1 of 19

“Big Future” > “College Search”
Quick and user friendly way to see what colleges are looking for in the way of academic standing
Search a college by typing the college name in the upper right search bar, go to the “Admissions” tab and scroll down to the middle of the page to the “GPA Range”, “SAT Total Range” or “ACT Composite Range”
Niche

Google search
Directly on the college website
Family, friends, counselor, etc.

College Search S

8 of 19

Always ask your teacher in person first. We recommend asking your teacher for a letter of recommendation in early May of Junior year.
After you have asked your teacher in person, you will need to make a request through Naviance. Go to the “College” tab on the top of your Naviance screen>“Letters of Recommendation”>“Add a Request”>1. Teacher dropdown menu> Selecting your teacher (*Important note: The first teacher you request should be the teacher that you would send to a college if they will only allow 1 letter of recommendation)>2. Click the “General” box in the gray highlighted area>3. Write a personal note such as, Dear teacher, Thank you so much for agreeing to write me a letter of recommendation for college. Please let me know if you need further information>Submit Request.
Follow this procedure for all teacher letter of recommendation requests

Requesting Letters of Recommendation S

9 of 19

Complete the brag sheet which is located on Mrs. Torkos College Advisement Class of 2026 Google Classroom and the Guidance Counseling Webpage

Colleges want a counselor letter of recommendation. By completing the student brag sheet you are assisting your counselor with creating a recommendation letter that is specific and tailored to you.

Please note: A counselor letter of recommendation will not be written without providing the student brag sheet (Mrs. Viscomi/Resume)

Counselor Recommendation Letters S

10 of 19

Login Information

Your username is your Donovan Catholic email address
Please see your School Counselor if you need your password reset

**IMPORTANT NOTE: WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NAVIANCE, MOVING FORWARD YOU WILL USE A PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS (YOUR OWN) FOR COLLEGE PURPOSES**

Colleges I Am Applying To

Start adding colleges to the “Colleges I’m Applying To” tab.

Click the “plus” sign to start adding your colleges.
This is not a commitment to the college that your are applying. .
This will allow the Guidance Department to send your transcripts, recommendation letters, and school profile once you submit your application through the Naviance eDocs system.
This needs to be completed before you request your letters of recommendation through Naviance.

Naviance S

11 of 19

About Me> Resume > Start adding to topics that pertain to you

Why do I need a resume:

Teacher letters of recommendation
Help prepare for the application process
Application: Upload resume (OPTIONAL……NOT OPTIONAL)

Naviance S

12 of 19

Create your Common App Account

The Common App

REMEMBER TO USE YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS

“Search College”
“College List”
“Common App”

The Common Application S

13 of 19

EARLY DECISION
Binding decision/Commitment to attending

EARLY ACTION
No binding contract
High level of interest from student
Receive admissions packet earlier

PRIORITY DECISION
Financial Aid packet

REGULAR DECISION
ROLLING DECISION

Admission Plans S

14 of 19

Scholarship Resources

Goingmerry.com
Scholarship.com
Fastweb.com
Collegeboard.org
Local scholarship information to be announced on Naviance/Senior year

Scholarship Resources S

15 of 19

NJ STARS program is an initiative created by the State of New Jersey that provides New Jersey’s highest achieving students with free tuition at their home county colleges.

Eligible Requirements:

New Jersey residents who rank in the top 15.0% of their class at the end of either the junior or senior year of high school may be eligible to receive an NJ STARS award for attendance at their home county college.
Students may attend another New Jersey county college only if their desired program of study is not offered at the county college where they reside or is oversubscribed for at least one year.
Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application and submit all required information within established State deadlines.
Students must attain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher by the start of the second year of county college enrollment to meet the academic requirement for NJ STARS renewal.
NJ STARS students must graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher to qualify academically for the NJ STARS II program.

For more information please go to the HESAA NJ Stars Webpage: https://www.hesaa.org/Documents/NJSTARS_program.pdf

NJ Stars S

16 of 19

Donovan Catholic NCAA Liaison

Mrs. Patti Viscomi

(732) 349-8801 (Ext. 2420)

pviscomi@donovancatholic.org

Academic Eligibility Requirements Division I and Division II

(Please see handout)

Athletic Form on Mrs. Torkos Junior College Advisement Google Classroom

NCAA Eligibility Center

NCAA Requirements S

17 of 19

Junior Year

MRS. TORKOS COLLEGE ADVISEMENT GOOGLE CLASSROOM CLASS OF 2027
CollegeBoard Search for GPA and SAT/ACT Fit
Use your personal email for college purposes
Keep all login information on the Notes section of your phone, Google Doc, and/or written down in a college file
Finish the year strong!!!!
Continue your college search/Reach/Target/Safety
Visit colleges/Open House opportunities
Work on your resume (Naviance)
Request Teacher Letters of Recommendation in person (starting in March)
Follow up in person request with requesting LOR in Naviance
Complete the Counselor Brag Sheet
Research National scholarship opportunities
Create your Common App account
Start your Common Application/Wait on the writing component until finalized sometime in June

Remember to….. BREATHE!!!!!

Important Notes S

18 of 19

Senior Year:

THE STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Meeting all college deadline dates
Requesting and sending SAT, ACT, and/or AP test scores directly from the testing center
Completing the Transcript Request Form as notification to Guidance that you have applied, so that we can send out your school documents

IMPORTANT NOTE: GUIDANCE REQUESTS AT LEAST 10 BUSINESS DAYS

TO SUBMIT SCHOOL DOCUMENTS

THE COUNSELOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Sending the student’s transcript, letters of recommendation, and school profile

Opportunities for assistance from your counselor

Small Group Meetings
Individual Meetings
Snacks and Apps (Senior Year)
Instant Decision Days

Important Notes (Continued) S

19 of 19

We Look Forward To Working With You On The College Application Process!�