I hope everything is going well and you’re staying inside, washing your hands, and so forth. This is obviously a very weird time for all of us, and while AP tests, SATs, college decisions/reply dates are not among the most important issues we are facing as a community, they all need to be addressed.
Unfortunately, there is very little information out there, mostly because of the unknowns that surround the virus and how long we will be dealing with the isolation it entails. So, this email won’t be giving too many answers (sorry), but it will be evaluating the landscape of the college admissions world as it stands. This way, you will have an idea of potential issues and opportunities that we could confront over the coming months and years.
Standardized Tests
- It is likely that a lot of exams will be cancelled. The March and May SAT exams have been cancelled. For students planning on taking exams in the spring, sign up for June now. If you need to cancel the exam in the future, you can easily do so and receive a refund.
- The AP exams that usually take place in May are looking more and more like they will be cancelled, although College Board has indicated that they’ll have days at the end of May that will allow for “extended testing.” That may or may not happen depending on the duration of the virus. College Board has also stated that they are developing “a solution that would allow students to test at home.” They’ll have more information on March 20.
- For those taking the TOEFL, it is likely that students will be able to take the exam online or at home.
I would prepare yourself for no testing until June. In general, I get the feeling that this development will tip a lot of schools into the “test-optional” category, which has been getting more popular over the past several admissions cycles.
Summer Programs
It is likely that many summer programs will be cancelled. We will stay up to date with the prospective programs you are applying to. In the event that a summer program that you have been accepted to is cancelled, you should be able to receive a refund for your deposit.
If you were selected to participate in a prestigious event, program or competition but can no longer do so due to effects of the virus, we can still include it in your honors and awards section on your college applications with a note that you weren’t able to participate due to extenuating circumstances.
For our work developing summer activities, if a program that we were planning on attending is cancelled, we will fill in to develop backup plans. If this happens, we will likely need to default to a lot of online activities/classes. In the case of life science students and MechE kids, relevant online involvement can be tough to find, but we will develop options to fill the summer in a good, productive way.
College Acceptances for 2020
- Most universities are at the tail end of admissions committee meetings, and it is possible that some universities will be late in releasing their admission decisions. Several schools have already pushed their deposit deadline to June 1 from the original date of May 1, so it is certainly plausible that other universities will follow suit.
- I’m not sure if this will impact many admissions decisions for this year, although the severity of the virus seems to point toward the fact that it will. I’d anticipate the waitlist being used extensively by schools over the coming months.
- For students who are expecting to take campus tours (graduating 12th and pre-seniors both), those are being cancelled or taken online. They’re poor substitutes, but you can find virtual tours on CampusReel, YouVisit, CampusTours, and YOUniversity.
College Acceptances for 2021 and After
This is (literally) the billion dollar question. What will happen over the coming year(s)? For our students, I think that the prognosis bodes unusually well. Consider the following questions, all of which I would tentatively say “yes” to now:
- Will fewer kids be willing to go far away for school, and will that give a bump to kids who apply far from home if a college wants geographical diversity?
- Will fewer kids apply ED since they may not have had the opportunity to visit? Will fewer apply ED because of a financial precarious situation?
- Will fewer internationals apply and will that mean more spots for US kids?
- Will schools take a hit to their budget (or at least be afraid of this) and will full pays get even more of a boost than usual?
As I’ve mentioned to some of you, unless our educational infrastructure gets completely shattered, the selectivity of top-tier schools (Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc.) will probably stay about the same or get slightly easier. Private schools (outside of Ivy-level) and out-of-state publics will probably get quite a bit easier. UC/CSU will get tougher, but the decrease in international applications could offset the enhanced selectivity.
If knowledge is power, we are all a bit powerless right now since we’re dealing with so many unknowns. But, on our end, we will stay on top of information and update you as quickly as we can. Further, we will give you all the support you need. If you need supplemental summer plans, we will develop them. If you want to write letters to move off the waitlist into the admit pool, we will draft or edit. If you need to discuss alternate school options as a result of finances, we can have all the discussions you like.
In any case, please let us know any questions, comments, and concerns. We will get through this together.
Sincerely,
Eddie and LCC
