College Planning
Applying To Colleges/Universities
IMPORTANT NOTE: Seniors may establish their Common App Account on or after August first! Do not create an account prior to August as it will be cleared of your data at the end of July!
When applying to a college, students need to adhere to the BHS process outlined below. Please review these directions and address all questions to your counselor or to our Registrar. The most important thing to remember when applying to a college is that each college has a deadline for submitting applications. If you miss the deadline you will not be considered for admission. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR DEADLINES!
Almost all colleges encourage students to apply online; many utilize The Common Application.
If any of the colleges you are applying to accept the Common Application, you will only have to fill out this application once. Upon completion, you indicate through the website which of the Common Application schools to transmit your application to. Each school will have their own application fee. If a college you are applying to does not use the Common Application, it will most likely offer its own application online. When submitting an application online you will also pay the application fee online as well. If you do not submit your application online, you must mail a paper copy of the application, with your essay and a check for the application fee. Again, colleges strongly recommend using the online application process.
Letters of Recommendation
Your school counselor or teacher will write a letter on your behalf if you request one. This request must be made in writing. It is helpful to the writer for you to include the names of the places you are applying to as well as application due dates. When requesting a recommendation give the writer plenty of time with a minimum of TWO WEEKS advance notice. The more time you give the writer the more it will ensure a well-written letter. We suggest you secure your written request between the end of junior year and the beginning of senior year.
Once your teacher or counselor has agreed to write a letter of recommendation,YOU MUST ALSO SUBMIT THE REQUEST THROUGH YOUR NAVIANCE ACCOUNT! This will allow your letters to be uploaded to your Naviance account. The Registrar will submit your letter along with your BHS transcript and school profile electronically.
When requesting a letter from your counselor please make sure you submit the senior “autobiography” found in your Naviance account under the “About Me” tab and have your parents complete the “Parent Brag” sheet, which can be accessed through Naviance as well.
The counseling office will not allow you access to your letters of recommendation or any materials teachers/counselors submit on your behalf. Please have confidence that the people you have asked to write a letter on your behalf will represent you in the most comprehensive light. Therefore choose those who know you well and can speak to your skills and challenges accordingly.
Requesting Letters Through Naviance
naviance lor request letters of rec.pdfTranscript Requests
Each college you apply to will require an official high school transcript. This transcript must be sent directly from our school to the college. You will make the request to send your transcript through your Naviance account and in most cases, transcripts will be transmitted to your colleges electronically via Naviance.
For step-by-step instructions on requesting official transcripts through Naviance, click HERE
This request must be made at least two weeks in advance of your college application deadline! We cannot stress how important this is.
Some colleges and universities require that school documents be sent by regular mail. If this is the case, you must submit a payment of $3 per transcript to the Registrar in order to process the request. Payments can be made in the School Counseling office and your transcript WILL NOT BE SENT UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED.
*Please note: If any of the colleges you are a applying to have a January 1st deadline, we must receive your requests and supporting materials in the Counseling department no later than December 1st.
Transcript Request - Former Students
Transcript Request - Current Students
Current Student Transcript Request.pdfFinancial Aid
The NHHEAF Network Organization offers free webinars for students and families regarding financial aid. They also offer personal appointments for families looking to receive additional support. Both of these require registration and/or an appointment.
Each year the Granite Edvance presents two workshops for seniors and their parents. One in the fall, Financial Aid Night, and one in the spring, Understanding the Award Letter.
Scholarships
Our local scholarship program applications are being hosted on Going Merry this year, so you can apply online from your computer or phone. Make sure to check each scholarship’s description and eligibility requirements since you’re probably eligible to apply to many of them.
For step-by-step instructions on signing up and applying to our local scholarships, please read this support article that has screenshots or you can watch this video. Going Merry’s support center has answers to most Frequently Asked Questions, so please search there first if you have generic questions about how to use Going Merry. Please use your personal email address to ensure you receive all scholarship decisions, even after you graduate.
All supporting documents (such as transcripts, rec letters, etc.) are required to be attached before you submit so make sure not to wait until the last minute to start on your applications. You will be able to request the BHS documents needed through your GoingMerry account and will be sent to scholarship programs you choose to apply to at your request. BHS documents required for scholarships not found on GoingMerry can be requested through this form. Please contact the BHS School Counseling Office if you have any questions.