During this time of uncertainty and instability, many questions have been raised regarding how COVID-19 will impact college admissions not only this year, but for years to come. We do not have all of the answers, but we have been doing our best to stay fully informed on the latest developments so that we can best guide our students throughout the application process. We wanted to share with you some of the feedback we have been getting from different institutions regarding COVID-19.
For Seniors:
- Possibility of Increased Deferrals – many families are concerned about the potential of an uptick in Coronavirus cases in the fall and how that will impact the ability for colleges to hold in-person classes. There is also concern about the ability to pay following the financial crisis. As a result, there may be an increase in deferrals this year. That means, more and more students may wish to delay their start at the college where they plan to attend. Make sure you have open and honest conversations with the college where you plan to defer and fully learn about their policies.
- Financial Aid Packages – if your family’s economic situation has changed, make sure you reach out to the financial aid office at your college to discuss those changes and see if that affects the amount of need-based money you receive.
For Juniors:
- Test-Optional Policies – many universities have gone test-optional. While this seems like exciting news, make sure you are fully informed about each institution’s policy. Many universities require test scores for students to be considered for merit-based scholarships. You should also consider that many students have already taken at least one test and will have scores to submit. It might be wise to continue to prep for testing that may be available in the fall.
- Virtual tours – take advantage of the online offerings at each college or university. Many are offering opportunities to attend online information sessions, discussions with student panels, and virtual tours.
- Taking advantage of your free time – there will very likely be an additional essay regarding what you have done with all of your free time during quarantine. While it is not expected that you will have your typical extracurricular activities, colleges would like to see that you have picked up something new or pursued an already discovered passion. You might consider taking classes via Coursera or edX, volunteering online through allforgood.org, or reading more about something that really interests you. This is a gift to be able to more deeply explore your passion and figure out what it is you love to learn about.
While there is so much changing right now, we can take comfort in the fact that we are all in this together. Colleges are working hard to be transparent about their expectations as they will be looking at applications through an entirely new lens. We will continue to work hard as well to stay informed on any new information being released.