College & Career
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Wilson Counselors offer yearly advising regarding course selection, college application process and graduation requirements. The Wilson College and Career Center (rooms 220 and 221) offers services that complement the work of the Counseling Department in preparing students to achieve their post-high school goals. Other college preparation activities include:
- PSAT (October) and ACT (April) tests
- Class visits and presentations
- College visits at Wilson
- College Info Night (October)
- Financial Aid Night (December)
- Returning College Student Panel (January)
- Field trips to PCC (February) and Career EXPO (March)
- Letters of recommendation
- Individual advising on a limited basis
- National College Conference at Convention Center (November)
- Oregon University System Tour
Naviance
Naviance is a planning and advising tool for students in the areas of college and career guidance. Students can research colleges, careers, and receive information regarding WHS college visits, scholarships and much more through Naviance. Parents who would like access to this useful tool should contact the counseling office. . . . Learn more about Naviance
Transcripts
Current students: Order transcripts through Naviance; log in and click on the Colleges tab. The fee for official transcripts is $1, which will be added to your student account and can be paid at Senior Checkout. Unofficial transcripts are free.
Alumni: Contact counseling department Sharon Dailey to order transcripts.
Letter of Recommendation Packet
Many college applications require letters of recommendation from one or more teachers and from the student's counselor. The forms below will help teachers and counselors write an accurate and complete recommendation letter. Print out the forms, have them completed by the appropriate people, and turn them in to your counselor at least four weeks before your first college application deadline.
- Letter of Recommendation Checklist
- Teacher Comments Form
- Request for Teacher Letter of Recommendation Form
- Community Member Form
- Peer or Sibling Form
The Parent Questionnaire and the Senior Questionnaire, also part of the Letter of Recommendation Packet, are online in Naviance (click on the About Me tab and look for the questionnaires on the left-hand side of the page).
College Letter of Recommendation Lunchtime “How-To” Sessions (Room 220 at lunch)
Grab your lunch and meet in the College Center (room 220) ten minutes after the bell for a short presentation addressing all your questions. Watch your email and the Daily Bulletin for dates in the Fall.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Visit the College Center for assistance with financial aid and scholarship opportunities, watch the Daily Bulletin for scholarship announcements, log in and search Naviance (under the Colleges tab), attend College Info Night in October and Financial Aid Night in December. See Timeline for each grade for more details and deadlines on financial planning for college.
. . . Learn more about applying for financial aid and scholarships.WUE
What is WUE? WUE (pronounced “woo-wee”) is the Western Undergraduate Exchange, a program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Through WUE, students in Oregon may enroll in more than 150 two-year and four-year college institutions at a reduced tuition level (up to 150 percent of the institution's regular resident tuition). The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early! Go to the WUE website to see a list of participating schools.
Oregon University System (OUS) Entrance Requirements
OUS schools: Portland State University, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Eastern Oregon University , Southern Oregon University, Western Oregon University, and Oregon Institute of Technology. Learn more about each school and their entrance requirements at their respective websites.
In addition to high school graduation requirements, the OUS Schools have the following requirements:
Satisfactory GPA. Minimum GPA required for admission is not the same for each campus, but generally ranges from 2.75 to 3.00. If your GPA does not meet the campus requirement, you should still apply because you may be considered through a more comprehensive review.
Completion of the SAT or ACT.
Grade of C- or better in required coursework. Required courses are: 4 years of language arts, 3 years of math (Algebra 1 and higher), 3 years of social studies, 3 years of science, 2 years of the same world language.
If you do not meet these general requirements, talk to your counselor or the college admissions officer at the campus you’re interested in to understand your options. All Oregon public universities conduct more comprehensive reviews of students to assess strengths for those who do not meet the minimum requirements.
Community College
Portland Community College and Mt. Hood Community College have multiple campuses in the Portland area that offer two-year Associate's Degree programs and preparation for transfer to a four-year college, as well as vocational programs that prepare students for the workforce. How to enroll and information about paying for community college: PCC | MHCC.
Virtual College Campus Tours
Go to the college page of youvisit.com to see if virtual tours of colleges you are interested are available there. Not all colleges are listed there, but it's a fun and easy way to get a sense of a campus.
For Student Athletes Interested in Competing at the College Level
NCAA Eligibility Center: Create an account at the NCAA website to plan and learn more about college-level competitive sports.
Assistance With Your College Applications
Wilson College Center Essay Editing Service
College essay editing available to Wilson seniors during the college application season. Gain access to services by either attending one of our College Essay Writing Workshops in the fall or by visiting the College Center and speaking to a volunteer. Highly trained volunteers will work with our students on an appointment or email basis.
College Application Tips & Info
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Seniors, start your college application process here: Wilson High School Senior College Handbook, everything you need to know about applying to college in one place!
The “No Grief” Application Process
Follow this schedule and you should be able to meet any November 30 or later deadline
Click here for a printable version of the "No Grief" Application Process
Fall Senior Year
- Look carefully at the website for each college you plan to apply to in order to learn about their entrance requirements. Do they require SAT Subject Tests? How many letters of recommendation do they require? Do they want a portfolio/work samples?
- Determine if any of your colleges of interest require teacher/counselor recommendations and if they do, identify 2 teachers to write recommendation letters. Be sure to contact teachers and counselors for recommendations no later than 4 weeks prior to their due date.
- Complete Recommendation Letter: Parent and Student Questionnaires under About Me tab on Naviance
- Pick up the Letter of Recommendation Packet from the Counseling Office or find it online here.
- In Naviance, complete the Waiver form for Common Application (FERPA).
- Give “Teacher Feedback Form for the Counselor” (part of packet) to 2 teachers.
- Finalize list of “Colleges I’m Applying To” in Naviance.
- Update and complete your resume in Naviance.
- Make appointment to meet with your counselor at least 4 weeks before your earliest application deadline. Don’t count days when school is closed, holidays, etc. For example, if you have a January 1 deadline, you should meet with your counselor by mid-November. Be sure you have your resume, questionnaires, and Letter of Recommendation Packet complete before your appointment. ***
- Start your Common Application online (www.commonapp.org)
- Start your other colleges’ applications (online if available)
- Begin essays (in Word, to be pasted into applications) and supplements (for Common Application)
Two weeks before application deadline
- Complete applications and submit through Naviance
- Request transcripts through Naviance (only once)
- Order test score reports sent to colleges. SAT: www.collegeboard.org ACT: www.act.org
- Begin CSS Profile if required by any of your colleges
One week before application deadline
- Check status on Naviance to be sure items were successfully sent (if not yet sent, keep checking, and troubleshoot if necessary)
After submitting your applications, continue to
- Watch your email (and snail mail) for messages from colleges & Wilson
- Watch for messages on Naviance (Home Page, Inbox)
Two weeks after application deadline
- Check status with each college to be sure items arrived and your application is complete
Two weeks after end of grading period
- Check to see that 7th Semester Transcript has been sent to your college (this is called the Midyear Report on the Common Application); use your personal online account at the college to check this.
Acceptance Notification from Colleges
- When you receive notification from your colleges of acceptance status, post to Naviance
Your Final Decision
- Enter into Naviance the college you will be attending
Final Report, Final Transcript
- Automatically sent to the college you indicate you are attending. Check your college online account status to be sure they have been received (if they require it).
Always be vigilant about the status of your applications. Check regularly and fix any problems with submission of materials from Wilson. Typically the process runs smoothly, but there is an occasional snag.
***If you apply to additional colleges after meeting w/your counselor, you MUST notify your counselor so recommendations and transcripts will be sent.
FERPA Waiver
It is recommended that students sign the FERPA waiver. If you believe you have special circumstances please see your counselor for advice.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives students the right to access all of their education records, including letters of recommendation. However, it is customary to waive the right to see your letters of recommendation so that colleges know that those letters provide an honest portrayal of you. Keep in mind that FERPA only gives you the right to access your records AFTER you have been admitted and enrolled in college; it does not give you the right to inspect recommendations before they are sent to colleges.
From The Common Application: “Why should you consider waiving your right of access? Waiving your right lets colleges know that you will never try to read your recommendations. That in turn reassures colleges that your recommenders have provided support that is candid and truthful. While you are free to respond as you wish, if you choose not to waive your right, some recommenders may decline your request, and some colleges may disregard letters submitted on your behalf. ”
