“What is Naviance anyway?” one Blaine student asks. If this is your first time hearing of Naviance, you’re not the only one, so don’t worry.

Naviance is a program that promotes college readiness and offers numerous resources in one central,easy-to-use website. Naviance is mainly used for students requesting transcripts and letters of recommendations for college applications, but what many don’t realize is that Naviance can assist with so much  more.

In my search for answers, I was referred to Eric Feigum, A career and college specialist who currently works and coaches at Andover High School. Feigum shared some of the convenient features that Naviance has to offer, “There are a lot of self-discovery tools in Naviance. Things like ‘strengths explorers,’ ‘learning style inventories,’ and other things that help students figure out what might be the right path for them”.  

Naviance includes tools to determine students’ strengths and learning styles. Career interest surveys are also resources students can take advantage of. Possibly one of the most helpful features is the “College SuperMatch.” This engine matches schools to criteria that students specify, saving students valuable time and making the college search slightly less daunting.  

        Naviance also interacts with other helpful programs. The Common App partners with Naviance to further streamline the application process.  As mentioned before, transcripts and teacher recommendations are linked to your common application (if in existence) just by entering an email. A student can simply type an email used for the Common App into the “Colleges I’m Applying For” box located on the Naviance site, and the information is automatically applied to the profile. There is even a scholarship feature built right into the Naviance website.

        Almost all seniors can agree that one of the most stressful aspects of their last year of high school is the process of applying for colleges. Fortunately, there are many resources available to both students and parents. Naviance acts a medium for teachers and parents to communicate and stay on the same page as the applicant. Teachers use the site to keep track of the progress on the insane amount of recommendation letters that are requested. Parents benefit from Naviance by being able to see the progress their children are making in the application process.
        In short, Naviance is a helpful resource created to ensure success in a student’s transition from high school to college. For more information contact the career center at your school or talk to your counselor.