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POST HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING

Class of 2026

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TONIGHT’S OBJECTIVES:

Attendees will become familiar with:

    • Post secondary options and related benefits and requirements
    • The resources available to students and their families
    • Steps necessary to request transcripts and letters of recommendation

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YOUR GHS SCHOOL COUNSELORS

Ms. Brandt

(A – Ci)

Kelli_Brandt@hcpss.org

Ms. Hirsch

(Cj-Ho)

Mindy_Hirsch@hcpss.org

*Ms. Burton

(Hp-M)

Daria_Burton@hcpss.org

Ms. Devlin

(Mj-Seu)

Carolyn_Devlin@hcpss.org

Dr. Burnett

(Sew-Z)

Steven_Burnett@hcpss.org

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ADDITIONAL PARTNERS IN THE POST HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING PROCESS

Ms. Repole -Student Services Secretary

Ms. Hooks -Registrar

Ms. Milton - BSA Liaison

Ms. Beil – Career Readiness Advisor

Ms. Rhine- Career Coach from HCOWFD

Ms. Gers - Assistant Principal over Student Services

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PLANNING FOR

YOUR FUTURE

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Find Your Purpose - Create Your Own Path

TWO/FOUR YEAR COLLEGE

  • Learning opportunities
  • Further education
  • Build independence
  • Internships
  • Certification

ARMED FORCES

  • Education credits
  • Travel
  • Medical/dental care, 30 days paid vacation
  • Leadership/discipline

JOB WITH BENEFITS

  • Instant pay
  • Flexibility in schedule
  • Experience
  • Time to explore interests and further develop skills

APPRENTICESHIP/TRADE

  • On-the-job training w/pay
  • Career mentor
  • Hands-on careers
  • Job search support

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MILITARY/ARMED FORCES

Requirements

-Take ASVAB* (offered at GHS)

-High School Diploma/GED

-Work with recruiter

Benefits

-Education Credits

-Travel

-Medical/dental care

-30 days paid vacation

-Leadership/discipline

-Career Training

*At GHS

Monday, 10/6 at 10am - ASVAB Prep Session

Wednesday, 10/22 at 7:50am - ASVAB test

Monday, 11/3 at 10am - ASVAB post test interpretation

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SIGN UP TO TAKE THE ASVAB AT GHS

*October 22nd at 7:50am in the GHS cafeteria

REGISTER HERE!!!

Registration closes on Monday, October 20, 2025

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APPRENTICESHIPS

Benefits

-Job Opportunity and Growth

Potential

-Earn while you learn

-Hands on training

-College Credits and Certifications

What’s required?

- Take entrance exam

    • Math through Algebra 2

-Register for program of choice

-Attend class 2-3 nights/week

-Work /earn $ during the day

The access more information about Apprenticeship MD click HERE

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TRADE SCHOOL

Benefits

-Career specific training

-Shorter program

-Less money, more time

What’s Required?

-Apply directly to the school

-Complete the FAFSA

-Visit and interview

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TWO YEAR COLLEGE

What’s Required?

  • Register online
    • Honors programs available
  • Take accuplacer
  • Free for those who qualify!

Options

  • Associates Degree
  • Certificate programs

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FOUR YEAR COLLEGE

What’s Required?

  • Application
  • Essay
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Application fee
  • SAT/ACT (at times)

Benefits:

  • Degree Program
  • Educational Attainment
  • Build Independence
  • Networking
  • Upward Mobility

Considering ROTC as a part of your college experience? Click HERE for helpful information.

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CREATING YOUR LIST OF SCHOOLS

Be Open Minded and Realistic

Academically

Socially

Financially

Geographically

Apply to 5-7 schools that represent a STRONG match:

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RESOURCES FOR RESEARCHING THE BEST FIT SCHOOL FOR YOU

  • All HCPSS students and Parent/Guardians have access to a free Naviance account
  • Linked HERE is a free resource from NACAC for those interested in exploring international schools

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SAT/ACT

Recommended 1st sitting was spring 2025

Click HERE to see fall 2025 SAT testing dates & HERE for fall 2025 ACT testing dates

Send:

  • Scores are ABOVE the average SAT or ACT for your college/program
  • Scholarship requires test scores
  • Academic program requires test scores (ex. Nursing, Engineering, Honors Program)

Don’t Send:

Scores are at the average SAT or ACT OR BELOW the average for college/program

-Your GPA is FAR more impressive than your test scores

-The school does not require them.

*Students are responsible for submitting test scores directly to colleges…GHS will not.

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COLLEGE AND CAREER EVENTS/VISITS

Check our the GHS Career Counseling weekly newsletter for event details and registration information

Click the newsletter link below for detailed steps to sign up for College and Work-Based Learning events in Naviance.

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UPCOMING COLLEGE ESSAY WRITING WORKSHOPS

When: September 16 & October 8, 2025

2:50 pm - 4:00 pm

Where: GHS Media Center

College admissions representatives and GHS staff will offer interested students feedback on their essay ideas or completed essays

Registration Required: You can only sign-up for one date

College Essay Sign-up Link

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FINANCIAL AID

  • Opens October 1st

  • StudentAid.Gov

  • Check individual college FAFSA deadlines
  • EVERY student should complete

The MSFAA allows qualified children of undocumented immigrants, who qualify for in-state tuition under §15–106.8 of the MD Education Article​​​, to apply and be considered for certain types of State need-based financial aid Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA)

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SENIOR FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP

  • Wednesday, September 17th
  • 6pm
  • GHS cafeteria
  • Bring your fully charged laptop/Chromebooks
  • RSVP is recommended but not required!

Contact Ms. Beil with any questions

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APPLICATION PLATFORMS

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APPLICATION TYPES/DEADLINES

  • Early Decision
    • Early deadline, early response, BINDING

  • Early Action
    • Early deadline, early response, NON-BINDING

  • Rolling Admission
    • Students are accepted/denied as applications are received

  • Regular Admission
    • Apply by regular deadline (i.e. Jan 15) and hear a response by April 1

  • Single Choice Early Action
    • Limited to applying to only one school early action, NON-BINDING

For additional clarification regarding the various application types click HERE

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TRANSCRIPT REQUEST

PROCESS

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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STEP #1: THE WAIVER OF RIGHTS AND RECORDS RELEASE FORM MUST BE ON FILE WITH GHS

Waiving rights to examine all letters of recommendation

❑ NOT waiving rights to examine any letters of recommendation

-Submit to Registrar in Student Services

-Only needs to be submitted ONCE

-Cannot send ANY records until this is completed

-Forms are available in Student Services

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STEP #2: REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS

Students will trigger requests for college and NCAA transcripts through their Naviance accounts under the “Colleges I Am Applying To” section. Schools will carry over from Common App AFTER Matching OR students add if not using Common App. We will review these steps on the next slides!

For ALL OTHER transcript requests (ie. scholarship, internship, armed services, job related, ettc.) students should complete the form linked HERE.

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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MATCHING (OR LINKING) COMMON APP TO NAVIANCE

Any student using Common App to apply to even ONE college or university will want to complete this step first.

Click HERE to view screencast outlining the steps to link Common App and Naviance

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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RECAP OF LINKING STEPS:

  • Create your Common App account and complete necessary information
  • Open Naviance, go to College I’m Applying To
  • Click on Match Accounts
  • Enter you Common App login information

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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ADDING ALL OTHER COLLEGES INTO NAVIANCE

Click HERE to view screencast outlining the steps to manually enter colleges into Naviance

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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RECAP FOR ENTERING COLLEGES INTO NAVIANCE

  • Open STUDENT Naviance account
  • Click Colleges tab
  • Click Colleges I’m Applying To

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RECAP FOR ENTERING COLLEGES INTO NAVIANCE

  • Click the the button top right of screen

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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RECAP FOR ENTERING COLLEGES INTO NAVIANCE

  1. Select the correct App Type
    • Select the correct application deadline
    • Select the correct application platform (Common App or all others “Direct”)
  2. Click “Add Application ”
  • Start typing the name of the college
    • Select the correct campus

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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IMPORTANT REQUEST CLARIFICATION

This is misleading! Don’t worry. If you can see your schools, your transcript is requested.

All requests must be made 20 SCHOOL DAYS in advance of deadline.

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TEACHER LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION REQUEST PROCESS

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TEACHER LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Step 1: Personally ask two teachers if they are willing to write on your behalf

  • Due June 1, 2025

Step 2: Complete Counselor/Teacher Information Forms in Naviance

  • Due June 1, 2025
  • Used by many teachers when writing letters
  • Found in Naviance, under About Me, under Surveys from Your School

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TEACHER LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Step 3: Provide teachers with the Teacher Recommendation Request form (aka. The Yellow Form)

  • Paper trail to trigger reminder to complete letters
  • Due 20 school days prior to earliest application deadline
  • This indicates that the student has upcoming deadlines

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TEACHER LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Step 4: Electronically Invite teachers through student Naviance account

  • This triggers an email to teachers indicating they have access to upload and submit electronically to colleges/universities
  • Watch screencast HERE for detailed steps in this process and review following slides to recap

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RECAP: HOW TO INVITE TEACHERS IN NAVIANCE

  • Open STUDENT Naviance, click on Colleges tab
  • Click Letters of Recommendation

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RECAP: HOW TO INVITE TEACHERS IN NAVIANCE

  • Click green Add Request button

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RECAP: HOW TO INVITE TEACHERS IN NAVIANCE

  • Use drop down tab to select staff member
  • Choose which college the individual teacher(s) should submit to
  • Click green Submit Request button

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Letters of Rec will NOT be sent until:

  1. The Release form is on file

  • Student personally asks their teachers to write their letter of recommendation

  • Students complete the Teacher Information Form in Naviance

  • Student provides each teacher with the Yellow Request form

  • Student electronically requests teachers through Naviance

Transcripts will NOT be sent until:

  1. The Release form is on file

  • Student Common App is matched/linked with Naviance

  • Student manually adds non-college app colleges to their “Colleges I’m Applying To” tab in Naviance

IMPORTANT REMINDERS!

*Students are responsible for submitting SAT/ACT scores directly to colleges

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DON’T:

  • Wait to submit your college applications until your transcripts/letters have been sent. You can submit your application(s) anytime and colleges will put all your materials together as they arrive.
  • Panic if staff materials are not sent until the indicated deadline. Teachers and counselors have many duelling priorities but will meet your deadlines. DON’T WORRY!

DO:

  • Make sure you select the correct school! Some colleges have multiple campuses and similar names
  • Check deadlines and verify them with the colleges’ websites
  • Submit all requests atleast 20 school days before your earliest college deadline
  • Monitor Naviance to verify submission of transcripts and letters of recommendations

DO’S AND DON’TS

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Student, teachers, and counselor are working simultaneously toward the same goal…TO MEET YOUR DEADLINES!

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  • Have open and honest conversations with family

  • Spend time self-reflecting
    • What do you want?
    • What will suit your needs best?

  • Stay Calm and breathe
  • Be open-minded and explore all options

  • Ask lots of questions
    • Learn about career journeys uniquely suited for you

  • Understand debt and work to reduce it

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Follow HCPSS CRAs on Instagram @ hcpss_ccr and

the GHS Career Counseling Weekly newsletter linked HERE!

Content for instagram:

  • Important Date Reminders
  • Links to Events
  • College Process Help & Resources
  • Career and College Fair information
  • March to the Future programming
  • Dual Enrollment announcements and events
  • And more . . . .

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  • March2theFuture

  • Studentaid.gov

  • College Essay Guy