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College Planning

 

Where to start?

 Read and reference the College Planning Guide provided by the Counseling Center

 Additional Steps

The SAT and ACT exams are nationally administered standardized exams that help colleges evaluate students for admission.  

  • Both, the SAT and ACT are accepted by most colleges across the country.  
  • The SAT exam is a two part aptitude test that consists of a math and evidenced based reading.  
  • The ACT exam is an achievement test that includes English, math, and reading, as well as optional science and writing sections. 
  • Students must ensure they send all official scores from the testing agency to the schools requiring them.

 

For additional information or to register for a test call or visit:

Testing Calendar – typically taken Winter/Spring of Junior year

 

Test Prep Information:

Please consider all academic, work, testing and driver’s education schedules when selecting any review courses.

Additional Resources: 

Applying to college is a multi step process involving highlighting your academic achievements, personal qualities and future aspirations. Over 1000 colleges and universities use the Common App for admissions. Its is a centralized platform streamlining the application process by allowing students to apply to multiple institutions with a single application. 

Creating an account

The Counseling Center offers ‘camps’ to incoming seniors to assist them create and update their Common Application. Please refer to this video and this video for help on creating your account. Many generic answers are available on this Class of 2026 cheatsheet.

  • Attend Common Application Workshops in the spring to create Common Application Account 
  • Register and attend the College Application Summer Workshops
    • Common Application Workshop - Students will be guided by school counselors as they "match" their Common App and Naviance accounts. 
      • Step to match:
        • Log on to Naviance (from Clever).
        • Select the “Colleges” tab, then “Colleges I’m Applying To.” The Common Application Account Matching screen is displayed at the top of the page
  • All students must complete the FERPA Privacy Notice before the Counseling Center can process applications. The Common App FERPA release authorization is required to allow to grant colleges permission to access the students academic record and allows students to waive their right to view confidential letters of recommendation (increasing the letters credibility)
    • Students can only see the Recommenders and FERPA section once they've added at least one school to their application.
    • The FERPA release authorization is found within the Recommenders and FERPA section of the my colleges tab. 
      • Click the "Complete Release Authorization" button. 
      • Check the necessary boxes, including to waive your rights to review recommendations and type your name as your electronic signature. 
      • You will only need to do this once and it will apply to all of your colleges on your list. 

 

 

College letters of recommendation are a crucial part of your college application. They provide a personalized perspective and additional insight to your character, academic performance and potential beyond what is listed on your application, from a person who knows you.

  • Teacher Letter of Recommendation: Request 2 teacher letters of recommendation in person and via Naviance (spring, before the end of grade 11)
  • Counselor Letter of Recommendation: Complete and provide the following to your Counselor by the last day of school - See video
    • Student Autobiography
    • Parent Feedback
      • Provide your Counselor a parent perspective
    • Sample Activity Resume
      • Record and summarize all work experience, volunteer service, extracurricular activities, awards/certificates and athletic achievements obtained during your high school career. This information can be recorded in Naviance or a format similar. 

A good essay can make a difference. It offers the admissions committee a window into the students personality and experiences, sharing their voice and showcasing their writing strengths and abilities.

Events to attend:

  • College essay presentation: Getting started on your college essay (spring of Junior year) – a virtual event 
  • College writing workshop (Spring of Junior year) – In-school workshops, hosted by college representatives
  • College Essay Review Workshop (summer before Senior year)- Students bring a completed draft of their college essay and/or supplemental essays for individual review by a college admissions professional.

 

A copy of your transcript will be mailed home prior to the start of your Senior year, verify the details - See video

  • Ensure CSIP is complete (“S”) for each year
  • Your initial Official Transcript (along with Counselor Recommendation, Commack High School Teacher Recommendations, Secondary School Report, Commack High School Profile) will be sent electronically through Naviance when applying to colleges, after completing the Transcript request form (copies available in the counseling center starting mid-September)
    • You must submit the Transcript Request form: 
      • By September 30 for applications with October 15 deadlines
      • By October 1 for application with November 1 deadlines
      • By October 15 for application with November 15 deadlines
      • By November 1 for applications with December 1 deadlines
      • By November 15 for applications with January 1 deadlines
      • 15 School days before deadline for deadlines after January 1 
      • Rolling – Will be processed as soon as possible within 4 weeks of submission
  • If a school requires additional grades, please fill out the Google request form for: 
  • Your final transcript will be sent to the college you will be attending, as reported on your Senior Survey.

 

  • Students are responsible for sending all other required or optional items 
  • If you have taken any College Level Classes at the high school, you need to contact the college(s) directly to send your transcript to the school you have committed to. 
  • Your IB scores will be automatically sent to the school you have committed to unless you opt out on the Senior Survey. For additional information please refer to the IB Programme page.
  • You must also report any AP scores to the school you committed to for evaluation. Please visit the AP College Board website for additional information.
  • Student Athletes

How to Submit College Applications

Common Application Colleges

  • Log on to your Common App account.
  •  Under College Search, find and add colleges to your 'My Colleges' list. If you cannot find a school, see below for Non-Common Application instructions.
  • Complete all required items (designated by a red asterisk) under Common App and My Colleges tabs.
  • Pay required application fee and submit application(s).

 

Non-Common Application Colleges

  • Go to Admission page of college website to find online application.
  • Complete application as instructed, pay required application fee and submit application.

 

Regardless of the method used to admit students it is vital that students complete all required sections review it before submitting. 

College is expensive, as overwhelming as that may be, there are many different options available to students to reduce those costs. Though this is not all encompassing, the resources we provide will help you start your journey of maximizing the financial aid you receive.

Financial aid comes in many forms:

  • Grants are usually need based and do not need to be repaid.
  • Scholarships are typically merit based and do not need to be repaid. Visit our Scholarships page for monthly bulletins listing some scholarships students maybe interested in. 
  • Loans are borrowed money that usually has to be repaid with accrued interest.
  • Work-study is a federal program that allows you to earn money to pay for school by working part-time.

FAFSA

Federal Application for Student Aid is generally the first step in applying for financial aid to secure student/parent loans, grants, and work-study opportunities from the government. The FASFA application will open on December 1.  File early as some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please apply on the FAFSA website.

Similarly to the federal programs, NYS provides students financial assistance with their own eligibility criteria and programs. Please visit the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) for additional information. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application can be completed during the FAFSA submission confirmation page.

During the first two months of the school year we host a Financial Aid evening program run by a Financial Aid Officer to provide families with valuable information.

Additional Resources

 

  • Where to start?

     Read and reference the College Planning Guide provided by the Counseling Center

     Additional Steps

  • The SAT and ACT exams are nationally administered standardized exams that help colleges evaluate students for admission.  

    • Both, the SAT and ACT are accepted by most colleges across the country.  
    • The SAT exam is a two part aptitude test that consists of a math and evidenced based reading.  
    • The ACT exam is an achievement test that includes English, math, and reading, as well as optional science and writing sections. 
    • Students must ensure they send all official scores from the testing agency to the schools requiring them.

     

    For additional information or to register for a test call or visit:

    Testing Calendar – typically taken Winter/Spring of Junior year

     

    Test Prep Information:

    Please consider all academic, work, testing and driver’s education schedules when selecting any review courses.

    Additional Resources: 

  • Applying to college is a multi step process involving highlighting your academic achievements, personal qualities and future aspirations. Over 1000 colleges and universities use the Common App for admissions. Its is a centralized platform streamlining the application process by allowing students to apply to multiple institutions with a single application. 

    Creating an account

    The Counseling Center offers ‘camps’ to incoming seniors to assist them create and update their Common Application. Please refer to this video and this video for help on creating your account. Many generic answers are available on this Class of 2026 cheatsheet.

    • Attend Common Application Workshops in the spring to create Common Application Account 
    • Register and attend the College Application Summer Workshops
      • Common Application Workshop - Students will be guided by school counselors as they "match" their Common App and Naviance accounts. 
        • Step to match:
          • Log on to Naviance (from Clever).
          • Select the “Colleges” tab, then “Colleges I’m Applying To.” The Common Application Account Matching screen is displayed at the top of the page
    • All students must complete the FERPA Privacy Notice before the Counseling Center can process applications. The Common App FERPA release authorization is required to allow to grant colleges permission to access the students academic record and allows students to waive their right to view confidential letters of recommendation (increasing the letters credibility)
      • Students can only see the Recommenders and FERPA section once they've added at least one school to their application.
      • The FERPA release authorization is found within the Recommenders and FERPA section of the my colleges tab. 
        • Click the "Complete Release Authorization" button. 
        • Check the necessary boxes, including to waive your rights to review recommendations and type your name as your electronic signature. 
        • You will only need to do this once and it will apply to all of your colleges on your list. 

     

     

  • College letters of recommendation are a crucial part of your college application. They provide a personalized perspective and additional insight to your character, academic performance and potential beyond what is listed on your application, from a person who knows you.

    • Teacher Letter of Recommendation: Request 2 teacher letters of recommendation in person and via Naviance (spring, before the end of grade 11)
    • Counselor Letter of Recommendation: Complete and provide the following to your Counselor by the last day of school - See video
      • Student Autobiography
      • Parent Feedback
        • Provide your Counselor a parent perspective
      • Sample Activity Resume
        • Record and summarize all work experience, volunteer service, extracurricular activities, awards/certificates and athletic achievements obtained during your high school career. This information can be recorded in Naviance or a format similar. 

  • A good essay can make a difference. It offers the admissions committee a window into the students personality and experiences, sharing their voice and showcasing their writing strengths and abilities.

    Events to attend:

    • College essay presentation: Getting started on your college essay (spring of Junior year) – a virtual event 
    • College writing workshop (Spring of Junior year) – In-school workshops, hosted by college representatives
    • College Essay Review Workshop (summer before Senior year)- Students bring a completed draft of their college essay and/or supplemental essays for individual review by a college admissions professional.

     

    A copy of your transcript will be mailed home prior to the start of your Senior year, verify the details - See video

    • Ensure CSIP is complete (“S”) for each year
    • Your initial Official Transcript (along with Counselor Recommendation, Commack High School Teacher Recommendations, Secondary School Report, Commack High School Profile) will be sent electronically through Naviance when applying to colleges, after completing the Transcript request form (copies available in the counseling center starting mid-September)
      • You must submit the Transcript Request form: 
        • By September 30 for applications with October 15 deadlines
        • By October 1 for application with November 1 deadlines
        • By October 15 for application with November 15 deadlines
        • By November 1 for applications with December 1 deadlines
        • By November 15 for applications with January 1 deadlines
        • 15 School days before deadline for deadlines after January 1 
        • Rolling – Will be processed as soon as possible within 4 weeks of submission
    • If a school requires additional grades, please fill out the Google request form for: 
    • Your final transcript will be sent to the college you will be attending, as reported on your Senior Survey.

     

    • Students are responsible for sending all other required or optional items 
    • If you have taken any College Level Classes at the high school, you need to contact the college(s) directly to send your transcript to the school you have committed to. 
    • Your IB scores will be automatically sent to the school you have committed to unless you opt out on the Senior Survey. For additional information please refer to the IB Programme page.
    • You must also report any AP scores to the school you committed to for evaluation. Please visit the AP College Board website for additional information.
    • Student Athletes

    How to Submit College Applications

    Common Application Colleges

    • Log on to your Common App account.
    •  Under College Search, find and add colleges to your 'My Colleges' list. If you cannot find a school, see below for Non-Common Application instructions.
    • Complete all required items (designated by a red asterisk) under Common App and My Colleges tabs.
    • Pay required application fee and submit application(s).

     

    Non-Common Application Colleges

    • Go to Admission page of college website to find online application.
    • Complete application as instructed, pay required application fee and submit application.

     

    Regardless of the method used to admit students it is vital that students complete all required sections review it before submitting. 

  • College is expensive, as overwhelming as that may be, there are many different options available to students to reduce those costs. Though this is not all encompassing, the resources we provide will help you start your journey of maximizing the financial aid you receive.

    Financial aid comes in many forms:

    • Grants are usually need based and do not need to be repaid.
    • Scholarships are typically merit based and do not need to be repaid. Visit our Scholarships page for monthly bulletins listing some scholarships students maybe interested in. 
    • Loans are borrowed money that usually has to be repaid with accrued interest.
    • Work-study is a federal program that allows you to earn money to pay for school by working part-time.

    FAFSA

    Federal Application for Student Aid is generally the first step in applying for financial aid to secure student/parent loans, grants, and work-study opportunities from the government. The FASFA application will open on December 1.  File early as some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please apply on the FAFSA website.

    Similarly to the federal programs, NYS provides students financial assistance with their own eligibility criteria and programs. Please visit the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) for additional information. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application can be completed during the FAFSA submission confirmation page.

    During the first two months of the school year we host a Financial Aid evening program run by a Financial Aid Officer to provide families with valuable information.

    Additional Resources