College Counseling & COVID-19 FAQ's

Yes, some colleges will be impacted by the financial fallout from COVID-19. It is predicted that between ten to twenty percent of colleges could go out of business or merge with more financially sound institutions. The College Counseling Office monitors which colleges are struggling financially.
 

Almost every single college where our students apply went test optional for students applying for the fall of 2021, and many schools have announced that they will continue to be test optional for 2022. Some of these policies are permanent, and some are just temporary because of the pandemic. Test optional means that test scores aren’t required for admission, but students may submit them if they have them. Some schools are now test blind, which means that test scores will not be considered in the admission process. Here is a complete list of various school policies, which is updated daily as more schools make announcements.

We are hopeful that there will be fewer SAT and ACT cancellations in the spring of 2021, as test centers begin to open with COVID-19 protocols in place. We have noticed that test registrations in King County seem to be canceled more frequently than test registrations in Pierce or Snohomish counties, so you might consider registering at a test site outside of our county. We know how frustrating it has been to have such limited testing options available to students, and if tests continue to be canceled in the spring, we will consider offering a school day SAT and/or ACT in the fall.

We know it’s really hard to visualize yourself on a campus without having the opportunity to visit in person. While the vast majority of campuses remain closed to official visitors, there are a number of virtual visit opportunities—from online college fairs and individual admission counselor visits to alumni panels and YouTube tours. A small number of colleges are offering in-person on-campus tours. You can access a  list of these colleges here, but please note that you should always double check directly with college. Please remember that in addition to SCOIR, our UPrep online college counseling program, you can employ the following resources to learn more about specific colleges: YouVisit, College Niche, and a new comprehensive open-sourced Google doc created by college counselors from around the country. UPrep students can also use our Puma College Connections Program to talk with UPrep alumni currently attending 50 different colleges and universities. While we don’t want to encourage students to travel long distances, students can still visit local campuses in a socially distant manner if they wish, even if it means not entering buildings.

Not all colleges track demonstrated interest as part of the college process, but many do. There are plenty of ways to engage with colleges online by attending virtual fairs and Zoom high school visits, responding to emails, and participating in interviews. We encourage students to engage with admission representatives in a virtual format, if possible. Kelly and Britten will begin introducing College Kickstart to the class of 2022 via individual student meetings in the spring, which allows students to see which schools track demonstrated interest. (Students who have access to College Kickstart can share their login information with their parents.)

Yes, most colleges continue to offer interviews via Zoom. When students can interview depends on each school’s policy. Students should check the websites for the colleges where they are applying for details about how to sign up for an interview.

You are not alone. Please have candid conversations with Kelly or Britten and your student about your financial considerations during the college process. Kelly and Britten are well-versed in helping families complete financial aid applications and are happy to talk about outside scholarships. By law, every college has to offer a Net Price Calculator. Net Price Calculators allow prospective students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account.

All students are in the same position—with most school campuses closed and co-curricular activities altered or cancelled. Colleges understand the impact COVID-19 has had on co-curricular pursuits, and they will review applications within the context of each student’s life and school situation. We are also encouraging students to create their own co-curricular activities and to think broadly about what defines a co-curricular activity. Helping to care for siblings, cooking dinner, and doing yard work all count as co-curricular activities. So does reading books for pleasure. A few of our students have enjoyed volunteering virtually through Omprakash, and others have enrolled in free classes through Class Central.

Having so many high school students learning in a virtual environment for such a long time has really changed a lot about the college admission process. Students have grown and changed from this experience, becoming more understanding, responsible, creative, and empathetic—and, sometimes, more frustrated. Students have struggled to participate in extracurricular activities, summer programs, and taking standardized tests. At the same time, Zoom means that students and admission counselors can schedule one-on-one appointments and really answer student questions in a more personal way, without having to ask families to pay to travel to campus. It is not clear when budgets and COVID-19 numbers will allow students and admission counselors to travel again, even after the pandemic has ended. Because of that, admission counselors will be recruiting differently for years to come. Much of the mechanics of applying to college and the timeline remains the same.

In some cases, many colleges will feel more secure not requiring standardized tests going forward; other schools might require testing once that pandemic has ended. However, university faculty and institutional researchers really like having those data pieces to assess their students, and it will require a deeper conversation within each institution for many schools to abandon standardized tests completely.
 

This seems to vary from college to college. A small subset of schools with significant financial resources will likely be unevenly enrolled for years to come because of the pandemic. Some schools have already released public statements indicating that, in spite of an increased number of students who requested a gap year from the previous year’s class, there will be no impact on the enrollment numbers for the incoming class. Most schools want to be as accommodating as possible and are making decisions on a case-by-case basis, but they are also tuition-driven institutions who will want to enroll as many students as possible. Our experience at UPrep was that we did not see an increase in students taking gap years.
 

A great education can be found at a wonderful range of colleges and universities. As long as a student takes advantage of the opportunities a college offers and realizes that the locus for control lies within them, there are lots of great fits. We like to remind students to never forget the role they play in generating a meaningful and successful college experience. We encourage all students and families to review the Gallup-Purdue Life in College Matters for Life After College Report, which highlights important experiences a college should offer to ensure a strong collegiate fit. Additionally, YouVisit, College Niche, and a new comprehensive open-sourced Google doc created by college counselors from around the country are great resources to use to explore fit. Finally, UPrep students can also use our Puma College Connections Program to talk with UPrep alumni currently attending 50 different colleges and universities.