Welcome to
Senior Year!
Ms. Raffay A-F
Mrs. Gilsdorf G-M
Ms. Cooper N-Z
Agenda for Tonight
• Tonight:
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Where is your student at in the process?
Application Deadlines Review
How to Apply to College – 8 (fairly simple) Steps
Reminders & Final Thoughts
Guest Speaker presentation on admissions process to
selective schools
• Thursday – Hands-On Naviance
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Common App Account
Signing the FERPA form
Finding online application materials
How to fill out a BLUE Form
How to fill out a request for Teacher Letter O’ Rec.
What have you done so far?
• Narrowed your list to 5-8 schools for application?
– 1-2 Reach schools
– 3-4 Likely schools
– 1 Safety school
• Visits?
• Conversations with your parents about where to apply?
• Locating applications?
GHS Class of 2011
Postsecondary Plans
% of
students
4 Yr College
80.9%
2 Yr College
4.5%
Military
1.8%
Employed
2.7%
Other
7.8%
In-State
71.5%
Out of State
28.8%
GHS Class of 2011
Application Information
# of Students
221
Avg. GPA
3.20
Avg. SAT
1675
Avg. ACT
23
Total Submitted Apps
783
Apps./student
3.5
% of students accepted to
all colleges applied
79%
“College is a match
to be made, not a
prize to be won.”
-Frank Sachs, The Blake School
Handout!
Take out  Definitions of
Admission Options in Higher
Education
Green Sheet
Types of Application Deadlines
Regular Decision:
• Students submit an application by a specified
date and receive a decision in a clearly stated
period of time.
- Kenyon College  January 15, 2012
- Miami University  February 1, 2012
- College of Wooster  February 15, 2012
Commitment Level: Non-binding
Types of Application Deadlines
Rolling Admission:
• Institutions review applications as they are
submitted and render admission decisions
throughout the admission cycle until a
specified deadline.
- Ohio State  February 1, 2012
- Bowling Green State University  February 1, 2012
Commitment Level: Non-binding
Types of Application Deadlines
Early Action:
• Students apply early and receive a decision
well in advance of the institution’s regular
response date.
- The College of Wooster  November 15, 2011
- Miami University  December 1, 2011
Commitment Level: Non-binding
Types of Application Deadlines
Early Decision:
• Students make a commitment to a first-choice
institution where, if admitted they definitely
will enroll. The application deadline and
decision deadline occur early.
- The College of Wooster  November 15, 2011
- Miami University  December 1, 2011
Commitment Level: Binding!
Types of Application Deadlines
Priority Deadline:
• Students apply by a specified deadline to be
considered for a full range of
scholarships/housing preferences, etc.
- The Ohio State University  December 1, 2012
- The College of Wooster  January 15, 2012
- University of Cincinnati  February 1, 2012
Commitment Level: Non-binding
Types of Application Deadlines
Beware of Special Program Deadlines
(specific majors, Colleges within the university, scholarships etc.)
- College of the Conservatory of Music @ University of Cincinnati 
November 1, 2011
- College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning (DAAP) at University
of Cincinnati  December 1, 2011
- College of Engineering & Applied Science @ University of Cincinnati
 December 1, 2011
Commitment Level: Non-binding
Your role is…
• To determine what type of deadlines your
schools offer (on the website, Naviance, etc.)
• Now, figure out what deadline works best for
you!
Application Components
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Name and address, the basics
Transcript
Official test scores
Essay (when requested)
Supplements as required by colleges
Teacher letter of recommendation (when required)
Counselor letter of recommendation (when
required)
• Secondary school report/ counselor report
• Résumé or activity list
Go to Page 2!
Step 1: Go to page 3
1. Have all of the appropriate
accounts set up!
- Naviance: Have a valid Naviance Student
Account
- Common Application: Create a Common App
Account & write down your username &
password!
- FERPA: Complete the FERPA waiver in
Naviance.
Step 2: Go to page 4
2. Fill out your application(s).
- Many colleges and universities
have their own application.
- Others use the Common
Application.
Step 3: Go to page 2
3. Add all of your colleges to
which you are planning to apply
in a listing under the Naviance
"Colleges" tab.
* You must have this step done before we
can send your transcript.
Step 4: Go to page 5
4. Determine the Naviance
"Submissions” type for your
Colleges.
Step 5:
5. Have official SAT &
ACT scores sent directly
from the testing agency
to your particular
college.
- www.collegeboard.org
- www.actstudent.org
Yellow Sheet
SAT Subject Tests
• Remember you can sign up for a maximum
of 3 subject tests on any SAT regular test
date
– Usually 1 hour for each subject test
– You do not take the regular SAT on the same
day as the subject tests
• www.compassprep.com
– Find out which schools require subject tests!
Test Prep Opportunities
• See Mr. Bernath’s Blue Ace Update for
upcoming test prep opportunities:
– The CollegeSmiths (SAT & ACT)
www.collegesmiths.com
– Zaps (ACT)  www.zaps.com
– Granville Rec Department (PSAT & SAT Turbo
Camp)  www.granvillerec.org
• Other test prep opportunities will be included in Mr.
Bernath’s newsletter.
Step 6: Go to page #6
6. Request Teacher & Counselor
Letters of Recommendation
(if required by your colleges).
- Pick up extra Goldenrod Teacher
Letter Request forms in the Guidance
Office.
- Note: Not all colleges require or
request letters of recommendation.
- TWO WEEKS in advance (at least!)
Goldenrod Sheet
The more time you give us the better!
What if I already
requested teacher letters
using the old form?
The more time you give us the better!
Counselor Letter of
Recommendation
• Schedule a time to meet with your counselor
during a Study Hall period or before/after
school – IF A LETTER IS REQUIRED.
– We like to spend time getting to know your
passions so that we can write the best letter
possible.
– Holistic overview of you
The more time you give us the better!
Step 7: Go to page #7
7. Request your Transcript to be
sent to colleges via the BLUE
Form (AKA Transcript Request
Form).
- One BLUE Form for every school to
which you apply.
- We cannot send your transcript until we
have this form on file!
- TWO WEEKS before you want your
materials to be submitted!
Blue Sheet
VERY IMPORTANT!!!
You must have completed and
submitted your online application
for your schools before we can
send your transcript online.
You MUST turn in your BLUE form at least
Before you want your transcript to be sent!
See Important Guidance Deadlines!
Pink Sheet
What if I took a class for
Kenyon or COTC credit?
• IF YOU TOOK THE COURSES BEFORE
SENIOR YEAR:
– You will need to request that your Kenyon or
COTC transcript be sent to all of the colleges to
which you apply.
– Go to the Registrar’s website to download
transcript request forms.
• There is usually a fee associated with sending college
transcripts.
What if I took a class for
Kenyon or COTC credit?
• IF YOU ARE TAKING THE COURSES AS
A SENIOR (including OSU or Denison):
– You will need to request that your Kenyon, COTC,
OSU, or Denison transcript be sent to the college
you plan to attend.
– Go to the Registrar’s website to download
transcript request forms.
• There is usually a fee associated with sending college
transcripts.
Step 8: Go to page #8
8. You did it! Let Guidance know
of application outcome.
- After all that work, your counselor
is eager to know of your admissions
outcome.
- Please keep us updated, especially if
you have been waitlisted, as it is
important to follow-up with the
college.
- Please see the additional helpful
information page!
How do I keep track
of it all?
1.
Use your “How to Apply to College” packet
2.
Stay organized!
What other students do:
• Folders  Make a folder for all of your
college-related papers.
• Lists  List each school in the order of the
first deadline you are trying to meet.
• Excel Sheets  Use Excel to keep track of
each school, deadlines, cost, etc.
• Naviance  has deadlines and links to the
college’s website
What Your School Counselor
Does NOT Send to Colleges
• Test Scores
• Transcripts from Kenyon, COTC,
OSU, or Denison
• Teacher Letters of Recommendation
A few Reminders…
Sports in College
• If you may play Division I or II athletics in
college, you must register with the NCAA
eligibility center at www.eligibilitycenter.org
• Verify you have completed all necessary courses
to be eligible for NCAA DI or DII athletics
A few Reminders…
• Students should allow at least TWO WEEKS notice for the
following:
– Transcript Requests
– Teacher Letters of Recommendation (if required)
– Counselor Letter of Recommendation (if required)
• Use your Senior Timeline handout
Salmon Sheet
• Last year, guidance processed 783 applications.
• Don’t wait! We are occasionally out of the office for
conferences and college visits.
A few Reminders…
• Remember to apply to a safety school, “possibility”
schools, and a “reach” school
• Have weekly meetings with your parents to talk
about your progress
• Schedule final college visits and interviews if
necessary
• Technology first impressions
Upcoming Application
Work Sessions
September:
• Monday, Sept. 19  3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
October:
• Monday, Oct. 3  3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 21 - COTA DAY!  9:00 a.m.
– 11:00 a.m.
November - May
• Scholarships  new ones are posted on the
wall in Guidance daily!
• Please check the bulletin board for local
scholarship options!
• Continue to look for additional scholarships
offered by your schools or national
competitions.
January 2012
• FAFSA  Free Application for Federal
Student Aid
– File as soon after January 1, 2012 as possible.
– Determines whether or not you are eligible for
federal grants, loans, and sometimes
scholarships!
January 2012
• Mid-year Reports  Guidance office will
send these automatically to every school
you have applied.
– You do not need to bring us anything!
May 1, 2012
• Deposit Deadline  Colleges have a reply
date of May 1st, by which you must confirm
with an acceptance letter and deposit to
attend your school of choice!
Start NOW!
“We cannot do everything at once,
but we can do something at once.”
- Calvin Coolidge
Stress?
One step at
a time!
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* Resources *
Your Counselor
Parents & Friends
Naviance
Online search tools
GHS Website 
www.granville.k12.oh.us/ghs
Breathe. Relax.
Know that you will go to college
somewhere.
Questions & Comments