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:

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.

 

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.