Senior Packet for Counselor S Letters of Recommendation

Last Name______First Name______

Senior Packet for Counselor’s Letters of Recommendation READ THIS PACKET THOUROUGHLY!

To: Rising Seniors 2015, Parents/Guardians and Friends From: Mrs. Deckelmann, College Advisor, [email protected] Date Assigned: February 2014 Email: FOR SENIORS ONLY. USE THIS EMAIL ONLY (DO NOT USE JPPSS EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!) SPELL EXACTLY AS STATED: [email protected]

Monday, August 25, 2014: Deadline to turn in Counselor’s Packet to Senior Mailbox

MAKE COPIES FOR YOU OR KEEP ON YOUR DRIVE BEFORE TURNING IN. COPIES WILL NOT BE MADE IN THE COUNSELING OFFICE. Give a copy of this packet to your recommenders, too!

This packet will assist in creating your letters of recommendations for college entrance. Packets not returned will allow me to write brief letters--letters without details that could sell you short of what you could bring to the college campus.

Please answer each question thoroughly. Don’t skip questions. Avoid general statements such as “I really learned a lot about myself by volunteering.” Instead, tell me what you learned, what was difficult, how you managed, how did you stretch yourself? Be as specific as possible. Give examples. I can only promote you and your qualities if you give me a well- written, thoughtful packet. The more you put into this packet, the better your letter of recommendation will be! All information will be treated as confidential between you as a family and the counselor’s office.

All of the following MUST be included in this packet: 1. A resume’ of your activities from grades 9 to the present. Include Haynes participation, community service, offices held, and specific activities, honors received. This resume’ should include out of school information/activities as well. See sample of Felix Yellow Jacket resume’ found on website.

2. Parent Brag Sheet

3. Friend Brag Sheet

4. Student Personal Brag Sheet

5. Wavier Signature Form (attached to last page of this packet)

Last year, I wrote over 195 personalized letters and completed over 260 individual college forms. I truly appreciate your patience and your attention to each of my requests as the counselor’s office is a one of a small team with huge requests! Together, we can find the right place for you! If you have any questions at all, please contact me at [email protected]. This is a special email address used by seniors only! 2

Senior Student______Parent’s cell #______Parent’s Name______Parent’sEmail______Parent Brag Sheet Haynes Academy Class of 2015

1. What do you consider to be your child’s outstanding personality traits?

2. What do you consider to be outstanding accomplishments of your child during the last three years?

3. In what areas has your child shown the most development and growth during the last two years?

4. If you had to describe your child in five adjectives, what would they be and why?

5. What are your hopes and dreams for your child? What do you hope to see for them in the next 10 years? Education? Career? Personal?

6. Are there any unusual or personal circumstances about your child that you would like to share? Is there anything that has affected your child’s learning or development— positively or negatively? 3

Senior Student______Friend’S Name Filling Out Form______Date______Friend Brag Sheet Haynes Academy Class of 2015

1. How long have you known your friend?

2. Describe what is special or what you value most about your friendship?

3. What do you consider to be your friend’s outstanding personality traits and/or special talents?

4. What do you consider to be the outstanding accomplishments of your friend during the last three years?

5. If you had to describe your friend in five adjectives, what would they be?

6. In what area would you like to see your friend improve?

7. What do you expect to see happen to your friend in the next 5 years? Education? Personal? Career?

8. What is something special about your friend that she/he would not share that you think they should glow about or feel proud of something they did or a personal accomplishment they have made for themselves or others? 4

Senior Student______Student’s Cell #______Student’s Email______Student Personal Brag Sheet Haynes Academy Class of 2015 This is your chance to BRAG!! Think hard about Everything you have done during high school and give details I need to write or talk about you. Imagine that you are writing a resume’ for a job you really want. Include school, community, church, temple or athletics. NUMBER EACH and type answers on additional paper. These questions have been helpful in gathering due to Mr. Octavio Hernandez.

1. Choose 3 adjectives that describe you. For each relate an anecdote (story) which shows the truth of the adjective as it relates to you.

2. Choose one of the following to answer: A. Comment on any high school experience that you deem “significant,” sort of an “epiphany”. This could be a social experience, academic, family, etc. Colleges like to gain insight into you as a person, what a transcript and standardized scores don’t show.

B. Who and/or what have been your most influential agents so far and why?

3. Where do you see your journey 5 years from now?

4. Which of your talents: academic, emotional, social, or even physical do you see yourself contributing to your community?

5. What challenges and inspires you?

6. What are your strength and weaknesses?

7. How would you like to be remembered by your peers? Teachers?

8. What is your reaction to drawbacks?

9. What obstacles you have had to overcome?

10. Looking back at your years of schooling, what would you do differently? What would you like to change?

11. What advice would you give other students? Parents? Teachers

12. What class and/or what teacher (need not be the same) has made the most impact on you as a student and why? Explain in detail.

13. What is your potential career/college major and why.

14. What extracurricular activity/activities have been most meaningful and why? Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies RELEASE OF EDUCATIONAL RECORDS

For College and Scholarship Applications

READ CAREFULLY!

Student name (print) ______

Year of Graduation ______

In order to process any college or scholarship application, the following statement must be signed and on file in the College Guidance Office.

1.) As part of the college application process, unless specifically requested otherwise in writing, I authorize the release of my permanent record (transcript) containing a list of courses and grades earned as well as any other records requested by the educational institutions to which I apply. If I am a recruited athlete, I authorize the release of my permanent record (transcript including test scores, if necessary) for recruiting purposes to the NCAA coaches, and other educational representatives.

2.) I authorize Haynes Academy’s college counselor, teachers, and administrators to submit letters of recommendation or descriptive statements in support of my application when requested. I understand that these statements and letters are confidential, and I hereby waive and right I may have to review their contents.

3.) I recognize that it is the school’s responsibility to notify any educational institution to which I have applied or have been accepted to of any change in my status at Haynes Academy through the end of my senior year, including my personal conduct record and I hereby irrevocably authorize such notification. It is Haynes Academy’s policy to report student suspensions (both in-school and out-of-school) if asked be a college or university; however, we do not report minor infractions resulting in, for example, detentions or work details.

4.) I understand that this is my responsibility to have all standardized test scores (SAT, AP & ACT) sent directly from the testing agencies to all universities and colleges which require them for administration and, if applicable, to the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Student signature ______Date ______

Parent signature ______Date ______