Guide to Requesting Transcripts &
Counselor or Teacher Letters of Recommendation
Updated October 2011

• Ms. Gahl and counselors need at least 20 SCHOOL DAYS before your college deadline to process a transcript/counselor letter request.
  • General guidelines
  • October 4, 2011 for November 1, 2011 deadline
  • October 25, 2011 for December 1, 2011 deadline
  • November 3, 2011 for January 1, 2012 deadline
  • December 19, 2011 for January 15, 2012 deadline

• School bank will accept payment for transcripts and Ms. Gahl will receive transcript requests ONLY
  • Before school
  • During lunch
  • After school

• For most schools... mail your part of the application separately. We will mail transcript, counselor recommendation and secondary school report as requested.

• All forms in your Compass Points packet are available in the Document Library of your Family Connection account and on the WJ website: www.walterjohnson.com/compass_points/

STEPS TO REQUEST A TRANSCRIPT/COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION

1. Make sure you have completed an Authorization for Release of Student Records Form. Return this form to Ms. Gahl.
2. If you have taken SAT's or ACT's and plan to submit your scores, contact College Board and/or ACT to send your official scores to your schools (Note: If you already listed schools when you registered for the test, you may skip this step).
3. Complete a Transcript Request Form for each college you are applying to and give to Ms. Gahl in the College & Career Center. If you are in the APEX, ACES or UMCP Young Scholars programs, don't forget to check the appropriate boxes on this form.
4. Ms. Gahl will confirm for you which transcripts will be sent electronically (Common App or eDocs) and which applications will be sent through the U.S. Mail. Only transcripts sent through the U.S. Mail will incur a transcript fee. All transcripts sent electronically will be free of charge.
5. Go to the school bank in the Main Office, pay for your transcripts, and obtain a receipt. Note: Transcripts are $5.00 each (price includes postage), and the first is free. Payment by check is encouraged and checks should be made payable to Walter Johnson High School. Return the receipt to Ms. Gahl.
6. Purchase 9x12 envelopes for each college and type a label for each school's admissions office address; but don't include return address or postage. Include in the envelope all forms required by the college or university (e.g. Counselor Recommendation Request form and Secondary School Evaluation form). Refer to each school's application when determining which forms to include, as this differs from school to school. **IMPORTANT- this step is only required for transcripts that will be sent via U.S. Mail and for which you have paid a transcript fee.
7. See Ms. Gahl in the College & Career Center with your envelopes and forms and she will log your college applications and transcript requests into Naviance. You may then check the status of your applications through your Family Connection account.

Follow-Up:

Mid-Year Transcripts/Reports - These are sent upon your request in February. There is no additional charge for mid-year reports. In late January/early February provide Ms. Gahl with a business-size stamped envelope addressed to each college that is to receive a mid-year transcript. Include any "Mid-Year Report" forms provided by the colleges as well.

Final Transcripts - The final (graduation) transcript will be sent only to the college that you will be attending. It is important that you inform us of your final decision. You must provide Ms. Gahl with a stamped, addressed business-size envelope in May before you graduate. The final transcripts will be mailed in mid-July as soon as we receive them.

REQUESTING TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS

If required, request teacher recommendations. Note: You will need to check each school's application to determine whether or not teacher recommendations are required and if so, how many and from what type of teacher (e.g., teacher from junior/senior year, academic subject, etc). Make sure you give the teachers at least 20 days to complete the recommendations. Please give teachers the following:

• Note to teacher (Don't forget to say "thank you")
• Resume
• Stamped envelope labeled with the address of the college
• Forms required for each college (check school's application) and/or the heading needed for the recommendation (student's DOB and/or social security number)
• Along with your personal information, complete all parts of the form where you know or have access to the information. i.e. Teacher's Name, Position (Teacher), Name and/or address of the high school, school phone number, etc.
• List of all schools to which you are applying and deadlines
• Any other information you want the teacher to know about you

Helpful Hints

• Start early
• Read all directions and be aware of deadlines
• Check your application thoroughly
• Keep a copy of your application
• Ask questions if you don't understand something-WE'RE HERE TO HELP!