Post-High School Planning: The College Application Process

Welcome Class of 2021!

EVERYTHING you need to KNOW & REVIEW from today is in this GUIDE !

ETHS College Application Guide 2020-2021

Post-High School PlanningYou have many OPTIONS for after high school . . .

In TODAY’s lesson, we focus on how to apply to 2- and 4-year colleges -> -> a multi-step process!

But there’s even more to come:

Sept. 16 - Virtual Career Pathway OPTIONS Info Session

Sept. 17 - Financial Aid Night

Oct. 7 & 14 - FAFSA Completion Days

Dec. 17 - HBCU Panel Discussion (tentative)

Considering options other than 2yr/4yr college?

Upcoming Career Exploration Events: Oct-Jan Career Pathways Info Sessions by Career Cluster

Oct 21 Manufacturing, Engineering & TradesNov 18 Health & SciencesDec 2 Arts & CommunicationJan 27 Finance & Business Services

Nov 9-13 Military Week

March 8-12 Kit Career Week

March 11 Career Options Night: Exploring Multiple Pathways

Let your counselor know immediately, so they can reach out to you to help you with your plan:

https://tinyurl.com/yxcm44fx

College Apps: Putting the Pieces Together

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Counselor and TeacherRecommendations?

Where should you be right now?● Finalizing your List of Schools

● Previewing Applications Online (Noting deadlines)

● Reviewing Unofficial Transcript (viewable on HAC Aug. 31)

● Meeting virtually with College Reps (Schedule on Naviance)

● Virtual Campus Visits

● Asking for Help (Your Counselor and/or College & Career Services)

Senior Grades Matter !

All admissions decisions are conditional upon satisfactory completion of senior year and your ability to maintain your grades through both 7th and 8th semesters.

If you are considering making a change to your senior course schedule after you apply . . .Be sure to first consult with the college(s) about the appropriateness of the change and how it might affect your admissions status. Report any change to the college(s).

Applying tocollege . . .

1. Online application 2. Requesting school documents be sent:● Official Transcript● School Report ● Counselor Recommendation Letter (when required)● ETHS School Profile● Application Fee Waiver (for students on free/reduced lunch)● Letter of explanation for AVID, Senior Studies, and/or STEAM DTI (if that applies)

3. Requesting Teacher Recommendation Letters (when required)4. Sending official test scores via www.act.org and/or www.collegeboard.org (SAT) unless the college is Test-Optional which MANY colleges are for this application cycle!

The Application

● Colleges use their own online application, the Common Application (www.commonapp.org) and/or the Coalition Application. You can complete one Common App for multiple schools.

● ETHS will automatically send your 7th semester senior grades / midyear transcript.

● Your final transcript will be sent to the school you will be attending upon completion of the Senior Graduation Survey.

Types of Application Deadlines (Guide, page 8)

Early Decision (Binding): Apply early & must make a commitment to attend if admitted. Must withdraw all other applications.

Early Action (Non-Binding): Apply early, typically in Nov., and receive an admission decision early, typically in Dec. You are not committed to enroll at that particular institution. You may apply to other colleges.

Restrictive/Single Choice Early Action (Non-Binding): You may apply early but only to one school. Not very common. Shows you are very interested in that school.

Priority Deadline: A specific deadline, earlier than the college’s regular deadline, which allows a student’s application to be reviewed and compared only to those who have applied by that priority date.

Types of Application Deadlines continued

Regular Decision: There is a specific deadline date for applying. The student is usually notified of the admissions decision by April 1st or April 15th.

Rolling Admission: Colleges review the application as soon as it is complete and return an admission decision usually in no more than four to six weeks. It is to the student’s advantage to apply early; however, some colleges may defer a decision until they receive seventh semester grades.

Requesting School DocumentsRequest your transcript & other application documents

be sent by ETHS by submitting the online:Class of 2021 Transcript/Application Document Request Form

for each school to which you are applying!

● ETHS begins accepting Request Forms on Friday, August 28.

● You must submit a Request Form to the Counseling Office according to ETHS deadlines.

Video: How to Complete a Request Form

Request Forms Due to Counselors

August 28 ETHS begins accepting Request Forms

October 9deadline

For College Applications with November 1 Deadlines

October 23deadline

For College Applications with November 15 Deadlines

November 23deadline

For College Applications with January 1 & 15 Deadlines

- Always allow up to 3 weeks for processing of app documents and transcript-

Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR)● Some schools do not want an Official Transcript to be sent

during the application process.

● Still submit a Request Form to the Counseling Office as you may need other items to be sent to the school.

● Also, submitting the Request Form allows us to add the school to your Colleges I’m Applying To list.

● Be careful when you self-report! Wait until Aug. 31, 2020 when transcripts are finalized with cumulative GPA & senior courses.

Counselor Recommendation LetterSet up an appointment with your counselor for a mandatory Recommendation Interview if your application requires a Counselor Recommendation Letter.

Before your Recommendation Interview, complete the Pre-Recommendation Interview Survey in the About Me section, My Surveys, of your Naviance account.

Allow your counselor at least three weeks to write your letter.

Scheduling your Recommendation Interview

calendly.com/cuevascintronm 1. Choose “Recommendation Interview Appointment.”

2. Select a date and time.

3. Add your name and email address.

4. Click “Schedule Event.”

5. You will receive an email confirmation.

6. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please use the link in your confirmation email.

calendly.com/debnarn

calendly.com/freedmane

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calendly.com/saenzc

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Go to your counselor’s address:

Application Fee WaiversApplication Fee Waivers are available for students receiving free or reduced lunch. Check off this option on your online Request Form.

For Common App schools, student also must completefee waiver requests via their Common App accountat www.commonapp.org (Profile section)

Requesting A Teacher Recommendation

● Teacher Recommendation Letters must be requested directly from your teachers. During remote learning days, please contact your teacher by email.

● Provide your recommender with information about yourself. You may use the Teacher Recommendation Information Formfor ideas about what to share.

● Allow your recommenders at least three weeksto write your letter.

Requesting A Teacher RecommendationAfter a teacher agrees to write a letter for you:

1. Add a teacher recommendation request via the “Letters of Recommendation” link in the “Colleges” section, sub-section “Apply to Colleges,” of your Naviance account. (Detailed instructions here and Guide, page 5 )

2. Add a note to the teacher reminding them of anyearly deadline (Priority, Early Action, Early Decision)and saying thank you.

** Choose specific colleges from your Colleges I’m Applying To list **

TIPS for Adding Teacher Recommendation Requests in Naviance

❖ Turn in your Request Forms to Counseling BEFORE adding your teacher recommendation requests. Otherwise, colleges will not be added to your “Colleges I’m Applying To” list.

❖ If you apply to more colleges later, you must add another teacher recommendation request in Naviance, again selecting the specific college(s) to which the teacher’s recommendation should be sent, and noting any special deadline(s).

Sending Official Test Scores• For the 2020-2021 application cycle, many colleges have become Test

Optional, and even some are Test Blind.

• www.fairtest.org - 1,450+ Accredited, 4-Year Colleges & Universities with ACT/SAT-Optional Testing Policies for Fall, 2021 Admissions as of August, 2020

• If you have scores and choose to submit them, you must send Score Reports to colleges (ACT and/or SAT) if you did not request your scores to be sent when you took the test.

• Official Scores are those sent by ACT/SAT directly to colleges.www.act.org (ACT)

www.collegeboard.org (SAT)

EssaysThe Personal Statement/College Essay is your chance to let the colleges know you as an individual.

● Present information not in other places in the application.● Be both grammatically correct and creative.● Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Your English teacher can help you, andMrs. Arey/Mrs. Vazquez take essay appointments in College & Career Services.

Important Information for your Application(Guide, page 5)

● ETHS high school code/CEEB code: 141860

● Class of 2021 High School Graduation Date: May 30, 2021

● Date you entered high school (month & year): 8/2017(unless you are a transfer student)

●

● Class size / # in senior class: Fall 2020 # determined as of Aug. 31(Will be shared via Naviance)

● Students must create an account with Common App after August 1 at www.commonapp.org.

● For ETHS to be able to send transcripts and other application documents to Common Application schools using Naviance eDocs, the student must complete the Common App Account Matching process.

■ Written instructions here

■ Video tutorial: Common App Matching on Naviance

● The only school that exclusively uses the Coalition Application is the University of Washington.

● Submit a Request Form for any college to which you are applying via the Coalition Application.

● Also follow-up in your Coalition account (www.mycoalition.org).

● Please check the box in each college’s Documents section in your Coalition account to indicate that you will be sending your transcript separately (i.e., via Naviance eDocs at ETHS).

Track when your application materials were sent (“Mailed”) in your Naviance account - Navigate to Colleges I’m Applying To → Manage Transcripts

Learn about Oakton Community CollegeMs. Karin Kushino, OCC Recruitment & Outreach Specialist -provides resources and support to students interested in OCC

Contact Info: kkushino@oakton.edu or (847) 635-1274

Virtual appointment request link: bit.ly/admissionappointment(ETHS Seniors/Parents: Please select Skokie Campus--> Karin Kushino

and she will get the request directly)

Paying for College

❏ The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) becomes availableOctober 1. Submit it online as soon as possible after October 1st.

❏ FAFSA Completion Assistance, Oct. 7 & 14

Your college may also require a separate institutional financial aid form and/or the CSS PROFILE.Online registration for the College Board CSS PROFILE begins in October & generally is due before a college’s admission deadline.

● Your best resource about financial aid is the college(s) to which you are applying

● Join us for our virtual Financial Aid Night on Sept. 17

● Check for scholarships on NAVIANCE

● ETHS Senior Scholarships - Information is available in February

NEW Graduation RequirementBeginning with the 2020-2021 school year, Illinois state law requires, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, the parent or guardian of each student, or if a student is at least 18 years of age or legally emancipated, the student must:

1. File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), or if applicable, an application to the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid for state financial aid.or

2. File a waiver with the student’s school district indicating that the parent or guardian or, if applicable, the student understands what the Free Application For Federal Student Aid application and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid are and has chosen not to file an application.

You may do this beginning October 1, 2020. For more information, go to Financial Aid Information on the ETHS website.

ISAC Rep @ ETHS

Ms. Serena Robertson, ISACorps Representative -provides financial aid counseling and scholarship assistance

Serena.Robertson@illinois.govhttps://calendly.com/serena-robertson Make an appt!

#FinancialAidFridays

Questions?

Like the College & Career Services Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/ETHSCCS/