Juniors are asking really good questions right now about how the fallout over Covid is going to affect their admission cycle. And though I certainly don’t have many of the answers right now, I wanted to try to give them a voice and help to condense and clarify the responses we’re hearing from college leaders. 

SPRING GRADES

• High schools are handling spring semester grades in various ways based on their policies and population (no change, frozen grades, P/F, changes in assessments, etc.).

 Question: Will my high school’s decision have an affect on how I’m evaluated by admissions? 

Overwhelmingly, college admissions are repeating, “WE GET IT!” Many of those in the driver’s seat of their admission offices have been there for 20 years or more, most have kids of their own, and none have seen anything like the Covid crisis. You will not be penalized for your situation. Colleges will take into consideration a high school’s policy, look at a student’s trajectory, perhaps wait for 1st semester senior grades, read what a student reveals in their additional information sections, look to teacher recommendations and plan to be as flexible as possible with a student’s circumstances. 

Colleges are going to want to hear from you. Be explanatory about your circumstances. Tell them what you did, what you were unable to do, why, and a little of how you feel about it. There’s going to be a new section this year on the Common App just for this, and I expect other applications will follow.

ACT/ SAT TESTING

• ACT has not announced test cancellations for June because they are trying to work within individual states and counties for sites and cooperation. 

  • Amanda’s Prediction: ACT will not be available in California in June.

• Both ACT and SAT have announced an extra test date for the fall in September.

• This is a link to 485+ Top Tier Schools with Test Optional policies for Fall 2021 applicants. Some may do this for only one year. It’s updated regularly:  http://www.fairtest.org/sites/default/files/Optional-Schools-in-U.S.News-Top-Tiers.pdf.  

Questions: Does test optional truly mean optional? If a test opportunity exists, should I take it? When should I report my scores, and when shouldn’t I?

All of these questions are going to somewhat depend on the school to which you are applying, but if you have an opportunity to take a test and feel relatively prepared, take it. You may want it later for placement or merit-based financial aid awards. Having one makes you more prepared than not having one, and having one, does not mean you have to send it.

“Optional” means schools will not count the lack of a test against you. They will use all other resources at their disposal (your transcript, first and foremost), your high school’s profile, your letters of recommendation, your activities, your interests and your essays to help them determine if you will be a good fit for their campus. A high score can breed more confidence and a low score is something difficult to “un-see,” as one Gettysburg admission representative expressed. So, look at the average test scores for a particular institution. Does yours fall in their middle fifty percentile range or above? If they do, sending them is not likely a problem. 

ACTIVITIES

• Spring sports were cancelled. School based clubs, fundraisers and events were cancelled. Community clubs and activities are on hold.

• Jobs are almost non-existent for teens.

• Many summer internship and program opportunities were cancelled.

Questions: If my major activity was wrapped up in [ASB, Band, Mock Trial, Sports, Robotics, etc.], how am I supposed to show what impact I was going to have in the most important semester of my involvement? How am I going to stand out when I’m sitting at home?

First, take care of yourself for a little while and know that no one expects you to be doing anything but making sure you’re OK. Second, take a moment to assess what it was about your activities that you liked. In other words, why do you participate in them? If everything went back to normal next fall, would you do all the same things? Why or why not? Could this be something important for colleges to know?

When you are able to think past the obstacles and find something you like to do, but don’t usually have time for, do that. It could be spending more time with your family, helping a younger sibling with math or, something your parents would love, cleaning out the garage. It could also be helping in your community somehow. Does a grandparent live in a retirement facility where seniors need shoppers or to be taught how to use Zoom so they can connect with their own families? A recent survey of college admissions professionals has revealed that character is very important. Who better to share your character and values than with those who taught them to you…your family!

Summer might offer even more time for you, and I do think it’s a golden opportunity to learn. Plenty of free online courses out there, everything from baking the perfect cupcake to learning to code. Some of the original summer programs are also going online, but before you jump in to another programmed summer, make sure it’s valuable to you, not just to your resume. Personally, I’ve always wanted to learn to skateboard, but realize I am well past that time of my life and instead, have been learning to meditate. Meditation is not for credit…it is something I’m doing for me. That makes it no less valuable and is something I can tell others that helps them learn more about me.

ESSAYS

• The Common App has announced the addition of an optional Covid-19 question to the application.

• This gives students the opportunity to address their experiences without making it the focus of the main essay (personal statement).

• I will address essays in a future blog, so hang in there just knowing, you have more places to write about your experiences!

HOW WILL DECISIONS OF 2020 GRADUATES AFFECT 2021

• This fall’s enrollment numbers will affect admission spots for 2021…that’s nothing new. 

• What’s new are the projections of 10-20% less students on campus who may want to join the next year’s class.

Question: Will it be harder for me to get in to college next year?

 The collective doesn’t know. What we do know is that most admission offices have been getting increased inquiries about gap years, gap semesters, financial aid requests, and international students who may not be able to get to the US this fall. 

At this time, deposits are holding steady and are actually up at some schools (kids still want to go to school, and frankly, don’t know what else they’d do this fall), but that could be because students are double depositing, a practice intensely frowned upon. 

OK, but what does that mean for you?! Some schools will easily fill their enrollment without an increase in fall deferrals, so this will not likely change admission opportunities at those highly selective institutions. Some schools are really scared they may loose a chunk from 2020 who want to return and don’t have the infrastructure (dorms and classrooms) to admit fully in 2021. Some schools were in serious financial straits even before the crisis and cuts to faculty and/or programs will have the largest affect on enrollment. 

There are so many moving parts here that we are still going to be guessing as you enter the fall admission cycle. Colleges are releasing information, but focused on 2020 right now. It’s definitely a wait and see game, there will be unexpected surprises, but I am paying attention.

Your role, juniors: take care of you, take care of those around you, learn something, contribute to something and maybe, just maybe, read a book.