college

Welcome! My goal for this page is to provide "one-stop shopping" for seniors and parents as you navigate the college application process. Please reach out if you have any questions or suggestions for resources to add.

I am also available for individual meetings!

• Students: Schedule a meeting through SchooLinks during study hall or advisement.

• Parents: Please email me directly to coordinate a time to meet.

I look forward to working with you!

Here for the journey,

Sandy Hayes

College and Career Counselor

SkyView High School

SchooLinks is a web-based College and Career Readiness (CCR) platform used by SkyView Academy to guide students through career exploration, college planning, application management, and postsecondary preparation. For high school seniors, SchooLinks serves as a centralized hub to manage and streamline the postsecondary application process, financial planning, and graduation tracking.

All SVA High School Students can log into SchooLinks using their SVA google email and password. Access the onboarding tutorial here.

Key Ways Students Can Use SchooLinks:

Manage College Applications & Track Deadlines

• Application Manager: Build and organize a list of target, safety, and reach schools. Track application status, deadlines, and submission requirements in one dashboard.

• Common App Integration: Direct link and sync with Common App accounts to streamline document requests and submission tracking.

• Transcripts & Recommendations: Request official transcripts and digital letters of recommendation from counselors and teachers directly through the platform.

• Scholarships & Financial Aid

  • Scholarship Matching: Search local and national scholarships, filter by eligibility requirements, and track application submissions.

  • Financial Aid & FAFSA Support: Access financial aid calculators to compare postsecondary costs and complete FAFSA learning modules and checklists.

• Career, Internship & Non-Degree Options

  • Workplace Opportunities: Browse local job openings, internships, apprenticeships, and volunteer hours curated by district industry partners.

  • Non-Degree & Trade Programs: Explore trade schools, vocational programs, and non-degree certificate options if pursuing immediate workforce entry or technical training.

• Resumes & Digital Portfolios

  • Resume Builder: Automatically pull recorded coursework, certifications, service hours, and extra-curricular achievements into an interactive, exportable resume.

  • Credential Wallet: Store professional certifications, reflections, and evaluations for future employers or program applications.

• Counselor & Event Scheduling

  • Counselor Meetings: Log appointments, send messages, and review notes or action plans directly with school guidance counselors.

  • College Rep Visits: View schedules and register to meet college representatives visiting the high school campus or host virtual college tours.

• Experience Tracking

• Log community service hours required for graduation

• Tutorial for logging hours

College Application Season is Well Underway!

We had a great turnout of students submitting applications during Colorado Free Application Days! If you missed it, don't worry—many Colorado colleges and universities continue to offer free applications for Colorado residents year-round.

Next Steps After You Apply:

• Once you submit an application, colleges will typically send an email inviting you to create an account in their student portal.
• Please note: Receiving a portal invite is confirmation that your application was received, not an admission decision.
• Track Your Application: Colleges will use this portal to request any missing documents and post your final admission decision (you'll receive an email notification when a decision is ready to view).

Each college sets its own deadlines for applications, financial aid, and scholarships. Be sure to check the admissions page for each school you are applying to so you don't miss key dates. If you need help finding them, see Mrs. Hayes.

• Common Deadline Windows:

  • Early Action (Non-Binding): October – November (Most fall on Nov 1 or Nov 15)

  • Early Decision (BINDING): October – November (Note: Early Decision II deadlines usually fall in January)

  • School-Specific Scholarships: November – December (Some priority deadlines are as early as Oct 15)

  • Regular Decision: January – February

  • Rolling Admissions: Evaluated as applications arrive (Applying early is strongly recommended!)

• Link: Common App

• Apply to Multiple Colleges: Apply to thousands of participating colleges and universities using a single platform.

• Account Setup: Students can create an account at any time. Check out the official Guide for First-Year Students to get started.

• Parent & Advisor Access: Parents/Guardians can create an account to view the process. Students can also invite parents or their high school counselor as an advisor within their application.

• Start Early: Completing the application can take 2+ hours, so don't wait until the last minute!

• ⚠️ Important Note: (SchooLinks Conflict): DO NOT complete the recommendor section in the Common App. Doing so conflicts with SchooLinks.

• Transcripts & Letters of Recommendation: All high school transcripts and letters of recommendation will be sent directly to the Common App via SchooLinks.

⚠️ Important Note: If you apply to a college directly through its school website (without using the Common App or SchooLinks), you MUST notify Mrs. Hayes right away so your official transcript can be sent to the school.

How to Request a Letter:

1. Ask in Person: Speak with your teacher directly to ask if they are willing to write you a recommendation.
2. Provide Your Brag Sheet: Give the teacher your completed brag sheet questionnaire (check your email if you need a copy!). There is also on you can use in SchooLinks.
3. Submit Request via SchooLinks: Submit a formal request through SchooLinks for each teacher. This enables them to upload their letter, which will then automatically attach to your Common App applications.

⚠️ Important Note: Please do not request letters through Common App. If there is a reason you need to, please let Mrs. Hayes know.

Already Requested a Letter?

• Teachers are hard at work writing recommendations, so please be patient!
• Don't Wait to Submit: You do not need to wait for letters to be finished before submitting your college applications. Once a teacher completes your letter, it will send automatically.
• Checking In: If you're concerned about a deadline, feel free to politely ask the teacher if they need any additional information from you.

⚠️ Important Note: If any of your colleges require a 100% complete application packet (including transcripts, LORs, and test scores) by a strict deadline, please inform Mrs. Hayes immediately!

• When given the choice to write an optional essay, the universal advice from admissions officers is yes—write it! An "optional" prompt is a valuable opportunity to strengthen your application and share more of your story.

• The only exceptions? Skip it if it would result in a rushed, sloppy, or redundant response, or if worrying about the extra essay is completely paralyzing your progress. Remember: A submitted application without an optional essay is always better than an unsubmitted one!

⚠️ Need help with your essay? See Mrs. Hayes!

If you have taken concurrent enrollment courses (such as ACC, CDLS for college credit through CU Boulder or Adams State), you are responsible for ordering official transcripts directly from the granting institution.

• When to send them: You do not need to send official college transcripts to every school right now unless a college specifically requests one during the application process. These courses are already visible on your SkyView transcript.

• After you decide where to enroll: Once you make your final decision on where to attend, you will order official college transcripts from each institution to ensure your earned college credits transfer over.

Transcript Request Links:

• Arapahoe Community College (ACC) Transcripts

• Adams State University Transcripts

• CU Boulder Transcripts

When to report scores: Application vs. Post-Acceptance

• During the Application Process: Most colleges allow or prefer you to self-report your AP scores directly on your application without paying for an official report.

• After Admission: You generally only need to order and pay for official score reports from the College Board to be sent to the one college you commit to attending, where they will be used to award college credit or course placement.

Score Reporting Link

College financial aid can feel overwhelming, but taking it step-by-step makes all the difference:

• Check Deadlines: Each institution sets its own priority filing dates for financial aid and institutional scholarships.

• Complete Your Forms: Gather tax returns and financial documents to complete the FAFSA (and the CSS Profile, if required by your colleges).

• Watch Webinars & Seek Help: Take advantage of financial aid webinars and walkthrough guides to ensure you fill out everything correctly and strategically. Check out the recommended webinars below generously provided by J.P. Schmidt, who also offers a free individual consultations.

• These funds are available to Colorado state residents, attending participating universities within the state of Colorado.

• COF funds will be applied to your tuition bill each semester for up to 145 credit hours.

• These funds are not based on financial need but rather based on what college you are attending.

• All you need to do is apply!

• For more information, visit College Opportunity Fund (COF)

Many colleges and universities are now test-optional. Whether you submit your scores is entirely up to you, and guidance on the best approach varies. Consider where your scores fall relative to the average range for accepted students at each school (you can find this information in SchooLinks or on the college’s admissions website). If you are unsure whether your scores will strengthen your application, consider reaching out directly to an admissions representative for guidance. If you need to send scores to schools you did not list when taking the test, here is the link.

Some schools will require SAT scores for merit-based aid but not for acceptance. Again - reach out to the admissions office for questions regarding whether to and when to submit scores.

• WUE is a consortium of colleges in 16 Western states and territories that offer reduced rates for out of state students.

• You must choose a participating state as well as a participating college.

• On your application or financial aid forms you must indicate that you are applying for WUE.

• Some WUE funds are offered as scholarships to out of state students.

• WUE is a consortium of colleges in 16 Western states and territories that offer reduced rates for out of state students.

• You must choose a participating state as well as a participating college.

• On your application or financial aid forms you must indicate that you are applying for WUE.

• Some WUE funds are offered as scholarships to out of state students.

• For more information, visit: Western Undergraduate Exchange.

• All SVA students are required to complete 80 hours of community service. (20 hours per year of high school attended at SVA.)

• This is a graduation requirement.

• Seniors need to log all past, current and future hours in SchooLinks. Here is a video tutorial on how to log hours.
• We will add any new hours to transcripts at the end of the Fall Semester and Spring Semester.

• If you need hours, here are some community service opportunities. You can also see Melissa Sorenson, SVA registrar, for help with finding service opportunities.

Contact Info:

Mrs. Sandy Hayes

HS College & Career Counselor

shayes@svak12.org