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Dear SBA Seniors and Families,
I hope this letter finds you and your family enjoying the last few days of summer and staying healthy. As the time nears to the beginning of another school year, I wanted to take the time and provide a checklist of information regarding the college application process here at SBA. This information will be reviewed with students during their senior meetings, is available on the SBA College Services site and on Naviance student accounts.
- All transcripts and letters of recommendation must be requested online through our Naviance program. Students should have spoken to their teachers to request a letter of recommendation, but when they are ready to apply, a formal request must be made on Naviance indicating the timeline of when they are needed.
- Before any student can request a transcript, the Transcript Authorization form (attached to this email), must be completed and signed by the student (if over 18) or student's parent. Please print out, complete and return to the Counseling Office in person or electronically.
- SAT and ACT test scores should NOT be requested on Naviance. College and universities prefer scores to be 'official' and so must be requested and sent through the respective testing agency. Most schools have adopted a Test-Optional Policy for the 20-21 school year, so please check the schools you are interested in for their latest updates.
- Students will have the option to send a mid-year transcript as well if they check the applicable box. Please do not select 'final transcript', as those transcripts are only sent to a student's attending college.
- The process for requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation on Naviance will be outlined to students during their meetings/via email and hopefully in-person when we return. Step by step college application process information can also be found on the College Services page of the SBA website.
- The school will be unable to send off any transcripts or letters of recommendation until we are back in session and the student's schedules are finalized (due to any last minute drop/add course situations).
- To receive a counselor letter of recommendation, a student must provide a resume on Naviance and the completed "A Little More About Me Survey", also on Naviance. Teacher letters of recommendation should focus on performance in the classroom.
- It is the responsibility of each student to understand the specific application criteria for each school they are applying to and the deadlines stipulated by each of those respective schools.
- Please allow at least two weeks for transcripts and letters of recommendation to be sent out once the student officially requests them. The student will be able to track her request electronically through the Naviance system.
- The fee for EIGHT TRANSCRIPTS is included in senior fees. ANY college transcript request made over EIGHT, will be assessed an additional $5.00 per transcript.
- All students should be reminded to consistently check their individual application portals to make sure all information has been received by the college/university on a timely basis. If information is missing a student's file will NOT go to review. If information is missing, the college/university may email the student, send a traditional letter or state the information in the student's application portal.
- College visits to SBA will be conducted virtually this school year. Students need to sign up on Naviance for a specific college visit no later than 1 day prior to visit.
- All seniors are allotted 2 excused absence days to visit colleges, BUT must complete a College Visit Form (attached). Due to limited days in school, it is requested that seniors do college visits on days they are NOT scheduled for class at SBA.
- The following attachments are included in this email: 1) Transcript Authorization Form 2) College Visitation Form. These attachments are also located on the SBA website.
Additional meetings will also be conducted once the school year begins. A meeting during lunch, immediately after school or a scheduled ZOOM meeting (when not physically in school) will be offered at the request of students.
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