Embedded Files
College Application Deadlines & Reminders:
*Remember to check your email, create your college portal accounts and check your college portals regularly as this is how most colleges communicate and send application status updates. If you have any questions, please contact your School Counselor.
Please review & confirm your college application deadlines in Naviance. If you have a change of deadline date or you add a new College/University, it must be placed in Naviance no later than 2 weeks prior to the application deadline date. Additionally, please inform your School Counselor if you add a new College/University to your list in Naviance.
Keep Naviance Up To Date: Make sure your “Colleges I’m Applying To” list in Naviance is accurate and up to date - that your list includes all of the colleges you are applying to with the correct deadline dates. This is to ensure that your school documents (e.g., transcript, letters of recommendation) are submitted on time.
Submitting SAT/ACT Scores to colleges/universities: SAT and/or ACT SCORES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINES. It is recommended that you arrange for your SAT/ACT Scores to be submitted to the colleges/universities you are applying to at least 3 weeks prior to the school's college application deadline.
Please take note of the following deadline dates for college applications:
October 15
November 1
November 15
December 1
December 15
January 1
If you have December 15th, 2025 or January 1, 2026 College Application Deadlines: Please make sure your “Colleges I’m Applying To” list in Naviance is accurate and up to date no later than Friday, December 5, 2025. This is to ensure that your school documents (e.g., transcript, letters of recommendation) are submitted on time and before the holiday recess to meet the January 1, 2026 deadline.
From December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026, School is not in session due to the Holiday Recess.
School is back in session on January 5th, 2026.
College Applications: Where do I start?
College Applications: Where do I start?
Step 1: College Application Checklist
Step 1: College Application Checklist
1. Complete College Profile Survey in Naviance (Find the Link in the Waffle).
2. Ask 1 teacher for a letter of recommendation (Spring of Junior Year)
3. Set up a Common Application Account (August 1 Common Application opens for Senior Class)
4. Sign up for the SAT or ACT if applicable
5. Work on your college essay
6. Schedule a meeting with your counselor who will guide you through the next steps
Step 2: Naviance Checklist
Step 2: Naviance Checklist
Complete the College Profile Survey (Tasks from My School-bottom right of homepage). This is needed for your Counselor Recommendation Letter.
2. Under Colleges tab click “Colleges I’m Applying to” and match Naviance with your Common Application account. (Meet with your
counselor for instructions or watch the video on how to match). Please note colleges prefer for recommendation letters to be kept confidential and that students have not read them.
3. Add Colleges you are definitely applying to in “Colleges I’m Applying to”.
4. Make sure you correctly indicate how you are applying (Early Action, Early Decision, Regular, or Rolling)
5. Under Colleges tab click on Letters of Recommendation. Add the teacher you asked from the drop down. Select General Request in Step 2.
Step 3: Senior Year Common Application Checklist & FAQs
Step 3: Senior Year Common Application Checklist & FAQs
**PLEASE NOTE: The "MHS Common App FAQ" Handout will be available in August for the current graduating class. **
Common Application and Common App Help Videos
1. Set up a Common App Account (no duplicate accounts). Remember your password.
2. Match Naviance with your Common Application account. (Meet with your counselor for instructions or watch the video on how to match). Please note colleges prefer for recommendation letters to be kept confidential and that students have not read them.
3. In College Search, add colleges you’re applying to if it is a Common App school. Any college that does not use Common App, add directly to Naviance. Check Naviance to make sure your list is accurate.
4. Complete each section of the Common App. Refer to the Application FAQ for help in the Education section. When each section is complete, you will receive a check mark.
5. In My Colleges, click on each school you have added and answer any additional questions.
6. Once you receive check marks in all sections and checks for the additional college questions, you are ready to review and submit. You must submit for every college. You can check the Dashboard to verify that your applications were successfully submitted.
Step 4: Letters of Recommendation
Step 4: Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation
1. Ask (1) one teacher for a recommendation letter and give them the Teacher Letter of Recommendation Request Form. You can ask an additional teacher if the college requires (2) two teacher letters.
2. Once you confirm with your teacher, add the teacher request to Naviance (Colleges tab-Letters of Recommendation)
3. Add your teacher from the drop down. Then select General Request. You can add an optional note if you would like.
4. Your teacher will upload your recommendation to Naviance when ready. Status will change from Requested to In Progress. Status will change to Submitted when the School Counseling Department office clerical team sends all of your school documents to the college(s). It is your responsibility to follow up with your teacher if you are nearing a deadline date.
Step 5: College Essay
Step 5: College Essay
View the Common App Essay Prompts and pick a topic. Start early to give yourself enough time before the college deadline dates.
2. Your college essay should be about you. What would you like college admissions to know about you? You can write about something meaningful to you in your life, what you learned and how you have grown from your experience.
3. When you have a draft ready, ask a teacher, counselor, parent or other adult to read it. Make any needed corrections.
4. Upload your essay to the Common App or college application.
Step 6: Financial Aid and Scholarships
Step 6: Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial Aid and Scholarships
1. Complete the FAFSA in Fall of senior year. For questions you can call the FAFSA help line at: 1-800-4-FED-AID or click the Live Help button
on the FAFSA website as you are completing the form online.
2. Complete the CSS Profile if it is required by the college.
3. Check out Financial Aid Resources through NYS HESC.
4. Search Naviance for a listing of local and organization based scholarships.
5. Research merit based scholarships through each college website.
6. Search other scholarship sites such as FastWeb and College Board.
Remember that scholarship searches should be FREE.
Match Naviance with your Common Application Account
Match Naviance with your Common Application Account
Meet with your counselor for instructions or watch this video on how to match).
Please contact your counselor if you have questions on completing the FERPA authorization.
Please note colleges prefer for recommendation letters to be kept confidential and that students have not read them.
College Applications: What Do I Send?
College Applications: What Do I Send?
Please notify your counselor if you are using the Coalition Application. The Common Application or applications directly to the institution are preferred as the Coalition App is not integrated with Naviance.
What Student Sends
What Student Sends
College applications through Common App or College Website per deadlines
College Essay
SAT/ACT Scores (if applicable)
Register with NCAA Clearinghouse (if applicable)
For any college credits earned in HS, request transcripts from each college to be sent to your attending college. This can be done after May 1st.
Payment for Applications
Set up your portal account for each school you applied to.
What MHS Sends
What MHS Sends
Official HS Transcript
Teacher and Counselor Letters of Recommendation
MHS School Profile
Mid-Year Grades
1st quarter grades (only by request if a college specifically requires them)
Consent to Release Information
Consent to Release Information
Consent to Release Information:
If you receive Free & Reduced Lunch, you may be eligible for a reduced fee for SAT/ACT exams, college application fees, AP exams and college concurrent enrollment application fees.
See your School Counselor for information regarding eligibility and fee waivers.
Please complete the following “Consent to Release information Form” and submit to your School Counselor: Consent to Release information Form English; Consent to Release information Form Spanish.
Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR/SRAR) Form
Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR/SRAR) Form
The SSAR allows students to self-report courses and
grades that have been completed, or will be attempted (e.g., senior year courses in-progress), for high school credit.
Please be aware that the following colleges listed in the link below will require you to fill out a Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR/SRAR) form in addition to the Common Application as part of their college application. You only need to complete the SSAR/SRAR form once and then you can link it to the specific college(s) that requires it.
Most colleges will send you an e-mail asking you to create a portal account where this SSAR/SRAR link can be found. SSAR/SRAR College List
Make sure that you complete the SSAR form per the college application deadline requirement or as comminicated to you by the college.
Remember to check your email, create your college portal accounts and check your college portals regularly as this is how most colleges communicate and send application status updates.
If you have any questions, please contact your School Counselor.
Page updated
Report abuse