Hello to College Application Season 2020!

Hey there, class of 2021! It’s August, the yearly marker of the start of College Application Season 2020! This year has been one for the history books – with the still-unfolding COVID-19 global pandemic, Spring cessation of traditional in-person schooling all over the United States, and an unpredictable start to the 2020-2021 academic school year. Some local areas are returning to in-person classes while others remain with remote distance learning (this is what we’re doing here in Broward County, Florida, where I live, until further notice). Even with all of this added craziness, we have to squarely face the task of applying to college.

Here are some guiding questions that I ask all high school seniors to make sure to kick off College Application Season on the right foot:

1. Have you finalized your top list of college choices? Do you know definitively where you will apply?

If not, this is your top priority. Most students have some idea about where they may want to apply, but maybe they’re unsure of a few other choices. Or maybe there’s a college that would be a good fit that they’re unaware of. Spending some additional time to do some college research and finalize that college application list is top priority because early deadlines are just a few months away.

2. When will you apply? Will you choose Early or Regular Decision deadlines?

There are pros and cons, for sure, of each applying under Early or Regular Decision deadlines. Early application deadlines typically go in on November 1st while Regular Decision deadlines extend into December, January, or for some colleges, even later.

2. How many of your colleges of choice have gone test optional?

A growing list of colleges have opted for test-optional admission for the 2020-2021 application cycle. Every single Ivy League college, as a matter of fact, and many other selective college choices. Are any of your colleges on the list? How do you find out? A great place to starting place to begin is with Fairtest, or of course, checking official college websites. Test-optional college admission is nothing new, in fact, but more colleges have preemptively chosen to switch over because of presumptive issues with SAT/ACT test scheduling. Speaking of which…

3. Have you taken the SAT or ACT?

This past Spring, when many high school juniors would have been taking the SAT or ACT for the first time, many testing dates were canceled when shutdown orders took into effect. Safety first, right? The thought was to offer additional SAT and ACT test dates stretching into Fall to accommodate the increased numbers of students who would need to test. Sounded smart, right, but due to health and safety guidelines and a continued need to practice social distancing, testing sites will not be able to take in students at anywhere near usual capacity. Limited testing capacity means it’s imperative to schedule and schedule early, if you absolutely need to take standardized tests to meet college application requirements.

4. Are scholarships a part of your overall college affordability strategy?

Getting in college applications can be a whole project all by itself, but what about scholarships? Do your colleges of choice automatically offer scholarships when you submit your application? Are there separate scholarship applications (often with their own essay requirements and deadlines)? What about seeking out private scholarships? Carving out time for a dedicated scholarship search is key if this is a cornerstone of making college more affordable. Have you set aside time in your schedule for this additional process?

These are all great starting points to kick off this year’s College Application Season. Although no one has the answers as to how everything will fare with COVID in play, one thing I know for sure, is that staying up-to-date, staying ahead of deadlines, and making smart college decisions based on what we know how is a process that can be managed. This is something that I help families with every single year. It’s one thing that you can take off of your plate, as we all continue to cope with the “new normal” of our everyday lives.

If you’re still working out the details of a solid college application plan, if you need help with an overall structure to manage important dates and deadlines, and keep up with upcoming developments as COVID necessitates changes in the overall college admissions process, please feel free to reach out for additional support. We are here for you.

P.S. If you are also a Floridian like me (*waves*), there are lots of questions about Florida Bright Futures Scholarship eligibility, given the issues that students are having with test scheduling. As of today, you will still need a SAT or ACT score to qualify, not to mention get in the front door of our flagship public state universities. I am extending a special reach out invitation to you, if you’re in need of assistance with managing and planning for contingencies.