3. College Visits
Dates posted on Blackboard under CSHS Counseling News organization and listed on CSHS website, select departments, then Counseling Center
Attend Campus Open Houses or schedule a campus visit
Look for opportunities for fee waivers or early acceptance options
More than 40 colleges visit each year. Information from college preference sheets will be used to inform students of visits and scholarships
Please sign up for college visits in advance

4. College Day September 17, 2019 Salem Civic Center 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Great opportunity to meet with admission counselors from 80+ colleges
More information can be found on Bb

5. Career Expo September 18, 2019 Salem Civic Center
4-7pm for high school seniors
Bring resume to share with potential employers

6. Letters of Recommendation
Determine if your college will accept letters of recommendation and how many
Ask teachers who know you well to write a letter of recommendation. Give at least 2 weeks notice for recommender to compose the letter
Recommenders should be invited to submit online for Common App, Coalition, or college website
All other rec. letters need to be submitted to Counseling secretary for Parchment upload
Send a thank you note to recommenders.
Letters should speak to your academic and intellectual ability and classroom leadership. Some colleges do not want them.
Make sure that your teachers are aware if you are doing an on-line recommendation form. On-line common app recommendations.

7. College Applications How Many Should I Send?
Reach or dream school
Good Fit School
Safety School
Should aim for five applications.

8. How to Apply The standard method for college applications is online
The application will be available on the college’s website
Use the Common Application or Coalition Application for all schools that accept it. or

9. Application Deadlines
Rolling Admissions
Regular Decision
Early Action (necessary for some scholarships)
Early Decision
Binding
Not for athletes or special talent
Must reply before financial aid package available
At certain schools the early action deadline must be met in order to be eligible for academic scholarships
*Check with individual schools for deadlines*

10. Filling Out Your Application
Complete Release of Information form- Colleges and NCAA
Fill out the application, including essays. Proofread & spell check
Students need to use Parchment to order transcripts.
Print Secondary School Report form. Bring to School Counseling Secretary, Mrs. Hollins, to upload to Parchment, if not available to send online.
If your child has taken any dual enrollment classes you will need to request a transcript from VWCC to be sent to colleges/universities
Save a copy of the application. Report forms will be turned in to the Guidance Secretary. Be sure to complete the student portion of the secondary report form/counselor form. Transcript request forms can be found in guidance and posted on-line at CSHS Bb- Counseling News. Online request for VWCC is preferred.

11. DEADLINES
All transcript orders for colleges with January 15th deadline or before need to be placed by November 15, 2019.
Early Decision/Early Action transcript orders are due 2 weeks before application deadline.
Pay careful attention to all deadlines!
You may go ahead and submit your requests for transcripts and you can continue to work on your applications.

12. Financial Aid
Complete any financial forms requested by the college when you apply for admissions—Some schools have a separate Financial Aid Application
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) filed between October 1 and the school’s priority deadline
Some colleges require a CSS Financial Aid Profile (
Financial aid decisions are mailed mid-March to mid-April usually with admissions decisions

13. Financial Aid Workshop
October 8, 2019 at 6:00 pm
Hidden Valley High School
General financial aid information
Tips for completing FAFSA given by college financial aid officer
Super Saturday, usually in February, college financial aid offices open and financial aid personnel will help you fill out your FAFSA

14. Scholarships
A scholarship list is posted on your student’s Blackboard; also, check college website
Links to scholarship search engines are available on Blackboard
Pay attention to Honor Scholarships for schools that your student has interest in and their deadlines.
Transcripts for scholarships need to be requested at least two weeks prior to the scholarship deadline

15. Athletics
NCAA Clearinghouse Registration for Division I or II prospects after speaking with your coach
Add NCAA to your release form
Place transcript order on Parchment

16. Senior Interviews Counselors will meet individually with each senior
From September 9th – September 27th
Credit Checks for graduation
Post-graduation plans