SENECA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Students’ Guide to Family Connection/Naviance Applying to college? Applying for scholarships? Be sure to follow these steps for success! 1. COMPLETE “AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE STUDENT RECORDS” Form is available in Counseling Services or on school website under ACADEMICS, “College Application Packet.” Submit to REGISTRAR. 2. SIGN IN TO YOUR FAMILY CONNECTION ACCOUNT Go to www.senecavalleyhighschool.com, ACADEMICS, “Counseling Services” (first column), “SVHS Family Connection” (under Resources). 3. SEARCH FOR COLLEGES THAT MATCH YOUR INTERESTS a. Click “Colleges” and “College Search” (7th link down) b. Answer the questions, clicking “Next” at the bottom right until you arrive at the end c. Click “Show Matches” at the bottom d. Check out the “Colleges that match your criteria” 4. RECORD YOUR COLLEGES a. Click “Colleges,” then “Colleges I’m Thinking About” and add your colleges b. Click “Colleges,” then “Colleges I’m Applying To” and add your colleges 5. REVIEW PRIVACY NOTICE a. Click “Colleges/Colleges I’m Applying to” and read shaded blue box (“Important Privacy Notice”) b. Waive the right to view recommendations so staff can send your letters by checking the “Yes” box. c. Check the square box to have your records released and sent to colleges. d. IF you have a Common Application completed (www.commonapp.org), fill out the information in the blue box; if you do NOT have a Common Application completed, leave it blank. Your user name and password MUST be exactly the same for Family Connection & the Common App! 6. NOTE THE SYMBOLS a. Click “Colleges,” and “College Look Up” (6th link down), then find a college. b. If a college accepts the Common Application you will see a on the college page at the bottom CA
where you see “Application Deadline.” Æ When the college accepts the Common Application, you can submit that instead of the regular application. Also, it means that your teacher recommendations, counselor recommendation, and official transcript can be sent electronically through Family Connection/Naviance! There is no need to send the forms through the US Mail! c. IF a college does NOT accept the Common Application, you will see a (empty box) on the college page at the bottom where you see “Application Deadline.” Æ However, the college may accept e‐docs. Therefore, SVHS can still send your teacher recommendation, counselor recommendation and transcript electronically through Family Connection/Naviance and there is no need to send the forms through the US Mail! 7.
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d. IF a college does NOT accept e‐docs, you will see a box with a stamp, which means that the transcript, counselor recommendation, and teacher recommendation must be MAILED. Æ For the transcript, give the Registrar a regular stamped envelope. Write the address of the admissions office in the center of the envelope. Apply 2 stamps in the upper right corner. Do NOT write a return address. Attach the envelope to an “Official Transcript Request” form. Æ Give your counselor the “Request for Recommendation” form including the recommendation form. Æ Give the teacher a “Request for Recommendation” form and a regular stamped envelope for each college. Write the address of the admissions office in the center of the envelope. Apply 2 stamps in the upper right corner. Do NOT write a return address. REQUEST TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS a. Click “Colleges,” then “Colleges I’m Applying To,” and scroll down to the “Teacher Recommendations” heading (at bottom). b. If you have already spoken to a teacher, please click “Add/Cancel request.” (If not, skip to #8) c. Select the teacher that you have spoken to from the drop down menu d. Write a note to the teacher in the box provided, asking for your recommendation e. Click “Update Request” at the bottom f. Give the teacher a paper “Request for Recommendation” form for e‐docs and/or mailed letters g. Follow up with the teacher both by email and personally COMPLETE RESUME (OPTIONAL) a. Click “About Me” on the Family Connection/Naviance home page b. Click “Resume” and complete each section COMPLETE GAME PLAN (OPTIONAL) a. Click “About Me” on the Family Connection/Naviance home page b. Click “Game Plan” and complete each section COMPLETE “OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUEST” FORM This PAPER form is required for EVERY college or scholarship for which you are applying. It must be submitted to the REGISTRAR regardless of whether your documents are sent electronically or through the mail. Forms are available in Counseling Services office or on school website under ACADEMICS, “College Application Packet.” SEEK HELP If you have questions or need more information, see Mrs. Maloney in the College and Career Center or see your counselor. 12. VISIT WITH COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES AT SVHS On the Family Connection/Naviance homepage, click “Colleges” and “View all upcoming college visits,” then click “Sign up” and print the pass for your teachers. Attendance is taken.