Senior Year is a busy busy year. We have begun getting many questions about college application processes. Please read through this detailed information and flag this page for future reference. Also, mark your calendars for the following important dates:
August 24th at 7:00pm - a Senior Parent Meeting in the Auditorium.
UPDATE: SENIOR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 during 4A & 5A lunch.
It is that time of year again when seniors are sending transcripts to colleges, asking for recommendation letters, and finalizing applications. Let's walk through all the necessary steps!
TRANSCRIPT PROCESS:
There are two ways a student can send electronic copies of transcripts.
- The first way is through PARCHMENT. After setting up an account, a student is able to send transcripts to any college their heart desires. Students must make sure to associate themselves with Chattahoochee High School when asked "Where would you like your transcript sent from?" It is free to send transcripts electronically! If you look at your "self-view copy" on parchment and it does not look correct, DO NOT PANIC. It is correct, it only shows the view point from the time you last submitted an order. Mrs. Jensen always send the most up to date transcript, unless you request to "hold for grades" option, then she will send at the end of the term.
- The second way is through GA FUTURES. Students are able to login to their account and send a transcript to any college in Georgia. Students cannot send a transcript out of state on this portal.
Students can also request a signed/sealed/official hard copy through Mrs. Jensen. They must give her at least 24 hours notice by requesting this on their yellow "Recommendation Request Card". These are located in Mrs. Jensen's office.
Home Access Center is the fastest way to get an unofficial copy of your transcript if you are needing to self report your grades to your college.
RECOMMENDATION LETTER PROCESS:
Counselors will begin accepting recommendation letter requests after Labor Day. There are three main steps to Recommendation Letters. If your college does not require a recommendation letter or school report, then they do not want one and you can skip these steps.
CONQUER YOUR APPLICATIONS WITH ORGANIZATION
Make sure you have some sort of organizational strategy to conquer your applications. Each college may have different deadlines for admissions, scholarships, financial aid, honors college, etc. Do not miss them! You should keep track of what supplemental documents are needed to make a complete admission's file. Just because you did your application, does not mean your file is complete. You must make sure you have submitted all pertinent materials in order for them to process your application. They will not make a decision until they have received everything. (Application, Essays, Transcript, Test Scores, Teacher Recommendation Letters, Counselor Recommendation letter, Immunization Records, etc.) Not every school requires everything listed, but some do. Make sure you have what you need to make the process go smoothly. Use your resources to get information, such as looking at the admission's website or blog for a detailed list of what is required. UGA and Georgia Tech both have excellent blogs and have explained their processes quite well. Check those out on their admissions website!
Home Access Center is the fastest way to get an unofficial copy of your transcript if you are needing to self report your grades to your college.
RECOMMENDATION LETTER PROCESS:
Counselors will begin accepting recommendation letter requests after Labor Day. There are three main steps to Recommendation Letters. If your college does not require a recommendation letter or school report, then they do not want one and you can skip these steps.
- Completing a Senior Profile / Student Information Sheet
This is a one and done process. Once you have completed the blue senior profile form and given it to your counselor you can check this part off your list. You do want to make sure you are thorough in your responses and this is one area where we would say "more is better". It is better to give us more information than not enough. Please be thoughtful in your responses. We are hoping you get into the college of your choice and are actively rooting for you - but we can't do it without your help! This is your brag sheet! Let us know all those amazing accomplishments your friends don't care about. Now is your time to shine. We can only do so much with one word responses. Give us something to work with :)
Here is a link for you to get started: Senior Student Profile Form - Making a formal request on the Recommendation Request Card
Counselors do require 10 (ten) SCHOOL days to process recommendation letter requests. In order to make the request, please come and get the yellow "recommendation request card" in our office. You will use the same card all year and add on as needed. This card remains in the counseling office (Mrs. Jensen's office). You will need to get a one time parent signature allowing us to release your records. If you need a letter for a scholarship, you must write it on here. If you want a letter for University of Texas, you must add it on here. If you want a letter for a military academy, you must add it on here. For each college, you must list it! Make sure that you write the name of the college /scholarship on the card for each separate link that you are going to send us. Sending just the link and not using the recommendation request card is not sufficient.
Exception to the rule! The exception is Common Application. If you are needing a letter to be submitted to Common App, you must add "Common App" this one time to your card. For Common App users, you do not have to write each college on the yellow card - just a one time "common app" line so that we know to look for your invitation in our email.
About halfway through the year, you may need a Mid Year Report or at the end of the year you may need an End of the Year Report submitted to your college. We will not know to send one, unless you complete the Recommendation Request Card. Please make sure you do this! We are going to assume you do not need one if we do not get this request. - Sending the link to your counselor OR attaching the paper copy
This is the last step. By this point, you have already turned in your blue profile form and completed your yellow recommendation request card to our office. You now need to make sure you have added your counselor's name and email address to your application in order for us to get a secure link to send your school report and/or letter.
CONQUER YOUR APPLICATIONS WITH ORGANIZATION
Make sure you have some sort of organizational strategy to conquer your applications. Each college may have different deadlines for admissions, scholarships, financial aid, honors college, etc. Do not miss them! You should keep track of what supplemental documents are needed to make a complete admission's file. Just because you did your application, does not mean your file is complete. You must make sure you have submitted all pertinent materials in order for them to process your application. They will not make a decision until they have received everything. (Application, Essays, Transcript, Test Scores, Teacher Recommendation Letters, Counselor Recommendation letter, Immunization Records, etc.) Not every school requires everything listed, but some do. Make sure you have what you need to make the process go smoothly. Use your resources to get information, such as looking at the admission's website or blog for a detailed list of what is required. UGA and Georgia Tech both have excellent blogs and have explained their processes quite well. Check those out on their admissions website!
Here are some quick deadline reminders from your Counseling Team. Do not wait until the last minute.
September 28 is the recommendation request deadline for any October 15 deadlines.
October 18 is the recommendation request deadline for any November 1 deadlines.
November 10 is the recommendation request deadline for any December 1 deadlines.
December 8 is the recommendation request deadline for any January 1 deadlines
** Please note: UGA and Georgia Tech have switched to January 1 deadlines. They are no longer January 15 for regular admission.
September 28 is the recommendation request deadline for any October 15 deadlines.
October 18 is the recommendation request deadline for any November 1 deadlines.
November 10 is the recommendation request deadline for any December 1 deadlines.
December 8 is the recommendation request deadline for any January 1 deadlines
** Please note: UGA and Georgia Tech have switched to January 1 deadlines. They are no longer January 15 for regular admission.
