SENIOR YEAR APPLICATION PROCESS

1. SENIOR YEAR APPLICATION PROCESS

2. GRADES ARE IMPORTANT • Study and get the best grades you can throughout your senior year. • Colleges have been known to rescind acceptances if your grades drop or you receive D’s or an F on your report card. • Colleges see your senior year schedule. • Some colleges will require 1stm.p. or 1st semester grades. Read your applications carefully and be sure to inform your guidance counselor of your needs. • Your final grades will automatically be sent to the college you plan to attend.

3. WHAT CAN I CROSS OFF MY LIST NOW? • Make sure you have signed up to take the FallSAT’s, ACT’s or SAT Subject Tests. • Complete the Senior Brag Sheet on Naviance • Make sure you have letters of recommendation from 2 academic teachers. Your counselor will complete a letter of recommendation for you also.

4. Finalize Your College List on Naviance • You should have a list of approximately 5-7 schools by early October. • Include 2-3 “reach schools”, 2-3 schools you feel you can get into, and 1-2 backups. • See your counselor if you need help finalizing your list. • Arrange for campus visits, if you have not already done so.

8. What is the Common App? • It is an online undergraduate application that can be submitted to more than 800 colleges and universities around the world. • Can be found at www.commonapp.org

9. After creating a Common App account you must…. • Match Naviance and the common application by logging into Naviance • Your counselor will help you do this during your individual senior meetings.

10. New Updates to Letters of Recommendation Process

11. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION Process Step 1: Complete your senior brag sheet on Naviance Step 2: Ask teachers in person FIRST Step 3: Send Letter of Recommendation request through Naviance ***You should request letters of recommendation from TWO (2) teachers. Additionally, your counselor will write you one for a total of THREE (3) letters of recommendation.***

12. How to Request LORs on Naviance:

15. Thank you for agreeing to write me a letter of recommendation! Please also complete the Common App Form, as 3 of my schools use Common App. Thank you!

16. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES • Students are responsible for completing their own college applications whether they are paper or on-line. • Students are responsible for knowing their application deadlines. • Students should keep their parents and counselor informed of their deadlines and plans. • Students should create a calendar that includes deadlines for getting applications completed to keep procrastination at a minimum. • Students should complete applications by December 15 at the latest.

17. TYPES OF DEADLINES • Early Decision • Early Action • Rolling Admissions • Regular Deadline • RPHS Deadline Deadlines vary at each college. Know and make your deadlines!

18. WHEN APPLYING ONLINE • Make sure your application is neat and complete with all necessary information including an essay, if required. • Make sure your parent or guardian checks over your application before you electronically submit it. • If necessary, payment should be made by credit card. In some cases students may send in a check. • If a fee waiver was utilized for SAT/ACT, you will also receive 4 free application waivers. • Print a copy of the application for your files.

19. Reporting of SAT Scores • You must send your own test scores to the colleges you are applying to. • Scores are not listed on your RPHS transcript. • College codes can be found at the collegeboard website, the SAT registration booklet, or possible on the application itself. • Cost is approximately $12 per school

20. AFTER APPLYING • Fill out the RPHS Supplemental Forms Requestwhich includes the name of the college and other important information regarding your Letters of Rec. and transcript. • Hand the form in to your guidance counselor to request submission of your application materials. • Your counselor will electronically send a package which includes your transcript, letters of recommendation and resume (if applicable) to the college you indicated.

22. COUNSELOR & SCHOOL INFORMATION Phone: (908) 241-4550 Fax: (908) 245-6609 Mrs. Baumann, Ext. 2057, mbaumann@rpsd.org Mrs. Matarredona, Ext. 2054, amatarredona@rpsd.org Ms. Borkowski, Ext. 2056, cborkowski@rpsd.org Roselle Park High School 185 West Webster Avenue Roselle Park, NJ 07204 Years attended: 2015/16 - 2018/19 School Code: 311330

23. PROCESSING TIME • Due to the volume of applications, please keep in mind it may take 7 to 10 school days to process your application. • Get your RPHS Supplemental Forms Request in at leasttwo weeks before the actual deadline date to provide sufficient time.

24. NJ STARS PROGRAM • Students in the top 15% of the final class ranking after graduation are eligible. • If you think you may be a candidate for the STARS program, apply to your local 2 year college as well as 4 year colleges just in case updates are implemented next year that may adversely affect you. • STARS candidates must fill out financial aid forms starting October 1 in order to be eligible.

25. FAFSA Information • The FAFSA is now available for filing as of October 1 • Must be filled out for all students planning to attend college • Visit FAFSA.gov to access Financial Aid Night October 24 at 7:00 pmRPHS Auditorium

26. SCHOLARSHIPS • The Scholarship List on Naviance will be updated with scholarships regularly. • Applications can be downloaded directly from Naviance. Hard copies are available in the Guidance Office. • Also, check out www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com for other opportunities APPLY, APPLY, APPLY! There is a lot of money out there – but you have to be in it to win it!

27. COLLEGE FAIRS MONMOUTH COUNTY REGIONAL COLLEGE FAIR HELD AT Monmouth University - October 14th from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Numerous colleges, universities and career schools will be in attendance. RPHS College Fair Wednesday, October 24th from 8:30 am – 10:30 am in the gym

28. College Visits @ RPHS