The College Application Process: An Overview for Parents/Guardians

MERHS Guidance & College Counseling OfficeSeptember 2014

Hello! • Beverly Low = lowb@mersd.org• Karen D’Amour = damourk@mersd.org• Gillian Polk = polkg@mersd.org

• We’ve been talking with the seniors.• College application “boot camp” in August• Senior English classes• Individual appointments

Developing a List of Colleges

• Attend college fairs and open houses.• The College Board web site has a ton

of useful information about the college search and application processes.

• Road trip! There’s no substitute for being on a college campus.

Naviance

• One stop shopping for college planning.

• “Family Connection” menu.• Lots of college exploration tools and

data.• Excellent way to store and save

college related documents/materials.

Registering for college admission rep visits . . .

• Sign up in advance via Naviance.• Pick up a green “college rep

visit” slip from Guidance office.• Bring the green slip to the

teacher of the course you will miss – minimum two days in advance!

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter @MEGuidance

The application . . .

• Know each college’s process and timeline. They vary.

• Create a folder for each college, listing requirements and deadlines on the front.

• There are over 300 institutions now accept the Common Application, accessible via Naviance.

• Confirm which colleges require supplemental information (essays, etc.).

• Keep track of user names and passwords!

Components of the application process at MERHS . . .

• Game plan.• Counselor recommendation form.• “Parent Brag Sheet.”• Resume.• Transcript Release Form

completed and submitted.

Sending test scores to colleges

• A college asking for “Official Scores” must receive the score report directly from The College Board or ACT.

• When registering for tests via The College Board (SAT) or ACT web site, the student may indicate the colleges to receive score reports.

Deadlines for 2014 – 2015

October 15, 2014 November 1, 2014 November 15, 2014 December 1, 2014 December 15, 2014 January 1, 2015 January 15, 2015 February 1, 2015 February 15, 2015 March 1, 2015

October 1, 2014 October 18, 2014 November 1, 2014 November 17, 2014 November 30, 2014 December 6, 2014 December 21, 2014 January 11, 2015 January 25, 2015 February 8, 2015

College Application Transcript Request

Who? What? Where?• MERHS sends the student’s transcript,

teacher recommendations and counselor recommendation to colleges.

• Each individual student sends his/her application, application fee, and SAT/ACT scores to colleges.

• If you have ANY questions regarding a particular college or university’s application process, we are happy to help clarify.

Financial aid and financingand FAFSA . . .

• Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA).

• The FAFSA is the one form required to determine eligibility for ANY type of financial aid.

• The FAFSA may not be submitted until after January 1, 2015.

• Register and obtain a PIN via the web site.

Free “Seminar on College Funding Resources”

Wednesday, October 1, 20147 – 9 pm

At the Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Center (16 Union Street in Hamilton, MA)

Please contact the Hamilton/Wenham Recreation Department to register.

Questions?

Thank you.

The MERHS guidance and college counseling mission is to assist all students in achieving academic, social, emotional, and career success. All students will have the skills necessary to successfully participate as productive citizens in an ever-changing multicultural world.