Your school counselor is ready to help with college applications—no formal request needed. For other recommenders, always ask before assuming they can assist.
Step 2: Complete Your Senior Profile
Provide your counselor and any teachers assisting with recommendations with a thorough senior profile (link below). This helps create strong letters of recommendation. Submit at least 10 school days before any deadlines.
Check each school’s website for school-specific steps. You don’t want to inadvertently miss a required step, leading to an incomplete application! Most schools use the Common App (link below), which allows you to submit one application to multiple schools.
Common App will ask you to list your counselor recommender, so be sure to use an accurate email address. Be sure to use the email addresses exactly as they’re listed on the SFHS Counselor Contacts page (link below).
Common App will ask you to choose your application deadline (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, and/or Rolling Admission). It is SUPER IMPORTANT that you select a deadline. Deadlines help school counselors prioritize which applications must be completed sooner and which applications can be completed later.
Notify recommenders of any Rolling Admissions (RA) colleges. RA applications default to the end of the school year in the Common App, so without student notification, counselors are unaware that this application should be completed as soon as possible.
Other admission types are not first-come, first-served. Submit a quality application by the posted deadline. Colleges will not begin processing applications until after the posted deadline.
NOTE: The student portion of the college application is separate from the recommender portion of the application. Therefore, students can submit as soon as they are ready. Counselors will be sure to complete their part by the deadline provided.
Test Scores
ACT: Ordered by student via ACT.org
SAT: Ordered by student via CollegeBoard.com
Transcripts
Order via Parchment (link below) → send directly to Common App
In Parchment, when prompted to search for a college, type “Common Application” and select Common Application (First Year Applicants). Enter your Common App ID (located on the top right of your Common App homepage). This connects your transcript to your Common App and covers all colleges with a single request fee.
Select “Send Now”.
Allow 10 school days for processing
Now What?
Check Application Status regularly and monitor your email for updates.
Check HOPE GPA through GaFutures (link below) for HOPE/Zell Miller eligibility.
