Due: March 31, 2024
College Readiness & Resources
WHS Senior Handbook
How to Request Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
- Listing Schools in Naviance (Common App Matching & Add College to List)
- Requesting Counselor LORs
- Requesting Teacher LORs
Listing Schools in Naviance (Common App Matching & Add College to List)
- If applying to any colleges through Common App, you must link your Common Application and Naviance accounts (**Note, this cannot be completed prior to August 1, 2023)
- Create a Common Application Account
- Enter High School Information
- Add at least 1 college
- Complete the FERPA Release Authorization
- Login to Naviance
- Log into Clever (my.nsd.org) and click on the Naviance icon under “Learning Resources”
- At the top home page, click “Colleges” then “Colleges I’m applying to”
- Click on “Match Accounts” and then link your COMMON APPLICATION and NAVIANCE accounts by entering the email address you used to create your Common App account
- This video walks you through this process
- The schools you’ve already added in the Common App should now be on your “Colleges I’m applying to” list in Naviance.
- Create a Common Application Account
- Add any non-Common App schools to your college list in Naviance (including schools you are applying to through Coalition)
- In the “Colleges I’m applying to” section, click the “+”
- Start typing the name of the college into the “Which college are you applying to?” box or scroll through the drop-down list until you find the college
- Choose the correct options in the “App type” and “I’ll submit my application” drop-down lists, then click “Add Application.”
- Once you’ve added colleges to your “Colleges I’m applying to” list, you’ll see a comprehensive list that shows the type of application, submission type, deadline, and office status.
Requesting Counselor LORs
- Request your counselor letter of recommendation either in person or via email at least 3-4 weeks prior to your earliest deadline. You do not need to list your counselor in Naviance as a recommender since they are already assigned to you.
- Make sure to check that your college does require a letter of recommendation. Counselors will only write a letter if the college requires it.
- It may be helpful to schedule a meeting with your counselor to discuss your college list, essays/supplements, resume, or any questions you may have about the college process.
- Complete the Counselor LOR form and send it to your counselor ASAP. Your counselor will submit your letter on/before your earliest deadline. You do not have to wait for your letters of recommendation (teacher or counselor) in order to submit your college application.
Requesting Teacher LORs
- Personally speak with your teacher to request a letter of recommendation.
- Please give your teachers AT LEAST 3-4 weeks to complete the letter. Plan for winter break in your timeline – do not expect that your teachers will write letters during winter break!
- After you have confirmed with your teacher, list them as a recommender in NAVIANCE:
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On your Naviance home page, click Colleges at the top, and under the Applying to College column, click Letters of Recommendation.
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- Teachers may ask for a copy of your WHS LOR form, have you complete their own questionnaire, want a copy of your transcript, etc. – provide them with any materials they request from you in a timely manner!
College Timeline
9th Grade Freshman Year
We are excited to welcome you to Woodinville High School.
9th Grade College Timeline For Students9th grade college timeline for parents
10th Grade Sophomore Year
11th Grade Junior Year
11th Grade ChecklistPowtoon PPT PresentationMilitary Academy Checklist
WHAT |
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Fall |
Set your goals: Work on specific goals to help you stay motivated and forced for the upcoming year. Remember, "Your Junior Transcript gets you accepted into a college." |
Fall |
Scholarships: Continue to search for scholarships! Click here for more scholarship information! |
Fall |
College and Career Fair: We will host a school-wide "College and Career Fair" so "EVERY STUDENT" has an opportunity to connect with college representatives, apprenticeship programs, military branches and employers! Click here for a list of colleges and programs that will be attending! (Due to COVID restrictions this in-person event will not occur in 2021) |
Fall |
College and Career Night: We will host a "College and Career Night" with 20 break-out sessions! Click here for break-out topics! (Due to COVID restrictions this in-person event will not occur in 2021) |
Fall |
College Supermatch: Go to your Naviance account to search for schools you're "Thinking of applying to" and click the "heart." When a college visits our school (and you've clicked the "heart") you will be notified. |
Fall |
PSAT/NMSQT: Take the PSAT test (Oct), which will help prepare you for the SAT and then review your results (Dec). Your CollegeBoard scores can be linked with a Khan Academy account to personalize a test prep program for the SAT. |
Winter |
Senior Classes: Think about what classes you will need for graduation, career pathways and college admissions requirements. Counselors will be meeting one-on-one with EVERY student! |
Spring |
College Visits: If you can, visit a college during mid-winter break or spring break. Many colleges and universities have virtual tours. Virtual Tours |
Spring |
Letter of Recommendation: Ask your teachers and counselor if they will write a letter of recommendation for you. Check your college admissions' website to confirm a letter is required. Fill out the Letter of Recommendation form (Brag Sheet) if a letter is required and send it to your counselor/teacher. LOR sheet can be found in Naviance in the "Documents Library". |
12th Grade Senior Year
12th grade Timeline for students12th grade Timeline for parents2020-21 Senior Presentation
WHAT | WHAT | |
Fall | Set Goals: Work towards specific Goals that will help you stay motivated and focused throughout the year! Remember, Your Junior transcript gets you accepted into a college and your Senior Final Transcript allows you to attend a college in Fall! | |
Oct |
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Nov | College and Career Night: We will host a "College and Career Night" with 20 break-out sessions! Click here for break-out topics! | |
Sept | Re-take your SAT and/or ACT: You are smarter and more capable than last school year! Some schools Superscore, meaning they take the best scores from each test. If you take by August, scores Could be available for college application (check college admissions requirements for deadlines). If you think you may qualify for a fee waiver, see your counselor | |
Sept. | Letters of Recommendation (LOR): Find out if you need LOR for the schools you're applying. Typically, only private schools (Common Application) require LOR from Counselors. Ask your teacher or counselor (if needed) "Face-to-face" and then follow-up with an email. Turn around time is 2 weeks. | |
Sept. | Finish your college essay: Revise and edit, ask a teacher (face-to-face) if they are willing to review! | |
Finalize College Lists: Get your list of 4-6 schools that you'd like to apply attend next Fall. Check colleges' website for admissions requirements and application process. Check DEADLINES: You snooze you loose!
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Naviance and Transcripts: You must add ALL colleges and request transcripts in Naviance. If you do not complete this process, your transcript will not be sent. |
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ACT/SAT: You will need to request your scores through ACT through ACT.org and/or SAT through collegeboard.org. | ||
NOW - Next AUG |
Scholarships: Continue to research scholarships. Remember Institutional Scholarships have different deadlines than the College Application. So check the DEADLINES!! You don't want to "Snooze and Loose!" FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHOLARSHIPS, PLEASE CLICK HERE!
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College Visits
Visiting a College?
Here are some questions you might want to ask when you visit a college.
Academics
—How much time do students typically spend on homework?
—How much writing and reading are expected?
—What is the average class size of introductory classes?
—How widely used are teaching assistants on your campus?
—What is the average class size of upper-division courses?
Academic Perks
—What opportunities are there for undergraduate research?
—How many students participate in undergraduate research?
—Is there a culminating senior year experience?
—Do you have an honors college?
—Do you have a learning community or other freshman experience?
Financial Aid
—What is your average financial aid package?
—What is the typical breakdown of loans versus grants?
—What percentage of financial need does the school typically meet?
—What is the average merit award?
—What percentage of students receive college grants?
—What is the average college debt that students leave with?
—What work-study opportunities are there?
Graduation Track Record
—What is your four-year graduation rate? For my major?
—What is your five-year graduation rate?
—What does it take to graduate in four years?
—What percentage of freshmen return for sophomore year?
Academic Support
—What type of tutoring program do you have?
—How do you provide academic advice to students?
—Do you have a writing center and how do I access it?
—What kind of learning disability resources do you have?
Outside Opportunities
—How many students at the college get internships?
—What percentage of students study abroad?
—What type of career services do you have?
Student Life
—What kind of dorm choices are there?
—What percentage of student live on campus?
—How long are dorm accommodations guaranteed?
—How many students live on campus?
—Do most students go home on the weekend?
—What percentage of the study body belongs to a sorority or fraternity?
—What activities are offered to students?
—What clubs do you have on campus?
How to Sign Up and Attend a College Visit at WHS
STEP ONE: NEW NAVIANCE LOGIN INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
We are excited to announce that accessing NAVIANCE is going to be easier this year! Naviance is now part of the Clever Portal. Please log in to your Clever account, you will see the new Naviance icon/button under Learning Resources. When you click on the Naviance icon/button you will go directly into your Naviance account.
STEP TWO: Once you are signed in to Naviance -
- You will find a WHAT’S NEW section on the bottom right of the page.
- Click on SHOW MORE for a complete list of college visits.
- Click on MORE INFO & REGISTER in order to sign-up for a college visit.
- Then write down the visit on your planner or personal calendar.
- On the day of the visit, log-in to Naviance and the virtual link will be active at the scheduled time.
Northshore School District College & Career Fair
Click here for the session recordings. NSD College & Career Fair 2023
How do I find money for college?
FAFSA
College Bound Scholarships
The College Bound Scholarship program is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who sign up in middle school and fulfill the scholarship pledge. From sign up to scholarship, we provide the tools and resources you need to get College Bound.
Please click here for more information on College Bound Scholarships
Scholarships
EVERYONE!
ALL Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen should be applying to scholarships NOW!
Here are some scholarship databases that you can use to find scholarships:
Fastweb - Create a profile
Scholarships - Create a profile and start looking!
The Big Futures - This site is through College Board or SAT site.
The Washboard - This is for all students who are from Washington State who would like to apply to in/out of state schools.
Scholarship Foundation of Northshore
Opens: December 1st, 2023
Due: March 15th, 2024
Scholarships for Northshore School District students ONLY. Students complete one application and can be considered for multiple scholarships. Each student will receive only one scholarship.
Woodinville PTSA Scholarship
Due: April 1st, 2024
Each year WHS PTSA is pleased to offer scholarships to 3 graduating seniors to persue further education. These scholarships acknowledge academic achievements and contributions to the school as well as community involvement through work or volunteer activities.
Categories:
- Two Falcon Awards at $2000/each
- One Falcon "Liza Yore" Spirit Award $2000/each
Monthly Scholarship Opportunities
There are many ways to find scholarships. Past students have been successful using the following:
- Scholarship Foundation of Northshore - Northshore School District Only SF-NS
- WashBoard - Create a profile WashBoard
- Naviance - 90+ scholarships without creating a profile - Access Through Clever
- Going Merry - Create a profile Going Merry
- College Websites - Check the college you are planning to attend
Due: April 22, 2024
Due: April 15, 2024
Due: March 31, 2024
Due: March 31, 2024
Due: April 1, 2024
Due: April 15, 2024
Due: April 15, 2024
Due: March 22, 2024
Due: March 19, 2024
Due: April 23, 2024
Due: March 29, 2024
Due: April 1, 2024
Due: March, 29, 2024
Due: April 15, 2024
Due: Multiple Scholarships
Due: May 10, 2024
Due: May 31, 2024
Due: April 1, 2024
Due: March 31, 2024
Due: March 1, 2024
Due: Multiple Deadlines
Due: Rolling Deadline
Financial Aid Night 2023 Slide Deck
Upcoming College Visits
Contact Us
WHS Counselors are here to support with the college application process. Contact your counselor with questions!
Amy Strandy
Alphabet A-C
astrandy@nsd.org
Katherine Lamb
Alphabet D-Hi
klamb@nsd.org
Scott Churchill
Alphabet Hj-Man
schurchill@nsd.org
Nate Hirsch
Alphabet Mar-R
nhirsch@nsd.org
Sarah Brenner
Alphabet S-Z
sbrenner@nsd.org
My Tang
College/Career & Running Start
mtang@nsd.org