Class of 2021 - Application Checklist, Requesting Transcripts & Recommendations 




NAHS Class of 2021 - Application Checklist

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  • STEP 1 - Send SAT and/or ACT scores to each college that requires testing


  • STEP 2 - Register for a Common Application account


  • STEP 3 - Enter your Colleges into your Common Application account


  • STEP 4 - Complete PROFILE and EDUCATION sections on the Common App

      • Graduating Class: 370

      • Class rank reporting: none

      • GPA Scale: 4.0

      • GPA weighting:  Weighted

      • Current courses: Report 15 for trimester schedule


  • STEP 5 - Complete FERPA & Recommenders Section on the Common App


  • STEP 6 - Naviance Registration


  • STEP 7 - Complete the Guidance Recommendation Form on Naviance


  • STEP 8 - Requesting Transcripts in Naviance


  • STEP 9 - Officially Requesting Teacher Recommendation in Naviance


  • STEP 10 - Matching your Common App Account with your Naviance Account


  • STEP 11 - Complete the Remaining Sections of the Common Application

    • My College Tab - Questions section for each college

    • Common App Tab - Complete Testing, Activities, Writing, Courses & Grades sections


  • STEP 12:  Prior to Submitting your Application - PROOFREAD Everything


  • STEP 13:  Complete Financial Aid Forms for each college




NAHS CLASS OF 2021 -  STEP BY STEP COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCEDURES


The Guidance Department will be sending all transcripts, counselor recommendations and teacher recommendations electronically to colleges using Naviance and Common Application web-based software.   To do this, seniors must complete the following steps by the due date indicated.


STEP 1:  SEND SAT AND/OR ACT SCORES TO EACH COLLEGE THAT REQUIRES TEST SCORES

  • Go to www.collegeboard.org (SATs) and/or www.act.org (ACTs) to send these reports. Guidance cannot send scores. They must be sent through the Collegeboard or ACT websites BEFORE your first deadline. If your college is test-optional you do not need to send scores

  • If your college requires test scores, but you were unable to take the SAT or ACT in the springtime as a junior, you should register for the next available test date through the Collegeboard or ACT websites. 


STEP 2:  REGISTER FOR COMMON APPLICATION ACCOUNT

            All seniors must register for the Common Application by September 30, 2020.

  • Complete the registration form on-line.

  • Select a username and password, write it down, and keep it in a safe place.


STEP 3:  ENTER YOUR COLLEGES INTO YOUR COMMON APPLICATION ACCOUNT 

  • Go to the College Search tab and search for and enter your colleges

    • Your guidance counselor cannot send your documentation electronically if you do not list all of your Common Application schools on your Common Application account.


STEP 4:  COMPLETE PROFILE AND EDUCATION SECTIONS ON THE COMMON APPLICATION

  • Go to the Common App tab and complete the PROFILE  and EDUCATION sections

  • NOTE:  You must complete the PROFILE and EDUCATION sections of the Common Application BEFORE you can complete the FERPA in step 5.  You will need a copy of your full year senior schedule in order to complete the Current or Most Recent Year Courses under the EDUCATION section.

  • You will also need the following information:

    • Graduating Class Size:  370

    • Class Rank Reporting:  None

    • GPA Scale:  4.0

    • GPA Weighting:  Weighted

    • Current Courses:  Report 15 for trimester schedule


STEP 5:  COMPLETE THE FERPA AND RECOMMENDERS SECTION  ON COMMON APPLICATION 

  • All seniors must complete the FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) on their Common Application account by September 30, 2020.

  • Log into your Common Application account.

  • Go to the My Colleges tab

  • Click on the first college listed

  • Click on “Recommenders and FERPA”

  • FERPA Release Authorization pop-up box appears

    • Click the box at the bottom which says, “I have fully read and understood the FERPA Release Authorization explanation above”

    • Press the Continue button

    • Check the box that authorizes North Andover High School to send your documentation to schools.

    • Select whether or not you waive your rights to review your recommendations

      • Waiving your right to review recommendations means that you will not review your recommendations before they are sent.  This will not impact any decisions.

    • Type your full name under signature and enter the date

    • Press the Save button

  • No need to invite recommenders because we use Naviance, unless you are getting a recommendation from someone other than a teacher at North Andover High School.


STEP 6:  NAVIANCE REGISTRATION

  • All seniors must register with Naviance Family Connections by September 30, 2020.

  • Go to https://student.naviance.com/nahs

  • Type in unique registration code under “New User?”

  • Click “Register”

  • Verify that your name is the one shown at the top of the page in the welcome line

  • Type in your email address & verify email

  • Choose a password and verify a password

  • Read and accept privacy policy

  • Click “Complete Registration”


STEP 7:  COMPLETE THE GUIDANCE RECOMMENDATION FORM IN NAVIANCE

Our counselors spend a great deal of time preparing and writing their recommendations for students.  In an effort to help them personalize and accurately reflect upon a student, we ask that two documents be completed by the student and his/her family through Naviance Student.


NOTE:  THIS STEP MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE YOU REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS IN NAVIANCE


  • Click on the ABOUT ME tab on the toolbar on top of the page

  • Click on MY SURVEYS

  • Click on SURVEYS NOT STARTED

  • Click on Guidance Recommendation Form


A. Guidance Recommendation Form - This form is only accessible on the student’s Naviance account.  It asks specific questions about his/her interests, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and extra-curricular and school based activities, which will help our counselors write more meaningful and accurate recommendations.  In addition, completion of this form will assist a student in developing his/her very first resume, which then can be attached to college applications.  This is only accessible on the student’s account.  This is mandatory.


B. Parent Recommendation Form   – This is an opportunity for parents to give our counselors more insight to their student.  Students are often modest in talking about themselves.  Here is a chance for parents to reflect on their student’s strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and their passions.  Information collected from this form will only be used by our counselors to write more personalized recommendations for their students.  They are not sent on to colleges. This form is only accessible on the parent’s Naviance account. This is optional.


STEP 8:  REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS IN NAVIANCE

  • 30 days before your first college deadline, log into Naviance to request to have your transcripts sent AND to request teacher recommendations

  • Click on Colleges I’m Applying to

  • To add a college (click pink + button on the right)

  • Fill in the name of the college you are applying to (you must do this one at a time)

  • Application Type (Select how you are applying:  Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, Rolling etc.)

  • Submission type:  (What type of application are you using:  Common App,  Coalition App, School Specific App?) * Do not select I’m not sure

  • Click Add and Request Transcript

  • What Type of Transcript are you requesting?  Please choose “Initial”

  • Verify College and click Request, and Finish

  • Repeat the above steps for each college you are applying to


STEP 9:  OFFICIALLY REQUESTING TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN NAVIANCE

  • You must ask a teacher via email or in person before you officially request them in Naviance

  • Log into Naviance

  • Click Colleges tab then click Apply to Colleges

  • Scroll down until you see Letters of Recommendation.  Click on the link.

  • Click Add Request

    • Use dropdown menu to select the teacher you are requesting

    • Choose “All current and future colleges I add to my Colleges I’m Applying to list”

    • Add a personal note to the teacher and/or send a thank you

    • Submit request

  • Repeat the above steps to add additional teacher recommendations.  Once a teacher is requested, you only need to do this one time.


STEP 10:  MATCHING YOUR COMMON APP ACCOUNT WITH YOUR NAVIANCE ACCOUNT

  • While in Naviance, go to Colleges I’m Applying to and match your Naviance Account with your Common App Account.

  • Click on Match Accounts and enter the email address used on the Common App


STEP 11:  COMPLETE THE REMAINING SECTIONS OF THE COMMON APPLICATION 

  • Under My College Tab - Complete the QUESTIONS section for each of the colleges you are applying to.  Some colleges may have additional essay questions listed in this section.

  • Under Common App Tab - Complete the following sections of your application:

    • Testing

    • Activities

    • Writing

    • Courses & grades if required


STEP 12:  PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

  • PROOFREAD the entire application including essays BEFORE submitting your applications

  • You will be submitting one college application at a time.

  • First, you will be asked to pay the application fee, if there is one

  • Then submit the Common Application and Questions section including additional essays if required


STEP 13:  COMPLETE FINANCIAL AID FORMS FOR EACH COLLEGE



Rev. 12/4/2020