• If this is your first visit to the Common App website, click “Apply Now” then “Create an Account,” if not simply Login.
   
• Enter your personal email address and password.
  (HINT: Use an appropriate email address for all college communications, such as firstname.lastname and check it regularly.  Do not use your SHRSD email as it will be deleted after you graduate)
   
• Remember this email address as you will need it in Step 4.

In your Common App, complete the questions using the following information:
 

I.  Education Section:
 

• SHRHS School Code: 310675
• Class of 2024 Graduation Date: June 2024
• Enter your counselor’s name, email address, and phone number:
  • Student last names Adas through Martinez-Barragan
    Dana Keck
    dana.keck@shrsd.org
    609-397-2060 x1344
     
  • Student last names Martinez-Castro through Zalescik
    Bay Pedersen
    bay.pedersen@shrsd.org
    609-397-2060 x1246
     
• A Community Based Organization provides FREE assistance to students in their application process: For almost all of you, your answer is ZERO.
   

II.  Colleges and Universities Section:

• If you have taken a course at RVCC or Mercer or paid for the dual-credit with Seton Hall, you should list it here. (Be aware that some colleges/universities may ask for an official transcript from showing that you completed this course BEFORE they review your application.)
   

III.  Grades Section

• Report “NONE” for Class Rank reporting
• Graduating Class Size: 70
• Cumulative GPA: We report your weighted gpa. Your GPA is available on Naviance and unofficial transcript.
• GPA Scale = 4.0 GPA
• Weighting = Weighted
• Enter all of your current year courses, including PE. Other than a few electives the courses are typically full year.
• Enter any academic honors you have received. NHS and National Merit Scholar both count!
• List your career interest (options are limited – you can choose “OTHER”), and the highest degree you intend to earn.

• Use the College Search tab to find colleges and add at least one college to your list. If you cannot find a college in the list, it is probably not a Common App member school!

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act, a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. You only need to sign the FERPA Release Authorization ONCE, even if you are applying to multiple Common App colleges. 
 

• Click on the My Colleges tab, then click the college name to view their list of requirements.
• Click on Recommenders and FERPA, then on Release Authorization
• Complete these steps to sign the FERPA release:
  • Indicate that you understand the statement, click continue
  • Check the authorization box for SHRHS to send your records
  • We cannot tell you what to do with waiving your rights, but we can tell you that it does not look good if you do not waive them: To do so, click “I waive my right to review all recommendations and supporting documents submitted by me or on my behalf.”
  • Check the box that you understand the waiver pertains to all Common App colleges to which you apply.
  • Sign, date, submit.

* NOTE THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR FERPA STATEMENT LATER, SO CLICK THE APPROPRIATE BOX!

• Click on the "Colleges" tab at the top of the page
• Under the "Apply to College" tab (third column from the right), click on "Colleges I’m Applying To"
• Click on the big button in the top right corner that says “Match Accounts”
• Enter the same email address that you used to create your Common Application
• Click "Match Accounts"
• When you are redirected back to Naviance you will see the schools that you loaded into the Common App

• Click on "Colleges", then click on "College Home" in the top left corner. Scroll down and click on "Letters of Recommendation" under the "Apply to College" section
• Select "Add Request"
• Use the "Select a Teacher" drop down and then click on the name of the teacher from whom you will be requesting a letter of recommendation.
  • If you want the letter from that teacher to go to all of the colleges on your list select “all colleges”.
  • If it is a supplemental letter that will only be sent to a few colleges click on “select colleges” and click on the colleges you would like to receive a letter from that teacher
• In the “Include a Personal Note" box, write a polite note, thanking the teacher for agreeing to write the letter and providing them with any relevant information that they may need to complete your letter.
• Click "Submit Request"

• Hand write a quick thank you note AFTER you know that the Letter of Recommendation has been submitted to you or counselor.
• Right now schedule send yourself an email to remind yourself to write thank you notes.
• Open Gmail and click on compose. In the to line enter all of your email addresses (including the one you are using to write the note).
• In the subject line write “Thank yous”
• In the body of the email type a one line reminder to yourself to write and deliver thank you notes to the teachers for your Letter of Recommendation
• Click the downward facing arrow next to Send and select a date that corresponds with your first application deadline.