@Ballerina2016 - that sounds odd to me. As a teacher, our GC told us that they cannot see the letters we upload for students, so how would the GC “choose the best two”? I bet all three will be great, though.
@Waiting2exhale - any teacher who is “invited” (e-linked) can upload. However, teachers need to be careful and/or be told what schools to upload to. There is no technical problem with e.g. me uploading only to XYZ because I’m an alum and my colleague doing the rest because of some other reason. However, if I mess up and upload everywhere (and Naviance makes messing up easy for teachers with lots of confusing check-boxes and steps), then it’s a pain to sort out, involving faxing replacement letters.
Sounds like there is some flexibility in how schools decide to use Naviance. I’m pleased with how our school does recommendations - the student has to get 2 teachers to commit to writing their recommendations at the end of the junior year. There’s a form that goes into Guidance. They chase down the teachers to upload them by Oct. 1 (we’re still waiting for 1 of them). When sending the info to the colleges, the school sends the same 3 recommendations to all schools (guidance counselor, 2 teachers) even if the school only requests 1. She said all schools are ok with this. And they are used to dealing with the most selective schools.
Well, guys, all I can say is that in Naviance through my child’s school, any teacher who is not at student’s current school is only able to upload and submit a supplemental recommendation. As the recommendations are received and catalogued according to some system protocol, there can be no way at my child’s school to have an off-site teacher submit to a primary recommendation. (We got only a drop-down for supplemental each time we’d tried.)
I do thank each of you for talking me through this, though, because I have been frustrated and rather incredulous that a less unfettered approach cannot be taken. Seems as though it has to do with what the high school allows.
krnBoston: seems I was typing this in as you posted. So, thank you also.
@Waiting2exhale Your high school could not prevent the outside teacher from submitting by mail directly to a college. It wouldn’t be trackable through Naviance but that doesn’t really matter. A quick call to one of the colleges to confirm that they would combine it with the rest of the file might reassure you.
Oh, yes, crowlady, that is what we have done. The hiccup was in printing the documents from Common App with the requisite footers, as they are designed, by default, not to print. Additionally, there are a few schools that prefer not to receive paper submissions, and going through the list to get each school to reply with specific information about their requirements, where they were not explicitly stated and clear on the respective websites, became a drain on my sensibilities. But, all clear now, I guess. Thanks.
With compiling and sending/receiving apps as a core business of Naviance/Common App/Admissions offices, you’d think the system and process would be perfectly designed. Sigh.
I did some poking around and most high schools discourage asking teachers who have left for recommendations. This might be to protect students (from teachers who aren’t really invested anymore writing lackluster recs or not following through) but if the teacher really wants to, the system should accommodate such a letter. That said, I’m still confused by the process at our school as it is a complicated mess. Some things get done in common app. Some happens on paper and the school enters stuff into Naviance (like the transcript requests), and some stuff is done directly in Naviance by student AND on paper (I think this is what happens with recommendation letters but I’m still unsure).
@dyiu13 as long as colleges vary in their usage of common app and schools aren’t all paying for Naviance I don’t think it will ever be perfectly designed.
It was nice that our school had all seniors meet in class with guidance to fill in the biographical and school info on the common app and link it to Naviance. Took away some of the school-based confusion.
Our guidance counselor did say that the school will not manage or send outside recommendations at all. They have to be printed and sent directly by the recommender. Of course, she suggested providing them with a self-addressed stamped envelope, so it wouldn’t come from the student. Though how they know who mails it, I don’t know.
She also strongly recommended against having outsiders write recommendations. Her reasoning (take it as you will), was that some schools only want 1 recommendation and they are going to take the first one they get. If it’s from a coach who doesn’t really know what to write, instead of the math teacher who does, your student will be at a disadvantage.
We also don’t see any of the recommendations before they go out. And most students waive their rights to see them later.
Can’t read and follow along with the rest of you - too stressful for me! Can’t nag S since he isn’t home and I get worked up wondering if he’s following up with everything as he should.
Got a message from him yesterday - he completed the app and applied to his EA schools. What? Say that again??
So different from D’s application process from a few years ago where we would sit down together, proof read the app once she was done and she would then click the submit button
@arisamp I would be the exact same way if my D did not include me in the process to some extent. I would constantly worry that she forgot something, etc. I am a bit of a control freak but I am trying to let her lead the process. I just add my administrative assistant’s two cents here and there. My S was similar to yours when he transferred after his freshman year. All of sudden it was “oh by the way, I am transferring to Clemson and we have to go down for Orientation on…” I was like "WHAT? huh?..oh…ok… No notice or anything just two weeks later we had to trek to South Carolina. Thank god I was able to get off and take him (not that he would have thought of that complication prior to hitting submit…LOL).
My older D applied for college entirely on her own. I didn’t know about CC at the time-probably a good thing or I’d have been all tied up in knots that she was doing it wrong! She found schools, wrote her essays, did the apps and sent them in without any input from her dad and I. All we did is write checks and pay for test scores to be sent. It was different for her because she had an education fund from her grandmother, but that’s not the case with the younger one.
My younger D has included me and her dad in most of her efforts. I like the “administrative assistant” role-she calls me in for information and writes it all down for future use. She is also coordinating with her school pretty well on their role, but any final look over and editing will be DAD’S job. He writes for a living and for some reason she gets less upset with his editing than mine, even if I am right, lol.
Wow! I thought I was the only one feeling like an administrative assistant. I already have a full time job, but have been helping D16 with her college preps, reading essays (she is a much better writer than me, so no editing, but just give suggestions), sending SAT and ACT to colleges, scheduling college visits, finding scholarships (have applied to 4 big ones and 6 more on the list), and etc. I just sent a text to her reminding her about her visit with a college rep at her school. She is extremely busy with 7 weighted classes and EC, so I know if I don’t help, most of these things won’t get done on time. She is forgetting a lot of things these days because she is so busy. We just received a $50 library fee for books she hasn’t returned on time!! She has to pay for it herself, but I probably have to add library reminders on the list until January. After that time, she is on her own.
@lonetreegrad you are detailing my life precisely. I send texts every morning and before the end of school to remind her to check on open items that need to be taken care of. D spoke to GC today and found out, one teacher LOR down, one to go, and GC is in process of school report and LOR. He promises all will be ready to go on their part by Friday afternoon. Praying hands and fingers crossed. Things like sending the scores, etc., my D would never think about . The expense of sending all the scores is such a big expense that I try to space it out a couple each month so I am not spending hundreds of dollars at the same time when we will have to pay applications fees (which will be another HUGE nugget). These expenses (tutoring for standardized testing, sending scores, application fees and maybe even college visit expenses) should be deductions on our tax returns…LOL.
@Ivmjac1 LOL! Don’t get me started on the cost of everything! You forgot the Senior photos, Homecoming dress, prom dress, Cap and Gown (they are coming soon), and graduation invitation. Oh, and I am sending a box of chocolate to each teacher and counselor with a thank you card AFTER they are done with the LOR. Of course they are from D too
I leave the most of applications to DD. She applied summer camps, out of school EC programs, searching for funding to publish magazine she found, and going to competition by herself after freshman. She does not want to share many application stuffs with me and I hope she does everything on time without mistake.
You are so right…I just ordered the senior pictures for $400 plus! And don’t forget the prom limo and the after event…lol. We have Top Ten of Graduating Class breakfast on Friday morning where we find out my D’s exact rank in the top ten…I will want to mark that special occasion with a gift but I do not know if there will be any money left! LOL. Senior year is crazy expensive! Great idea for the gifts to teachers and GC. I think I have to borrow that idea from you (I promise to give you all the credit!)…they have all been great and my D has really benefitted from each and every one of them!
Does anybody have CTY (Center for Talented Youth) courses to list on their Common App? Where are you putting those? I know they may not count for much but they do say a lot about my S16’s broad interests and they have been very influential (one is a big part of his personal statement though he doesn’t have room to explain where he took the course).
@crowlady: Regarding CTY courses, did you not have those included on your child’s transcript for credit? Or are you talking about summer/family courses? I would put them down as separate schooling…pretty sure they will provide a transcript if you ask.
