Applying to College in a Pandemic

by Ray Epstein

Applying to college is debatably one of the most stressful experiences in an American student’s first 18 years of life. Taking the SATs/ACTs, drafting and revising the perfect personal statement, and filling out the Common Application or Coalition are some of the most daunting components of the college application process, even outside of a pandemic.

Now, the class of 2021’s seniors are tackling the process more alone than ever. Help is accessible, but only through emails and Zooms. There’s no college and career center to visit for a quick question and no counselors in the hall to pull aside and check in with on recommendation or transcript status. There are in person SATs available, but at the risk of you and your family’s health; they come with the added distractions of a mask on your face and the wandering thoughts of who in this room could get me sick?

There’s been talk of application deadlines being pushed back to provide more time, specifically to take the SAT or the ACT safely, but this idea never materialized. As of right now, early action deadlines are still November 1st for almost all U.S. universities, and regular decision deadlines remain set for January and February depending on the institution.

The risks of taking these standardized tests are running high and most schools, including Harvard, have adjusted the requirement for standardized testing for the class of 2021 and even some for the class of 2022 already. One of the few schools that are still requiring either an SAT or ACT score submission, is Howard University. Howard, a historically black university, is still requiring score submissions, even though studies show that African Americans are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. It’s particularly surprising that a school like Howard is rejecting the opportunity to put an end to what’s been proven time and time again as a racially biased assessment.

For those institutions that have adjusted their admissions requirements for COVID, many students are understandably thrilled. Standardized tests are not, and never have been one size fits all. A significant number of high school students struggle to achieve a high score on standardized tests no matter how hard they have studied, for a variety of reasons. Test anxiety is extremely real, and it's been rightfully argued that many questions, particularly on the reading comprehension section of the test have more than one possible answer. It seems possible that these adjustments could at last be the beginning of the end of standardized testing in college admissions.

Another potential positive of the application process during COVID-19 is admissions requirements offering an additional essay. For the class of 2021, and likely the class of 2022 as well, there is another text box on the additional information section of the Common Application. In 250 words or less, the Common Application prompts students, stating, “Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts.” This essay is not required, but encouraged, as all optional supplemental essays for your college application are. Every essay opportunity you receive is another chance to build your profile, character, and raise interest amongst the people reading your application.

One of the most difficult revisions to the college process has been touring campuses. For many, it is challenging to decide where to apply or where to commit post-acceptance without being able to physically envision yourself and your potential future on campus. Virtual tours and info sessions are being held in efforts to make up for this loss, however nothing can quite replace that physical manifestation of your potential life on campus. The class of 2021 will likely face harder decisions in where to attend college and which school is the perfect fit for them both socially and academically as a result of the pandemic. Resources like CampusReel and Niche are great options to do more research on student life and experience. They have everything from dorm tours, to football games and tailgates, to a trip to the gym and health facilities.

There are silver linings to the pandemic when it comes to the college application process, but also there are real blows that the seniors of ‘21 are going to have to withstand and make up for the best they can.