COVID Admissions
Shelly Humbach • April 14, 2020
The ripple effects of COVID-19 are just starting to make their impacts. It’s safe to say that the coronavirus has upended the college admission process for the coming year. You probably have a lot of questions and colleges are just starting to consider how they will adjust their admission process for next year. Here are some of the topics that students and colleges are grappling with:
I was going to take the May SAT but it is canceled.
CollegeBoard
and ACT
have been monitoring the pandemic in an attempt to provide students with options. Currently the June 6 SAT is still scheduled. ACT has tests scheduled for June 13 (rescheduled from April) and July 18. However, it’s true that you may only have opportunity to take the test. As a result, many colleges have announced they are going to be test optional (at least for the 2020-2021 application year). FairTest
has a list of test optional schools and schools that will be temporarily test optional.
All of my activities are canceled for spring – what should I put on my activity list?
Colleges understand – no sports, no spring performances, no student council or volunteer hours. Your activity list may look a bit different than what you had planned. Maybe it will include all the books you read while staying at home, a new language you taught yourself on Duolingo, or the tech support you offered your grandmother so you could all keep in touch. If necessity is the mother of invention, maybe boredom is the mother of creativity. Time to get creative.
We are doing online learning – they say our grades will be pass/fail.
Colleges are going to be making a lot of adjustments to the way they consider applications. Don’t panic about your grades not looking like they normally would. High schools across the country are doing their best in this unprecedented situation. Many colleges are doing the same for their own students – offering them the option to have pass/fail grades. They will be understanding of whatever your school decided for grading.
I think COVID-19 will make a great essay topic.
It’s possible that the pandemic has changed your school/life experience in dramatic ways. It would be natural to think this would make a perfect college essay. But don’t forget, many students are sharing this same experience. You want your college essay to stand out, attract attention, or be remembered by the admission staff. Consider whether your experience or perspective is unique. You don’t want to be just another coronavirus essay...
What about college visits?
Many juniors were planning college tours for spring break and those in person tours were likely canceled. However, there are still plenty of opportunities to get to know a college. Take an online tour, attend a virtual admission events, chat with student tour guides, follow a school on Instagram and comment on a post. Not only does this help you gather information, but colleges also track these online connections as part of “demonstrated interest.” Some colleges consider demonstrated interest in the admission process. Hopefully, in person visits will resume in the fall.
Take Action
The best advice as always is to stay informed. Visit the websites for the colleges you are considering to find updates on admission policies and requirements and be in touch with your advisor about changes to your upcoming applications. NACAC is providing this online resource
to students and families as a centralized place where you can check for updates on all your schools.
Wait for it……they should be having fun.
"The Common Application, often referred to as The Common App is an online platform that facilitates the college application process for students."
"The AXS Companion provides step-by-step guidance, tips, and expert advice to help you tackle every section of the Common App with confidence."
Navigating Financial Aid can be a confusing process. Make sure you understand the financial terminology before entering the lengthy process of applying for scholarships and financial aid. Learn more in this comprehensive guide.
In the Spirit of - More College Admissions Fun - Let’s talk about Deferrals
Incredibly, another year has come and gone; another year of navigating life in the midst of Covid and now flu and RSV. Such fun. Thankfully, many high school seniors are still college bound. Here are three priority action items every parent or guardian should take long before their student launches. FAFSA and Net Price Calculators Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) . Even if you know or suspect your family will not qualify for federal aid, you should file the FAFSA. Why? ~In case circumstances change. Hello, pandemic. ~Just because parents weren’t eligible to receive financial aid one year doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t be eligible in a subsequent year, if their financial situation has changed. ~If you think you may require financial aid at any point in your child’s education. ~Anyone who expects to have more than one child in college simultaneously. Filing the FAFSA opens the door for all kinds of aid. Federal grants do not need to be repaid, federal student loans have low interest rates and work-study programs can be a convenient way to simultaneously fund an education and build a résumé. Complete the Net Price Calculator for each school on your student’s list. This calculator is found on every college website (search it). By providing personalized estimates, net price calculators offer a more informed way of deciding which colleges you can afford. Knowing your net price gives you the best idea of what you’ll pay for a particular college; makes comparing colleges easier; and widens your choice of colleges so you can focus on fit instead of price. Mental Health Care in College Make plans to have proper, sufficient and accessible mental health care support in place for your student before they leave for college. Let’s face it, the launch is just around the corner. Take advantage of the luxury of time and plan to have support firmly in place. Do not assume that colleges have the mental health care support your child may need. They are literally buckling under the weight of demand and negligible funding. Many times, care and support must be secured off-campus. Support Your Student Applying to college in 2022 is beastly and requires serious stamina and perseverance. College admissions deadlines are voluminous and fluid. The pandemic has wreaked all kinds of havoc on the process, requiring more diligence and follow through than ever before.
When my first child was born, in 1991, the circumstances were not as I imagined. Born at 29 weeks, she spent the first six weeks of her life in the NICU. One of the blessings that came from this experience was the pediatrician that we were referred to - one that specialized in the care of premature babies. Dr. Gordon Blakeman saved my little family in many ways and perhaps the most profound was that at every appointment, he asked a series of questions, and listened to the answers. Do you have dinner together, as a family, and not in front of the TV (today that would include and without devices?) Do you read to your child? And later, does your child read to you? These questions may seem basic and the answers may seem obvious. But are they? I urge you to get real with yourself. The world has become exceedingly digital (you know it’s true) and indeed this is good in many respects. But I will argue till I’m dead (and then I shall be the voice in my children’s head) that the act of paying attention, full, uninterrupted attention, to your child is the most powerful and everlasting gift you can give them. And as this article below highlights, parenting teens is tough and when you lay a solid foundation and regularly practice focused communication it becomes bearable. The crowning jewel is when your adult children seek your company and time. The reciprocation is divine. How to Have a Better Relationship With Your Teenager
Talk about a brilliant collaboration! The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), in conjunction with Oregon State University have created a fantastic new tool - the AXS Companion.
The Legal Documents You Need Before Your Kid Leaves For College
Ron Lieber (He/Daddy/Abb ) nails it again with straight talk on transparency regarding the cost of college which at most institutions of higher learning continues to be coated in mud. Kudos to #muhlengerg , #whitman and #wooster for cost transparency and their pricing or merit-aid pre-read. I ask/cajole/push/pressure (call it what you want) parents to commit to asking the tough questions up front. Are you planning to purchase something (a degree) that may cost upwards of $80,000 per year? And don't you think it makes sense to know, to the extent you can, exactly how much this thing is going to cost? And isn’t it insane that colleges expect you to commit to purchasing this thing, without KNOWING HOW MUCH IT IS GOING TO COST? It is beyond time to demand that colleges use plain language, with clear definitions when it comes to college costs. To quote one of my favorite lines from a movie, Denzel Washington's character in the film, Philadelphia repeatedly says, "Explain this to me like I'm a 4-year-old".