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When applying to colleges, they may require important information from your counselor and teachers. Many counselors and teachers have a full caseload, so it is absolutely crucial that you follow the steps below exactly and reach out if you have any questions.
Colleges and universities will require some or all of the following materials: High School Profile, Unofficial Transcripts, Official Transcripts, Counselor Letter of Recommendation, and or Teacher/Additional Letter of Recommendation.
To figure out what each school needs, please review the Common App College section or the college website. You can also check out the compiled list below of popular colleges that students apply to, along with the application requirements. If you are unsure, just call the admissions department or see Makayla in the College and Career Center.
YOU MUST SUBMIT THE BLUE AND WHITE PACKET WITH ALL STEPS 4 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR FIRST APPLICATION DEADLINE. AND ONE WEEK AFTER MEETING WITH YOUR COUNSELOR.
You must complete the BLUE AND WHITE PACKET if you are applying to any college requiring a Counselor Letter of Recommendation and/or a Counselor School Profile/Report:
Examples of colleges that REQUIRE a counselor letter of rec are: Many schools using the Common Application (University of Portland, Creighton University), Coalition Application, Universal Application, etc. If you are not sure, please check the college's website or PLEASE ASK Ms.Makayla in the College and Career Center.
Examples of colleges that DO NOT require a counselor letter of rec are: UH Manoa, UH Hilo, and Palamanui/Hawaii Community Colleges. Cal States and University of California Schools also do not require Letters of Rec.
If you are applying to only UH Manoa, UH Hilo, or Community College you do not to complete the Blue and White Packet.
SCHOLARSHIPS/Questbridge/Similar Programs: If you need a letter of recommendation for a scholarship, please follow this process within four weeks of the deadline. Make sure to include the scholarship name and link in your College List.
The BLUE AND WHITE PACKET is made up of 4 documents: All items must be completed and submitted to your counselor in the Google Form below in order for a Letter of Recommendation and/ or School Report to be submitted on your behalf.
Resume or Brag Sheet
Self-Inventory Questionnaire
College List Template
A copy of your Personal Statement (If the school does not require a personal statement, you do not need to submit one)
STEP 1:
ASK YOUR COUNSELOR IN PERSON FOR A LETTER OF REC
Before inviting a recommender, it’s important to ask if they are willing to provide a recommendation first. It’s best to schedule a meeting and ask in person and set up a meeting, but an email is ok too. The more advance notice you give, the more time they have to craft a well-written letter.
Once your counselor says yes, you can add them to the recommendation page on Common App. When you are ready to send your invitations, go to the My Colleges tab. You can invite recommenders in any college’s Recommenders and FERPA section.
Please click here if you are having trouble adding a counselor in Common App.
Make sure you have selected the correct application deadline on Common App for each specific college (Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, Rolling Admission)
STEP 2:
COMPLETE ALL MATERIALS IN THE BLUE AND WHITE PACKET A WEEK AFTER MEETING WITH YOUR COUNSELOR
Click on the buttons below to see the documents needed and further instructions. Make a copy of each document and include your work.
Make a copy of the Self-Inventory Questionnaire document below and answer the questions. Please name the document "B&W - College List - YOUR NAME"
Make a copy of the Personal Statement document below and copy your Personal Statement into the box. Please name the document "B&W - Personal Statement - YOUR NAME" You may submit the personal statement used for college applications, scholarship applications, English Class, and or PTP.
Complete a Resume or Brag sheet - click on the "Resume" button below for more info. Please name the document "B&W - Resume - YOUR NAME" - You only need to submit either your Resume or Brag Sheet. Not both.
Make a copy of the College List Document below and include all of the colleges you are applying to and the dates you will be submitting. Please name the document "B&W - College List - YOUR NAME"
*If you are applying to Questbridge or any large scholarship that requires a counselor letter of Rec please complete the Blue and White Packet and include Questbridge on your College List. Make sure to discuss with your counselor that you are applying to QB.
STEP 3:
SUBMIT YOUR BLUE AND WHITE PACKET USING THE GOOGLE FORM
Submit all materials above within one week of meeting with your counselor asking for a Letter of Rec.
This must be submitted within 4 weeks of your first deadline.
Please click the button below for your counselor to submit your BLUE AND WHITE PACKET
STEP 4:
CHECK IN WITH YOUR COUNSELOR
Check in with your counselors within a week of your first deadline. Send them a quick email reminding them of your deadline and ask them if you need to provide any more information.
You can also track the status of your recommendations within your application.
If you have any other additional Letters of Recommendation that need to be sent after your first deadline, make sure you email your counselor a week in advance and let them know of additional deadlines.
STEP 5:
WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER TO YOUR COUNSELOR
Don’t forget to thank your recommenders for writing those letters! A thank you note goes a long way.
STEP 6:
FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS
Upon submitting your application, colleges will send you information to their portals. When you apply on Common App, you will have a separate portal for each school. You will receive information about logging into the portal in your email. Here you will find the materials you need to submit (transcripts, final reports, additional documents, etc.) You can also find the status of your application here.
REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORDS!
STEP 7:
SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS
The link below can be used if you need to submit official transcripts.
When completing the form, you will be asked where you want the transcripts sent. You can find this on the individual school's admissions website. You do not need to include the physical mailing address if they only require electronic transcripts.
"Attention" - Typically the "Undergraduate Admission Office"
"Email" - The email of the admissions department
"Confirmation Email" - Your emails
School's may ask for an unofficial transcript, which you can find on Infinite Campus under Documents.
Need a Teacher Letter of Rec?
TEACHER LETTER OF REC MAY BE NEEDED
If you need a letter of recommendation from a teacher, follow the similar process above. Firstly, ask your teacher in person if they would be willing to write you a letter. If they agree, you can add them in Common App or on the application website as a recommender.
Next, within a week of getting their confirmation, you should email them all the materials in the BLUE AND WHITE PACKET. This will help your teacher to understand your achievements and goals better, and write a more personalized letter.
Remind them within two weeks of your first deadline, as teachers can be busy and may forget. And, don't forget to express your gratitude by writing a thank you letter after receiving the recommendation.
REMINDERS
REMINDERS!
COMMUNICATE!!!!!! When in doubt, it's always better to over-communicate. If you need any help or have any questions, don't hesitate to ask your counselors or Makayla at the College and Career Center. It's important to remind your counselors and teachers of deadlines well in advance and always stay on top of your work.
Additional Letters of Rec after Submitting your packet: If you require additional letters of recommendation to be sent after your initial deadline, please make sure to email your counselor at least a week in advance and inform them of the additional deadlines.
For scholarships - if you need a letter of recommendation, please follow this process within four weeks of the deadline. Also, don't forget to include the scholarship name and link in your College List.
If you have any questions please email makayla.ward@k12.hi.us !
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