1.Can you hear your Friendly Neighborhood College and Career Counselor Weeping about Naviance? Two notes for you. 

A.  Password Reset – As of January 27th, Naviance reset the passwords for passwords that didn’t meet new criteria. Use the “reset password” button. Cut and paste the temporary password and make sure there are no extra spaces! then make a new password.

B. Awesome Messages in Spam – Some of Ms. Cuffee-Gray’s emails are being remanded to Spam folders.  You’re missing out on important information. Grrrrrr! Go in your Spam folders and unblock Naviance messages.

2. Are colleges that you applied to contacting you for transcripts and/or mid-year transcripts? When you look on Naviance are your transcripts listed as “Delivered”? Sometimes colleges send this notification because they are waiting for Semester grades even though your Initial Transcript has been sent. Because our semester has just ended, we will send semester grades when teachers have submitted final grades, and they have been verified in mid-February. This is true at most US high schools that operate on semester calendars. If you need a transcript for a different matter, or a college is insisting that the transcript be sent now (we cannot), please check in with Ms. Garrity. She is the person that can give transcripts.

3. Two Important Local Scholarships. DO NOT MISS!  There is an essay required for both scholarships. Come to the Writing Center after school on Mondays to get support. You must request transcript on Naviance A MINIMUM OF TEN DAYS BEFORE THE DEADLINE (your last minute stress will not be our be our last minute stress – take care of your business in a timely manner).

A. Community Foundation of Western MA is a great area scholarship for college bound students. Do not miss this one. https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/62004-Community-Foundation-Of-Western-Massachusetts

B. HCC gives away $200,000 in scholarships every year. Sometimes not enough HCC students apply and that money gets left on the table. If you are considering HCC, YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP. https://www.hcc.edu/alumni-and-friends/the-hcc-foundation/scholarships

4. Recommendations. Just a gentle reminder that when you request recommendations for summer opportunities and or scholarships, it is important that you give teachers and guidance counselors a minimum of 14 days notice to write for you. Please allow your recommenders the opportunities to do their very best writing about how great you by giving them the time to write. Requests that give 1 or 2 days to write do not have to be honored. Help us support you – please plan ahead.