As a senior graduating in the second year of a world-wide pandemic, my thoughts are constantly scattered all over the place. Which schools will I get accepted into? Will my freshman year be completely virtual? When will everything return to normal already? Eager to discover the answer to these questions and hopefully relieve myself of some of my stress, I decided to write an article that will hopefully help other seniors (and juniors) as we discover what fate holds for the 2021-2022 school year. After gathering answers from admissions officers, deans, and more, I have created a Q&A filled with helpful tips, advice, and information about applying to college this year. 

What are some things to keep in mind when selecting a college to apply to (or attend)?

Last year, hundreds of colleges and universities had to accept applicants on their waitlist due to a lack of first-year deposits. This was due to many students deciding to attend a college closer to home, just in case there was a medical emergency. Although I often consider applying across the country to escape my home life, applying closer to home may make more sense for pandemic and financial reasons. If the campus is closed, I won’t have to book an emergency flight back to Natick. I’ll also save money by commuting from home. 

What’s the deal with standardized testing? 

Many students this year had their standardized test dates cancelled, including myself. Taking the cancellations and the pandemic into consideration, hundreds of schools have decided to make these tests optional for the class of 2021. Are you at a disadvantage if you chose not to submit your test score? Some schools take test scores into account for merit scholarships and honor programs, but "test optional" really does mean test optional. Colleges will understand if you didn’t have a chance to take the test, and there’s even a place to talk about this on the common app. If you did have a chance to take the test, submitting your scores could help to separate you from other applicants.

What about college visits and demonstrated interest?

Colleges also know that due to travel restrictions, students may not have been able to visit the schools they planned to visit. College visits, despite the current pandemic, have always been an equity issue. Many students may not be able to travel due to funds or their demanding schedules, so schools will take this into consideration. Instead of visits, many schools are offering online information sessions, virtual tours, and Q&A sessions. These are a great way to establish interest in schools! Social media is another resource for gaining information about a school, and something you can talk about in a supplemental essay.

As for college admissions representatives visiting the high school, most of these visits have gone virtual. Staying in touch with your admissions counselor through email is still very important and you should consider reaching out to them with any questions or concerns.

And the college application process itself?

This year is the first year the Common Application has included an additional section to talk about personal pandemic experiences. This is an optional section to fill out of course, but it may be a beneficial spot for you to speak about how the pandemic has affected you directly. If your test date got cancelled, you had to take care of a family member, you had to work more hours at your job, or you even took up an influential new hobby, you should take advantage of this section. 

What does financial aid look like?

Businesses, corporations, and schools alike suffered a big blow this past year due to COVID and have continued to struggle financially. The costs of remote learning and training, technological shifts, and more have cost schools critically important funds. As a result, there is a possibility that less scholarship money will be available to the entering class of 2021. Financial scholarships are also usually on a first come first serve basis, so once the money is divided up, the school runs dry. Of course, this may not be the case for every college in the country, and there is still a good chance that scholarships based on both financial aid and merit will be awarded.

How will the pandemic affect my acceptances?

Unfortunately, there’s not enough data yet to make observations about college acceptances this year. Last year, as mentioned above, many waitlisted students were accepted due to COVID and international students couldn’t enroll in the United States. Additionally, many students from the class of 2020 have decided to defer in hopes that next year would become more “normal”. How will these factors affect your admission decision? It’s too soon to tell. 

Any advice for current juniors looking to apply for college next year?

All of the information above may be helpful to juniors as they navigate through the college application process and select schools to apply to. My advice? Take advantage of online sessions offered by your schools of interest. This will help you learn more about the school and show demonstrated interest. Follow the schools and their admissions account on social media. Often, students will do “take overs” and you have the chance to ask them about their experiences at school. Consider who you want to ask for letters of recommendation from and continue to connect with them, even virtually. Try to find ways to stay involved with clubs and other organizations to stack onto your activities list. Knowing that leadership positions may look different virtually, seek out opportunities to be a leader and separate yourself from other applicants in unique ways. And most important of all, get started as soon as possible. I regret not getting started on my college application process earlier my junior year. Take the summer to write supplements and begin to have your parents fill out financial aid forms. Don’t stress! If you get started now, all of your work will come easier and less overwhelming later.