Senior Counseling Services Overview
The exciting part about senior year is applying to colleges, and your counselors know this can also be an overwhelming experience. College application deadlines sneak up quickly while trying to manage your regular school responsibilities. Organization is key! Add application deadlines and obligations to your calendar and thoroughly research all application requirements. It is to your benefit to be well ahead of any deadlines. Your counselor will support you throughout the application process. You also want to regularly and consistently check your email for updates and communication from colleges that will be contacting you.
Throughout the fall, the PVHSCCC hosts several workshops (College Essentials Toolkit) and hosts many College Rep Visits to help you finalize your application and feel supported through this experience. You will receive workshops on the UC and CSU applications, a financial aid workshop, and more. Refer to the CCC website
here to review their events and note important dates.
It is strongly encouraged that all seniors:
- Attend College Essentials Toolkit Series (various nights)
- Attend Financial Aid Workshop & FAFSA Workshop
- Attend college representative visits for schools they are interested in
- Visit colleges of interest (in person if allowed or using virtual tours)
- Maintain a list of colleges they're applying to with deadlines and application requirements
Senior Guidance Lesson
Below is the Senior Conference Lesson given on September 3 and 4. This presentation covers important information including the college application process, how to build your college list, how to request letters of recommendation, and more.
Senior Packet
All seniors are given their Senior Packet following their conferences on August 31 & September 1. If you need a packet, see your counselor. Each senior must complete and submit their senior packet regardless of their postsecondary plans.
Counselor Letter of Recommendation Process
Please refer to the Counselor Letter of Recommendation
webpage if you will be requesting a letter from your counselor. To request a counselor letter of recommendation for college applications, you will need to follow the instructions in your senior packet and submit all materials by the required deadlines.
Early Action/Early Decision applications: request must be made by Monday, September 23, 2024
Regular Decision applications: request must be made by Friday, November 1, 2024
A counselor letter of recommendation is typically required by schools you apply to on the Common Application and other public or private schools that do not use the Common App. It is the student's responsibility to check each school you are applying to to see if a letter is required.
The letter of recommendation is included as part of the Common Application Secondary School Report. This portion of that application gives institutions information regarding the educational context the student is coming from. Student responses on the counselor questionnaire are very helpful in completing the secondary report.
UCs and CSUs do not accept letters of recommendation. Occasionally, some of the more competitive or specialized programs within these universities may request a letter of recommendation. Please carefully review any requirements for programs of interest. If a counselor letter is required for a program, students must submit their packet by the required deadlines.
Parent Letter of Recommendation
Parent/Guardian insight makes a tremendous difference in the quality of a finished letter of recommendation. We thank you in advance for taking the time to be a part of your senior's college application process. Your responses to the questions enclosed on the attached Parent/Guardian Brag Sheet will assist your student's counselor as we write a letter of recommendation on behalf of your student.
We ask that you address your responses with new information that is not already used in the college application. Possible topics include the student's greatest strengths, most unique characteristics, significant family events, student's personal obstacles, etc. The information you provide will be kept confidential.
You may choose to submit your brag sheet with your student's senior packet by the required deadline posted above, or submit directly to your student's counselor. We are flexible in how we obtain your letter and are grateful for your support.
Thank you!
PVHS Counselors
Teacher Letter of Recommendation Process
There are steps to take when requesting a letter of recommendation from a teacher. We recommend you approach your teacher or reach out via email to request a letter of recommendation. Once your teacher agrees to write you a letter, you will want to ask them what information they need from you (resume, teacher letter questionnaire, college list, etc.). You will also need to ask how your teacher plans to submit their letter to your colleges.
You may locate the fillable teacher letter of recommendation questionnaire below. This form allows you to provide teachers with supplemental information about you and the schools you are applying to.
Keep in mind, teachers share the same deadlines as your counselor. For Early Action/Early Decision applications, you must request your teacher letter of recommendation by Friday, September 20, 2024. For Regular Decision applications, you must make the request by Friday, November 1, 2024.
College Application Resources
Reference the
PVHS College and Career Center College Application Resources
here.