Senior Information

Important Dates

  • September 21st- 6:00 pm-Senior Parent College Application Night
  • October 13th- 6:00 pm-Financial Aid Night
  • Visit the Shawnee counseling website for important news & updates-
  • Follow the Shawnee counseling center twitter page-@ShaHSCounseling
  • Check your school email
  • Sign up in Counseling Center for college visits-check website for the schedule

Naviance

  • Naviance-Recommendation letters, College Search, Practice SAT tests, Career Exploration, Scholarships

Go to

email: password:student ID #

NCAA

  • If you are an athlete interested in Division I or Division II sports, you must complete the NCAA eligibility form at
  • Request a high school transcript for NCAA.
  • Send official SAT or ACT scores electronically from testing agency to NCAA.

Standardized Tests

  • SAT-Register online
  • ACT-Register online
  • You must send official scores to colleges electronically at or

AP Scores

  • Request scores from College Board to be sent to colleges

RCBC CAP classes

  • Request a transcript from RCBC to be sent to colleges-

Scholarships

  • Check local and national scholarships-Shawnee Counseling website & Naviance

  • Complete local scholarship information online (available in February)

Financial Aid

  • Visit Financial Aid website- to request a password for yourself & parent
  • Complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online after October 1st
  • Check college deadlines for FAFSA

Recommendation Letters, College Applications & Transcripts

  1. Complete Transcript Release Form and return to the Registrar in the Counseling Center.
  1. Recommendation Letters
  1. Ask 2 teachers politely in person. 1 teacher should be an academic teacher. Give teachers at least 2 weeks notice.
  2. Put teacher recommendation request in Naviance
  • Click on Colleges
  • Click on Colleges I’m Applying To
  • In the box below Common App information, Add Colleges to this List-add colleges you are applying to
  • Under Letters of Recommendation-Click Add Request
  • Select teacher’s name from drop down bar. Answer questions and click Save
  1. You must fill out brag sheets for teacher and counselor. Brag sheets can be found on Naviance:
  • Click About Me
  • On Left, Surveys to Take
  • Student Brag Sheet for Counselor, Parent Brag Sheet for Counselor, Student Brag Sheet for Teachers
  • Answer questions and click Save
  1. Counselors will automatically fill out all required forms electronically but students and parents must complete brag sheets.
  2. Check Naviance to see when letters have been completed. You will not be permitted to see the letter. When teachers write a letter, they will also fill out the common application teacher form electronically.

If you have any outside letters, you will need to send them on your own.

  1. Apply Online to Colleges
  • Online-Visit the college website & apply using the college’s online application
  • Common Application-
  • Coalition Application-

If a college accepts the Common App & also has its own online application or VIP/Priority application, or Coalition application you MUST apply using the Common App for us to be able to send electronic documents.

  1. Link Common Application Account to Naviance
  1. Click on Colleges
  2. Click on Colleges I’m Applying To. Read Common Application Information
  3. Enter the email address you used for your Common Application account
  4. Click Match
  1. Submit a Transcript Request Form to Registrar for each college. *Please allow up to two weeks*
  1. Registrar will forward request to Counselor.
  2. The Counselor will complete the online counselor forms and send everything (including recommendation letters) electronically. Check Naviance to see when your transcripts are sent.

How Many Schools Should I Apply to?

  • Reach 1-2, Good Match 2-3, Safe 1-2
  • Think about major, location, size, setting (rural/urban/suburban), extracurricular activities.
  • Realistic evaluation of each college’s admission requirements (grades, standardized test scores, required high school courses).

Application Types

  • Early decision is a contract between you and the college. You can only apply to 1 school early decision. If you are accepted, you MUST attend. BINDING contract!
  • Early action is more flexible. You do not have to commit to the college if you are accepted. You can apply to multiple schools. Non-binding contract.
  • Rolling Admission-Applications are evaluated as they are received.
  • Regular Decision- decisions are made once ALL applications have been received by deadline.
  • Rutgers does not need a high school transcript or recommendation letters. You mustself-report your grades electronically on the Rutgers website (SRAR). They will only need a final transcript in June if you plan to attend.