It's time to refocus
Shelly Humbach • April 27, 2020
People around the world are adapting to a new normal. Many businesses have reinvented themselves, restaurants are offering delivery and takeout options, television news and late-night shows are broadcasting from home, and most k-12 and colleges in the US have adopted online learning formats. Now that you may be settling in to a different routine, it's time to refocus and adopt some new strategies regarding college admission.
Keep Your Grades Up
Many colleges have announced that they will waive the SAT/ACT requirements for Fall 2021 applications. Some are also discussing how to view junior year grades given the abrupt change to online learning and some schools adopting pass/fail grading. However, it’s impossible to predict how every college will review their applications so maintaining a high GPA is the best advice. Check in with your teachers, ask for help, focus on doing your best with what’s being asked of you. Having consistently strong grades or even an upward trend can only benefit you in the application process.
Study for AP Exams
The CollegeBoard announced that both the May and June SAT dates have been canceled. This means you can stop thinking about the SAT for now. Instead, focus your efforts on studying for any AP exams you may have. AP exams will be given online meaning that you may want to prepare for the test a bit differently. CollegeBoard has a list of helpful tips in preparing for an online, open book/open notes exam format. Acing your AP exams is another way to show colleges your academic chops and potentially earn college credit saving yourself money and time in the future.
Consider Virtual Volunteering or other Self-driven Extracurriculars
With most school extracurriculars canceled, it’s time to rethink your activity list. There are countless creative ways to demonstrate your skills or interests to a college. Jodi Glou, founder and owner of Custom College Consulting, compiled a great list of virtual volunteering opportunities. Virtual volunteering is a great alternative to canceled summer plans and also an opportunity to use your skills to benefit organizations that may no longer have the in-person staff or funding to accomplish their mission.
Take Action
Don’t stress! Andrew Palumbo, dean of admissions and financial aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass, wrote an open letter to high school juniors. Although he admits that there is a lot to worry about right now, he says grades and SAT scores shouldn’t be on that list. His message to students: “We’ll figure it out together.”
In June, I hosted my annual Senior Essay Writing Workshop. This was the first in-person workshop since 2019. I bet you can guess why. I was elated to meet my students face-to-face after months, even years, of connecting through the screen. Imagine my surprise at their height, super-smiles, and warm laughter. Dang, it was wonderful. So, essentially, all my in-state seniors gather at my house for a three-hour intensive workshop on crafting a killer college essay. As I was preparing for the event, it occurred to me that I might be in competition with their PHONE. Classic directness (this is probably a character flaw) led me to inform my students and their parents, in advance, that this would be a no-phone gathering. My messaging went something like this, Important: Phones are placed in a basket at the door and retrieved at noon. No exceptions. Parents: If you need to reach your student during the workshop, text me directly at **********. Now, I am fully on board with the phone-free movement. I support it, advocate for it, and live it (I brilliantly quit all personal media last November). And I thought: my event, my rules. I was a little concerned about how this announcement would land. Turns out my concern was mainly about the parents. The kids? Not so much. In fact, research indicates that students crave phone-free learning environments. Suffice to say, the workshop was a smashing success. Not a single student pushed back against the policy. One poor soul forgot to retrieve her phone and left it sitting all alone in the basket. Not to worry, though. She didn’t get far before turning back to grab it. Here’s the truth: We don’t have to bow down to every technological whim or societal pressure. As adults, we know the phone is a problem, and it’s our job to foster healthy, happy individuals. So let's keep this momentum going. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “When you know better, do better.”
I work with incredible colleagues; collaborative, smart and supportive. They make me better and I am deeply grateful. Every year, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy of Big J Educational Consulting share invaluable information regarding college admissions. Their research is impeccable and accurate and provides crucial data to help students and families make informed college decisions. Read on, share broadly and give a shout out to these generous professionals! Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid Class of 2028 In-State and Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Class of 2028 Financial Aid for International Noncitizens Class of 2028 International Noncitizens Acceptance Rate and Yield Class of 2028 Percentage of Students Submitting SAT and ACT Scores Class of 2028 Athletic Divisions and Conferences (partial list) Class of 2028 - NEW! These charts are visual, interactive, and easy to use. They make it possible to instantly sort using any column's metrics and to easily compare subsets of colleges. They are free and can be accessed at www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources . From Jennie and Jeff: We hope you find these resources helpful in your work guiding students. Please feel free to share them broadly as long as they remain in their original unedited form. Permission is not granted to those charging a fee for their distribution. If you find an error after cross-referencing with an institution's Common Data Set, please contact us at info@bigjconsult.com . Thank you!
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