College Application Process

Mrs. Buchanan and Mrs. Mosby will meet with all students junior and senior year; however, any student or parent is encouraged contact with the school counselors if they have questions or concerns. Students can also meet with our career coach, Dr. Margaret Sproule, to further assist with career goals. 

Student Self- Assessment – This is a chance for you to tell your counselors and your teachers all the great things about yourself. DON’T BE SHY! We are asking for this information because we want to write an impressive letter of recommendation to send on your behalf. If there is something in particular that you do or do not want included in a recommendation letter, be sure to write this on the form. 

Transcript Requests – You MUST complete a transcript request for EACH  college/university to which you apply, this notifies us and gives us permission to release your personal information. Common App schools can all go on one request. Transcript request forms are located HERE and in paper on the College Prep bulletin board in the Counseling hallway.  

Secondary School Report form - Some schools require that you print out and have the guidance office complete a Secondary School Report Form. This form can also be called “Guidance Counselor Form”, "High School Report Form" or “Transcript Request Form.” Usually each college will have some sort of “application checklist” which will tell you whether or not this form is required. If your application checklist includes such a form, please be sure to get it to your counselor two weeks before the application deadline. The Common Application includes a Secondary Report.  It is important that you have two teachers fill out the Teacher Recommendation form and give to the counselors when you use the Common App or any other school with a Secondary School Report form.

Radford High School Application Procedures:

• Meet with your counselor individually or virtually to discuss your post-secondary choices.  

• Research the schools you would like to attend and make a list of schools to which you will apply.

• Note the application deadline for each college or university and start the application process.

• If a school lists a required Secondary Report form to be completed by a school counselor make sure you submit it to your counselor.

•  Transcript Request forms should be submitted to the registrar two weeks before the application deadline.  

• Complete the Student Self Assessment form and give a copy to every teacher you ask to write a recommendation (See your counselor if you need help making copies of your self-assessment).

• Ask teachers for reference letters, give them details about how to submit, and give them at least two weeks notice before the application deadline.

• Remember to write a thank you note to each teacher who writes a recommendation letter for you.

• Give two teachers a  Teacher Resource Form and ask them to complete for your counselor. These forms are used to complete the Secondary Report form for your application.

• If you are using the Common Application, be sure to "invite" and "assign" Mrs. Buchanan (kbuchanan@rcps.org) for A-K students and Mrs. Mosby (kmosby@rcps.org) for L-Z and your other recommenders at least two weeks before the application deadline.  Make sure you have the correct email address for each recommender.  

• For colleges using SendEdu, please be sure to give your counselors email address so that we receive the document electronically. 

• Complete your college applications including essays if required.

• Work on scholarship applications for which you are qualified and interested.

• Deadlines are extremely important. Colleges will not accept applications that are postmarked after the deadline. Transcripts, Secondary Report forms, and recommendation letters must also be postmarked by the application deadline. Everyone that supports your application has the same deadline. Please communicate your request for help to your counselor and your other recommenders at least two weeks before your deadline.

Note: If you have a January 1st application deadline, you must make your request for transcripts, Secondary Report forms, and recommendation letters by December 1.  

Community Colleges

Students planning to attend two year colleges need to be deciding if they want to enter a two-year transfer program for a four year college or enter a program for an associate degree or certification in a job field.

• Meet with Dr. Sproule (the Career Coach) to review plans.

• In late winter/early spring  New River Community College comes to RHS to administer placement tests (reading and math).

• Placement test results are accepted at all community colleges in the state of Virginia.

• In May, NRCC returns to RHS to help each student register for classes based on the results of placement testing.