Getting Ready for College Admission in the Wake of Coronavirus

It is mid-March 2020 as I type. Although it seems like the world around me has temporarily stopped due to the ongoing threat of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 – schools and colleges closed, businesses closing, social distancing recommendations to not gather in groups larger than 10 – the truth is that here in the United States, we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg so far and what lies in the coming days, weeks, and months remains to be seen.

But life must go on, right? At least eventually? Students must continue to be educated (hello, homeschooling and online learning!). High schoolers still have to take the necessary steps to prepare for college admission.

Here are some of the sweeping changes that have been made so far in the name of limiting the community spread of the virus:

• SAT/ACT: Both have canceled national exam dates until June. Here’s more info on how the SAT has been affected by coronavirus as well as the ACT

• TOEFL (examination for international students to demonstrate English proficiency): For most countries, expect postponements and test date cancellations. Check here for the latest news about TOEFL.

• International Baccalaureate (IB): Many due dates for upcoming coursework submissions have been extended to mid-April, May, or June. Check here for the latest updates.

• Advanced Placement (AP) Exams: As of today, AP exams are still scheduled for May examination dates. However, in the wake of country-wide school closures, there is some discussion of developing resources to help students prepare from home as well as creation of a method to allow students to test from home. Check here for more information as it unfolds.

• Campus visits: Colleges are, of course, closed for current students so that means plans to visit and tour college campuses are currently off.

• Dual enrollment students: Again, most college campuses have canceled traditional face-to-face classroom instruction in favor of online learning to support the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations of social distancing. Most colleges are being extremely nimble and flexible to allow you to finish out the courses that you have already begun.

It Was All So Simple Just A Week Ago

Truer words have never been spoken. Everything is in flux and subject to change to best combat the spread of COVID-19. It was less than 2 weeks ago that I was speaking to groups of high school students at the Broward Student Leaders Day Conference about identifying their best fit college choice.

There is one last thing I want to share – in the name of choosing a best fit college. This is super relevant for current high school students of all grade levels, even if you’re not personally affected at the moment. Pay special attention to what’s going on on the ground to accommodate college students during this crisis.

Some college students are, indeed, experiencing challenges with support from their college, as far as campus closures and the transition to online learning. We take it for granted that ALL students have access to technology, when perhaps the only reliable access they have is on campus. Or that all students actually have a safe, stable home to go to when campus completely shutters up. Or in the case of international students, that they can easily get back home without additional support from the college.

So, in addition to looking at factors like prestige, rankings, campus environment, or other preferences, also stop to take an assessment of how your current top college choices are responding (and meeting) student needs in this unprecedented time.

Many college admission consultants, such as myself, also have been adapting to provide more virtual consultation to students and parents – who may be overwhelmed at at a loss for how to proceed from here – especially in the upcoming months. Each of you guys reading have an open invitation to reach out to address your specific questions and concerns.