College Applications

A detailed overview for Senior Parents

Brief Reminders

• Sign up for the SAT/ACT (and SAT Subjects, if needed).

• College representatives visit CB West and present to students. Sign up through Naviance!

• Thoroughly review admissions requirements for your colleges.

• Use the tools available to you in Naviance to finalize the college list.• College Match, College Search, and Scattergrams.

• College reps DO check Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

2254transcripts sent last year

283transcript forms received so far

525 students in the Class of 2015

2 school counselors

1 Ms. Matthews

Apply to colleges

• Students will apply directly through the college website, or by using the Common Application.

• You may have the option to apply to some schools both ways; choose whichever method you prefer.

• If you have a few schools that you definitely want to apply to, start now… you don’t have to apply to all of your schools at once.

• Recommendations, transcripts, and SAT/ACTs don’t have to arrive at once.

Application Options

•Early Decision•A binding commitment to attend, if accepted. You can only apply to 1 school under ED.

•Early Action•May improve admissions chances and show interest, not binding. May apply to multiple schools.

•Set Deadlines•You must ensure all application materials are received prior to the set deadline.

•Rolling•Applications are accepted until space runs out; however, applying early is still encouraged.

Information for Applications

• Class Size

525

• GPA Scale

4.0 weighted

• Class Rank

CB doesn’t rank, students should mark “NA”

• Secondary School Reports / Application FormsWe do not need these forms, we only need a transcript request! We use similar forms in Naviance.

Early Decision & Common App

• Three parties need to sign the Common App Early Decision Agreement (EDA):• The student and parent will do their parts using the Common App

• The counselor will complete his or her part in eDocs on the Send tab.

• The student will use the Common App to specify that he or she is applying to a college using the early decision plan, and complete his/her part of the EDA in Common App.• An early decision application will have a special alert for the counselor on the

Send tab of Naviance.

Early Decision Agreement

The Common Application

• Create an account by going to www.commonapp.org (not “.com”)

• Write down your username and password, do not forget this!

• Important steps in completing Common App:• Complete the Profile and Education sections.

• List all of the colleges you are thinking about applying to.

• Click on “Recommenders and FERPA,” and complete the FERPA waiver.

• Start to apply to your Common App schools!

Common App & Naviance Link

• Immediately after completing the previous steps, login to your Naviance account to match your Common App account with Naviance.

• In Naviance, go to the Colleges tab.

• Click on “Colleges I’m Applying to,” and complete the steps listed.

• If you are not using Common App, click on “Not Needed.”

• Fill in the email address you used for your Common App account.

• Enter your Birthdate.

• Click “Match.”

Sending Transcripts / School Reports

• Download the Transcript Request Form from the West website.

• Turn a form in to Ms. Matthews for each college you’ve applied to.• Do not just drop the form off, she needs to talk to you each time.

• A parent will need to sign each Transcript Request Form, unless you are 18.

• The steps described MUST be completed before turning in your transcript form. We have a handout that will be sent through advisory this week.

• Under the Guidance department…

• Scroll down to the “Transcript Request” page.

• Print out a form for each college you have applied to.

Recommendations

• For counselors, check the box on the Transcript Request Form.• Students MUST fill out the survey in Naviance if you need a counselor recommendation.

• This must be done BEFORE Transcript Requests are turned in.

• For teachers, you cannot request through Naviance. You must contact teachers directly. You cannot choose from multiple recommendations, only ask two.• Teachers can send a recommendation through Naviance, or they will ask you for pre-

addressed/postage envelopes.

• You may need to give them a resume, or complete something. Give teachers plenty of time!

• Access the Class of 2015 Counselor Recommendation under the About Me tab of your Naviance account.

• If you need a counselor recommendation, be sure to complete this before turning in a transcript request.

Recommendations

• Please have your student confirm application requirements for each school• Penn State and the PA State System schools do not require

recommendations, and really do not want them sent (unless there are special circumstances they should be aware of).

• You don’t want to have teachers write a recommendation unless it is going to be used (counselors too )!

SAT/ACT Scores

• Scores are included on your transcript; however, some schools require you to send them “official” scores directly… check the admission requirements for each college/university.

• If you do need official scores sent, you must send your scores to each college through your CollegeBoard account and/or the ACT website.

• Also, check to see whether SAT Subject Tests are required.

Naviance

• You will be able to see when we send out your transcripts through Naviance. • Under “Colleges I’m Applying to,” take a look at “Office

Status”

• You’ll see Initial Materials Submitted or Pending

• Under Office Status:

“Initial Materials

Submitted”

or

“Pending”

Scholarships / Financial AidGenerally after the application process is complete

• Go to www.finaid.org

• Pretty thorough information.

• Become familiar with what aid exists, to help understand the actual costs you will face.

• Need based vs. Merit Aid vs. Scholarships

• Loans are considered “Aid”

Important Dates

• Financial Aid Night• November 12th, 7 PM at CB East HS

• Grant/Aid amounts will be explained by a college financial aid officer

• FAFSA Online System Opens• January 1st, 2015

• FAFSA Completion Night• February 11th at CB West HS Library (Time TBD)

• CSS Profile • Check individual college deadlines (as early as November)

Scholarships

• Naviance• Regularly updated list, sortable by deadline

• National Database Websites• Fastweb, SallyMae

• Individual Colleges/Merit Aid• Some will automatically consider your student for aid when they

apply

• Other schools require a separate application

Questions ?