Double check senior schedule and transcript for graduation requirements. Keep these documents handy to help you complete your college applications.

Write down (or put in your phone) the date/time of your individual senior meeting with your Counselor, so you have the added reminder.

You must complete your EDP this fall. Oakland Schools requires all students to complete this as a graduation requirement.

Join Google classroom if you haven't already.

Today you received your transcript and senior schedule to help you with your college applications. Many times colleges will ask your specific information about your senior schedule, which can include your GPA, UIC ID etc. which is located on your transcript.

Also, double check that your senior schedule reflects the graduation requirements needed this year. If there are errors, or you have questions, contact your Counselor ASAP.

You each have an individual meeting with your counselor to discuss your college applications and post secondary planning. Your appointment is listed at the top of your sheet. You will receive a pass the day of your appointment, but we encourage you to also add it to your phone calendar.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please stop by Counseling to reschedule.

It is very important for communication purposes for you to join the Counseling Google Classroom for the Class of 2025. You can join using the code: hhgzlej

Have specific questions about your college applications or need help with the process? We are happy to help you. Please stop in the senior locker bank during lunch on any of the days listed below. Bring your questions and your device.

All 3 lunches in the senior locker bank:

• Thursday 9/5
• Friday 9/6

1. Applying to College: Steps in the College Application Process

2. Standardized Testing Information

3. Scholarships and Financial Aid

4. NCAA Eligibility Information and Resources

5. Additionally Resources and Opportunities

Apply online

• Go to the admissions web page, or Common App, and begin your application.
  
• Most applications can be saved along the way, so you don't have to complete it all at once.
• Start the application process in August!

Things to consider when building your list of potential colleges

1. Your preferences, needs and wishes for your college education. (Some examples include: location, majors offered, size, cost, campus activities etc.)
2. A balanced list: consider how you stack up to students they typically admit: Reach, Match, Safety school

• Reach School - your GPA, test scores, and rigor are below the middle 50th percentile of admitted students OR it's a very low admission rate
• Good Match School - your GPA, test scores, and rigor are in line with the majority of admitted students
• Safety School - your GPA, test scores, and rigor are above the average admitted students

3. An average potential college list size could include 3-6 college options, but you could have more or less depending on your situation.

Send your transcripts

• PLEASE NOTE: Transcripts will not be processed and released until all schedules are final in the fall. Colleges want to see your senior year schedule on your transcript, which will not be available until mid-September.
• Once transcripts are available, create an account at www.parchment.com to send your transcripts to colleges. Set SCHS as your high school and use your student ID.
  
• Make sure you correctly indicate your graduation year and full legal name.
• If you are using the Common Application, please request a transcript be sent to the Common Application, not to each individual college in CA, so that all colleges on your CA list can see your record.
• Transcript requests will go through Mrs. Paulus for verification, you will receive an update when transcripts are sent, and again when your transcript is downloaded by the college. You can track your transcript on your parchment account.

Send SAT/ACT scores

• You must send your SAT and/or ACT score(s) to the colleges you are applying to if they require a standardized test for admissions or scholarships purposes. If you didn’t send your scores when you registered for the test you must request to do so at www.collegeboard.org or www.actstudent.org. Test scores must be sent from the testing agency. This process can take several weeks. We recommend you do this ASAP so your scores get to the college on time.
• Each college has their own practice for using test scores for the admission process and/or scholarships. You will need to carefully read and understand your colleges practices. Some colleges require a test score and others are test optional.

Double check, follow up, and track:

• It is wise to verify that your applications, transcript, and SAT/ACT test scores were properly submitted. Check your emails and college application accounts/portals for verification and confirmations once you have completed these processes. Some colleges do NOT send emails to communicate applications status, therefore you have to check your college portal.

What is the Common Application?

The Common Application is a single online college application form used by 1,000+ colleges and universities. Instead of filling out the same general information, like your address, GPA, and extracurriculars a dozen times, you only have to do it once.

Do I have to use it?

Maybe, as it depends on the colleges you are applying to and the options. Not every student uses the Common Application because not all colleges use or require the Common Application. Sometimes colleges give you a choice between the University application and Common Application. You will need to decide what is best for your situation. Common Application users should apply online at www.commonapp.org.

What the difference between most University applications and the Common Application?

Typically the Common Application takes more time to complete because they require more information from you. There is minimally one essay and in many cases additional essays. You must invite your Counselor to your Common App and supply them with with a Senior Profile or resume. You may also need to request a teacher(s) letter of recommendation.

If I use the Common Application, will I need a letter of recommendation? And how many?

Depending on the colleges you are applying to using the Common Application, you may be required to include a letter of recommendation from a teacher. If you are required to obtain a letter of recommendation from a teacher, you will need to:

1. Politely asking them ahead of time if they are able to provide you a letter of support. We encourage you to do this in person ASAP.

2. Invite them to your Common Application, using an email they tell you to use.

3. Provide them with a "Senior Profile" (hard copies can be found in Counseling) or resume

4. Follow up to make sure they received your invite and they can see you in their Common Application account.

Counselors are required to submit a Secondary School report for all Common Application users. Make sure to invite your Counselor to the Common Application and also provide your Counselor with the "Senior Profile" or resume so they can fully complete the school report. Don’t wait until the last minute to invite your teachers and Counselor. They can get started on their portion while you are working on yours.

Example of requirements: MSU does NOT require a teacher letter recommendation, nor has a process for you to submit a letter. U of M requires one letter of recommendation from a teacher. You will need to look at each college's requirements for letters of recommendation requirements.

What about sending my transcript for the Common Application colleges? How do I do this?

You will need to invite your Counselor to the Common Application and then request your transcript be sent to the Common Application so all colleges on the Common Application can access your transcript. During this process on Parchment you will be asked to provide your CAID which is located at the top right of your Common App account. The CAID connects the transcript to your account and the Secondary School Report.

*If you do not assign your Counselor before you submit your transcript through Parchment to the Common Application, you will get an error message from Common App.

Steps To Sending a Transcript to Common Application

1. Log into www.parchment.com

2. Select "Send a Transcript" (you will find this at the top right hand side of the page)

3. Select a "Destination"- Click on the "Academic Institution" button

4. Type in "Common Application" in the box, you need to request your transcript be sent to CA for your CA colleges. IF you have requested your transcript be sent to the school directly, you need to cancel this request and re-request to CA.

5. You will then be requested to enter your Common Application ID. (To find this, log into www.commonapp.org, and you will see your name at the top right side of the page. Under your name is your CAID -Common App ID)

6. Return to www.parchment.com and type in your CAID.

7. Confirm that the information is correct and submit.

What about sending my test scores to a Common Application college?

Whether you are using the Common Application or a University application, you will need to submit your SAT/AP/ACT test scores directly from the testing agency website (Collegeboard.org or ACT.org).

Information that is asked on the Common Application:

• Number of Students in Class: 378
• We do NOT rank
• AP Grades are Weighted
• Graduation Date: May 28, 2025
• School Code: 233-201

** If you decide to apply to a college AFTER your Counselor has submitted materials, you MUST make your Counselor aware in case additional information needs to be sent. **

Use the emails below to invite your Counselor to CA:

Mr. Beach (A-Col) pbeach@rochester.k12.mi.us

Mrs. Govern (Com-Gr) bgovern@rochester.k12.mi.us

Ms. Collins (Gu-Kur) ccollins1@rochester.k12.mi.us

Mrs. Muir (Kus-Pa) smuir@rochester.k12.mi.us

Mrs. Donnellon (Pe-Sti) sdonnellon@rochester.k12.mi.us

Ms. Allen (Sto-Z) nallen@rochester.k12.mi.us

• Does your college require one? Most colleges in Michigan do not require a letter of recommendation (however, UM does require it).

• Select adults who know you. Most of the time colleges will suggest core teachers.

• Ask yourself, “Do they know me enough?". If they do, ASK your recommenders "Do they have enough time to write a supportive letter of recommendation?”

• Provide them a completed "Student Profile Sheet" (see below, hard copies also available in Counseling) OR a resume to help aid them in writing your recommendation.

• Give recommenders a minimum of 2-3 weeks to write the letter. PLAN ahead so they have the time necessary to write a well-written document.

• If using Common App, you must invite your recommender via email. Their account is attached to a specific email so you need to check what email they use for common application. If you accidently misspell an email address they will NOT know you send a request. It will never get to them. So follow up to make sure they received your invitation.

• Please note: recommenders on the Common Application have until your application deadline to write your letter and complete the process online from their end. You can see in your Common Application the status of your request (submitted, not started...) Be patient with your recommenders as many times they have quite a few to complete.

• After applications have been completed thank your recommenders. An example could be a simple note of gratitude for taking time to write a supportive letter.

*If you had an extenuating circumstance during high school please see your Counselor for information to include on the Secondary School Report.

Please see some of these articles for suggestions and tips prior to writing your college essays.

• https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay
  
• https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/college-essay-tips

• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

• https://wowwritingworkshop.com/

• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2014/10/23/9-essay-writing-tips-to-wow-college-admissions-officers/37397979/

• https://www.linkforcounselors.com/how-to-help-students-respond-to-any-essay-prompt/

1. Be organized

Find a system that helps you stay organized. Example: use a google spreadsheet to document your college application tasks, requirements, deadlines and logins/passwords for each online application in one place.

2. Be precise

Double/triple check the information you entered onto your college applications before submitting your online application. Don't rush, be thorough.

3. Be professional

Create professional sounding email addresses for your college applications. Clean up social media if necessary. Admission reps may 'Google' you.

4. Know and adhere to deadlines

Some colleges will have one deadline for their applications and other colleges may have a couple types of deadlines- early action, early decision and a regular deadline. Please be aware and make sure you plan for the deadline you are selecting. All parts to the college application need to be submitted prior to the deadline; this includes the application, transcripts, test scores (if required) and letter of recommendation/school report (if included).

It is strongly advised that you check with your common application recommender and Counselor that they received your common application invitation.

5. Maintain your grades throughout Senior year

Don't put yourself in any danger of graduating AND don't send colleges any red flags that you aren't ready for college. Colleges can withdraw your admissions if there is a change in your academic profile senior year.

6. Provide additional information if requested

If you receive a request for 1st semester senior grades (or midyear report) from your college, you must submit a request at www.parchment.com. See Mrs. Paulus, the Counseling registrar, if you have any questions.

7. Communicate any schedule changes to your colleges. Your senior schedule is included on the transcript

If you must make a schedule change in your schedule once you have sent your initial transcripts to the colleges, you MUST contact each college admission office to update them with your change. Colleges do look at your senior year course selection and they check senior year grades when you send your final transcript. Many colleges embrace the philosophy that your admission is contingent upon your continued successful performance throughout senior year. Colleges do have the right to withdraw an offer of admissions when they see a significant drop or change in grade pattern senior year.

• Rolling Admission: the sooner you apply the sooner you hear.
• Early ACTION: Early application deadline, usually by November 1 or before.
• Early DECISION: Early application deadline and it's LEGALLY binding. There is an early commitment and you will drop all other applications and offers if accepted.
• Regular Decision: Deadlines will vary, but usually a January 1 application deadline. Admission decisions typically come out by April 1.
• On-site admissions
• Open admissions: anyone can enroll. Examples are Oakland Community College and Macomb Community College

Colleges Responses to College Applications:

1. Accept: info on housing, orientation, financial aid is sent to you

2. Defer: you will remain in the applicant pool for consideration and the college will ask the student to provide more information (1st semester grades, updated test scores, etc)

3. Wait list: Just have to wait. They are still considering your application, but must hear from the admitted students first before they may offer you admissions.

4. Deny: cannot offer you admissions.

If you'd like to take an SAT or ACT for admissions or scholarship purposes, you can register and take either one of these standardized tests by visiting their websites:

SAT - Register to take the SAT HERE. When you register you can select up to 4 colleges to have your scores sent for free.

ACT - ACT Test Registration Information

You can send your test scores directly to the colleges to which you are applying. Please read the policy for each college as many have adopted "test optional or test flexible" admissions. This can mean different things at different colleges.

Be aware that scholarships may or may NOT fall under "test optional". "Test optional" can also be provisional (as sometimes it depends upon your high school GPA). It is your responsibility to know each school's testing policy in regards to admissions and scholarships.

We do NOT send SAT/ACT scores with your transcript. If you are planning to send your scores to college the SCHS school code is: 233-201.

Know your deadlines and plan ahead so your test scores get to the colleges in time, especially if it's required or you want to use your test score to support your application.

Researching and searching for scholarships can seem overwhelming and sometimes it's hard to get started. We recommend you consider the four tips listed below, as it will help you to get started and navigate the scholarship process. Scholarships take time, so be patient with yourself and the process.

1. Explore College/University Scholarships

• Most colleges have a scholarship webpage, so check it out
• Contact the financial aid office at the college
• Join the college mailing list
• Talk to the admission advisor

2. Check out at least one or two FREE scholarship search engines. (never pay to search for scholarships)!

• www.cappex.com
• www.scholarships.com
• www.fastweb.com
• www.finaid.org
• https://www.goingmerry.com/

3. Check out the Scholarship links:

• SCHS Scholarship Opportunities
• RCS Scholarship Opportunities

4. Financial Aid/FAFSA

• Remind your parents they can begin to fill out the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)" on (or before) December 1st
  
• Create an account on www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Check out a newsletter devoted to specifically Financial Aid.

We are hosting a Paying for College presentation to help students and families learn about the financial aid process. As a public service, a representative from Oakland University will deliver the presentation, but the information shared is able to be used at any school a student attends.

Please register using this link: https://apply.oakland.edu/register/?id=ba656de9-2150-49b0-8e7a-6429209268f6

If you are unable to join the presentation on the date scheduled, you can always access any of the virtual presentations or watch the recorded version on the Financial Aid Events website for students and families (oakland.edu/financialevents).

Paying for College presentations are available for students and their families to learn general information regarding the financial aid process. Topics include the elements of financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), private resources available, and more! To sign up for a virtual session, click HERE.

Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as it opens (12/1/24), beginning in the senior year of high school and continuing throughout their undergraduate college career. FAFSA assistance is available to help high school seniors, transfer students, parents (when applicable), and admitted undergraduate students complete the FAFSA with professional assistance.

Prior to your workshop please complete the following tasks:

• Create your studentaid.gov login credentials one week prior to completing the FAFSA. Students and parent contributors will create a separate studentaid.gov login. Usernames and passwords are not shared.
• Record your login information on Step One of the FAFSA Worksheet.
• Review the FAFSA Checklist for a list of items necessary to complete the FAFSA.

If you plan to participate in Division I or II sports in college you must register on the NCAA eligibility center website.

Also it is very important make sure that your courses meet academic eligibility requirements. For example, Intro to films is NOT an approved English course and students should be taking another approved English course. NCAA has very strict eligibility rules and expectations.

Division 1 Requirement Sheet:

• Requires 16 core courses
  
• Sliding Scale that include test scores and a core course GPA of 2.3 or higher

Division 2 Requirement Sheet:

• Requires 16 core courses
• Minimum core course GPA of 2.0
• Test Scores: minimum SAT sum score of 820 or minimum ACT sum score of 68

College rep visits at Stoney will be updated as they are scheduled. Check Class of 2025 Google classroom for updates.

ttps://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

www.princetonreview.com

http://www.petersons.com/college-search.aspx

http://www.collegeresults.org/

http://goseecampus.com/