Understanding the College Application Process

Frequently Asked Questions

 
What is our school code?
Our school code is 391625                                                                                                 

How many students are in the class of 2026?
There are approximately 131 students in the class of 2026


How do I find out my class rank for my college application?  
You find your rank in Firefly under your Grad Plan

 
What grading scale does our school district utilize?
We are on a 5.0 scale.

Is my cumulative GPA Weighted?
Yes, we report Weighted GPA.

What is my School Counselor's contact information?
Mrs. Kari Hively (Grade 12)
khively@hanoverpublic.org

School Counseling Phone Number 717-637-9000 x 5097
School Counseling Fax Number 717-630-4634
HHS 401 Moul Avenue, Hanover PA 17331

Could you please explain again how students can request transcripts be sent to colleges?
Students will be able to request transcripts via Naviance, which authorizes us to share records with colleges upon request.

If a college has rolling admissions, when is the earliest you can submit your application?
Every school will release their application on a different date.  Most colleges will release their application in August.  Make sure you fill out the correct application intended for students applying in the Fall of 2026, rather than the previous year. Students may submit their portion of the application as soon as it is available on the college website or Common App. Please be aware that colleges will not begin to consider an application until well into September, so you can use August to complete the application and any required supplemental materials thoroughly. Please be aware that these requests may require up to 10 school days to process.

If you apply to a school and there is a delay in getting the transcript does that put you at risk for not being accepted because they don’t have everything at once?
There is no way for a college to receive all parts of a student’s application at once.  The parts of the application will arrive at the admission office at different times.  When all parts have arrived at the admissions office, the student’s admission file is complete and it can be reviewed.  It’s the student’s responsibility to be aware of deadlines.  A college’s application deadline means all components of the application must arrive at the college on/before that date.  Even for rolling admission schools, the end of September is still considered early!

If the college accepts student self-reported transcripts, how do I access my transcript?
You can view an unofficial copy of your transcript  under your Grad Plan.

If the college accepts student self-reported transcripts, do I still need to fill out a Transcript request through Naviance?
Yes!  Colleges will need information from HHS throughout the application process.  There is no other way for us to know that you applied to the college without the electronically requesting the transcript via Naviance.

Do we know on Naviance if/when transcripts have been sent out?
Yes, you will be able to log into Naviance and see when your transcript has been sent to a college.

In Naviance when I request my transcripts, I need to designate the type of application, but there are only two options:  Common Application, or Direct to Institution.  I used The Coalition Application.  What should I select?
For any application other than Common App, including The Coalition Application, you'll select "Direct to Institution".

When can you start applying for regular decision? I know the deadline is January.
You can apply as soon as the college releases their application.  At a regular decision school, you receive no advantage in the admission process for submitting your application early.  Colleges who operate under regular decision are comparing you against the rest of the students in the applicant pool.  Everyone who applies regular decision will learn of their admission decision on the same date: usually in March/April.

When should you apply to Penn State?
Penn State has an early action deadline of November 1st.  Add Penn State to the list of colleges you are applying to in Naviance. However, because Penn State is a college that students self-report their transcript info, students do not need to request transcripts.

Can you apply Early Action to an unlimited number of schools?
Yes.  The only restriction would be if the college has an Early Action Restricted policy.  If this is the case, it will be listed on the school’s application and students would not be able to apply Early Action anywhere else. 

How do I find my all of my high school marking period report card grades?  Various applications require me to report grades 9 through 11 marking period grades. 
Prior Year Report Cards grades can be found on your transcript. You can find your unofficial transcript under your Grad Plan.

What’s the advantage of applying Early Decision (ED)?
For a student who has a definite first-choice college, applying ED has many benefits besides possibly increasing the chance of getting in. Applying ED lets the student:
-Reduce stress by cutting the time spent waiting for a decision.
-Save the time and expense of submitting multiple applications.

   -Gain more time, once accepted, to look for housing and otherwise prepare for college.

   -Reassess options and apply elsewhere if not accepted.

   -Remember to be very sure of an ED choice, as it is binding.

Is Early Decision binding dependent upon your financials – i.e..  What if I don’t get the necessary aid package to afford the school?
There is a caveat in early decision that allows you to be released from the ED agreement if you cannot afford the cost of attendance. If cost is an issue and will be a determining factor for you, perhaps ED is not the right option for you because you will not have the opportunity to compare financial aid offers.  Most colleges will not provide you with a full/accurate financial aid package until March/April.  If you are considering applying ED at a school, you can ask them to give you a financial aid estimate at the time you are applying.

Do I need to submit SAT scores to colleges?
While it's always a good idea to take the SATs, please remember that many colleges have become test-optional due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore do not require SAT/ACT scores.  All the test optional colleges are listed at www.fairtest.org

When sending SAT scores does CollegeBoard send all test results if a college “super scores?”  How does that work?
CollegeBoard has a program called Score Choice.  Score Choice gives you the option to choose which scores (by test date for the SAT and by individual test for SAT Subject Tests) you send to colleges — in accordance with the college’s stated score-use practice.  If you decide not to use Score Choice, all of your scores will be sent to your recipients. You should still feel comfortable sending all scores, since most colleges consider a student’s best score.

Do you recommend sending both SAT and ACT scores?
Yes.  We recommend sending all of your testing to all of your colleges.

If a college requests SAT/ACT test scores, but doesn’t say one or the other, should we send both?  Or just SAT or ACT?
Our recommendation is that you send all of your testing to all the colleges in which you are applying.

Can you send your SAT/ACT scores to your selected colleges before you send in your application?  Or do you need to hand them in together?
You can send in your SAT/ACT scores before you submit your application for admission.  It is normal/acceptable to have pieces of your application arrive at the college at different times, as long as everything arrives by the application deadline.

Do colleges see if a student did not take an AP test?
Not from HHS.  This is usually self reported by the student on his/her application.

What about AP test scores?  Are they on the transcript score report?  Do colleges want them?
AP Exam scores will not be listed on your transcript.  AP scores are used for advanced placement and college credit, not admission.  You will send your scores to the college to which you enroll (after May 1).   That can be done during AP testing in May of your senior year, or you can log into your CollegeBoard account in July and send your scores to the college in which you’ve enrolled.

Do you have to send AP test scores?
No.  You can/should send your AP scores to the college in which you enroll.

What is the process for asking teachers for a recommendation?
We recommend students ask 2 teachers if they would be willing to write a recommendation on their behalf.   We suggest students ask the teacher in person, with a minimum of two weeks notice, and follow up via email.  Teachers will send their recommendations directly to the college via Naviance.  Students will request teacher recommendations via Naviance.

What is the process for asking counselors for recommendations?
Students will request counselor recommendations via Naviance.  Counselors will send their recommendations directly to the college. 

Can we ask teachers from middle school for letters of recommendation?
No. You should ask a teacher from HHS to write your letter of recommendation.  It must be someone who has taught you in high school, preferably in an academic class or a class that directly correlates to the major in which you are applying.

How do you know that the teachers submitted their recommendations?
There are a few ways you can check on this.  1) You can ask the teacher and they can log into their Naviance account and tell you the date they submitted it.  Once they submit your recommendation via Naviance, they will receive a confirmation number.  This can be helpful if a college is stating they haven’t received the teacher’s recommendation.  The teacher can give you/the college the confirmation number and the college will be able to access the recommendation.  2)  You can check in with the senior counselor; she can log into Naviance and see if the teacher has sent the recommendation.  3)  You can call the college and ask them if they have received the recommendation(s).  4)  You can log into your Naviance account and check under the same spot where you requested the recommendation.

Who is a good person to show your essay to get suggestions/feedback?  Are any English teachers open to receiving essays via email over the summer?
We recommend that you have as many possible people read/critique your college essay – including teachers, parents, friends, etc.  They should not only be reading your essay for spelling and grammatical errors, but they should also feel that the essay is really “you” (ie. they can hear your “voice” in the essay.).  Remember, your essay is something in the admission process, one of the only things, in which you have 100% control.  Make sure it is your best work and something that really gives the admissions representative a glimpse into who you really are.
Teachers do not have to check their email in the summer, so our recommendation is not to depend on getting this feedback from a counselor or teacher in the summer.  We recommend you speaking directly to your teacher about this possibility.

What is meant by application supplements?
Each college listed on the Common Application has the option of including a writing supplement. This is where the individual college may ask additional essay questions to gain more insight about the applicant. These are above and beyond the Common Application Essay prompts.  The main part of your Common Application will go to all Common App schools to which you choose to apply.  However, only the specific college requesting the supplement will see that student’s writing supplement, meaning your college specific supplements are not able to be viewed by the other Common App schools to which you apply.  In the supplement section colleges can ask many different kinds of short questions and writing prompts, therefore each supplement will differ. Each writing supplement, regardless of the requirements, is a chance for the student to submit additional information.  It is important to note that essay topics on the writing supplements should differ from the topic selected on the main part of the Common Application’s Writing Page.

If a common app school requires a supplement, will the common app tell you – or do you have to check the website for every school?
The common application will tell you this information.  But, we advise you check the college’s website to get specific information or directions.

Do many schools have tours and info sessions in the summer?
Yes, most (if not all) have tours in the summer.  You should call the admissions office and sign up for one in advance of your visit or sign up online on their Admissions Website.  Summer is a great time to visit, but you won’t get to see the campus in session.  Due to COVID-19, many colleges are offering virual tours.  Please check on individual colleges on their college visit status.

Are all the schools’ admission requirements on Naviance?
Yes, most are.  But, you need to check each individual school’s website to make sure that you are following their exact requirements.  You should not rely solely on Naviance.  The colleges’ websites are where you will find the most comprehensive, detailed, and updated information regarding their admission requirements.

Do you have to declare a major on your application?  How does that affect the process?
This depends on the college and major to which you are applying.  If you have a question regarding this, we encourage you to ask the individual colleges to which you are applying.  Some colleges have specific criteria for admission to a particular major.  In certain cases, the college could have direct admit programs, meaning if you do not get in as a freshmen, you cannot transfer into the major once you matriculate.  We see this a lot with programs such as nursing, speech pathology, engineering, and physical therapy.  This is why it is best to check with each college.