New program delays transcript requests

BVNW will now handle transcript requests for college applications through the online program Naviance. Even though the system speeds up the process itself, counseling has asked students to wait until Friday to begin using it.

Zac Johnson, Greyson Woerpel, and Sidney Hallak

This year, BVNW has implemented a new system called Naviance, which is a new way for students to acquire their transcripts needed for college. However, now that the program has started, some seniors are expressing concern because they have been asked to wait until September 20th to request their transcripts.

“It’s almost like a Pinterest account in the sense that you can pin certain colleges, it saves them, then you can compare them side to side,” Naviance site coordinator Becky Hodgson said.

Since many colleges require you to submit an application by November 1st, some students are worried that the new system doesn’t give students enough time to apply to all of the colleges they may want to.

“We’re getting our transcripts late, so it’s probably going to hold people back from getting into some universities,” senior Sam Taylor said.

Parents are also concerned about the delay. Soni Trusdale, mother of senior Darby Trusdale, said this not only may impact the chances that a student will get accepted to a university, but other aspects of their college life as well.

“If you want to get into a girls dorm you can’t apply for housing until you are fully accepted into the university,” Trusdale said. “So it can definitely affect some people in the way they try and plan ahead for housing.”

Many students were unaware of the recent changes in the rules regarding transcripts, as well as the new system itself.

Hodgson explained that Naviance is a very simple process. When students log on they can request as many colleges as they want. Once the student has requested the college, it automatically sends the request to school’s registrar’s account. After the registrar has the request uploaded, the college can receive them in less than 24 hours within the request being made.

This program streamlines the application process, Hodgson said. It makes for less paperwork and the school has the ability to upload scholarship applications directly into the program. It also stores GPA, test scores and a list of the colleges students are applying to. There is also a section where you can request letters of recommendation, all of BVNW’s scholarship programs and college visits.

“The new program is very beneficial for the counseling department and curriculum,” Hodgson said.

After Sept. 20, the program will be available to students.