The college admissions process can feel like a long and frustrating process, and these feelings will double with the world that we are currently in. Since the start of COVID-19, schools have changed their admissions processes, and students have navigated years of virtual and hybrid learning. What does this mean for you?
As you'll see on the SAT/ACT page, thousands of colleges and universities have been test-optional since the start of the pandemic - in other words, you will not be submitting test scores to 95% of the schools you'll be applying. This is ultimately a positive for students because it shows that schools are understanding that you did not have the time to study or focus on a three-hour exam with what has been going on in the world.
Going test-optional means that colleges are going to focus even more on your GPA and transcript, your letters of recommendation, and your college essay. This means you have to put even more work on making sure these parts of your applications are the strongest they can be.
It's okay if the colleges you were planning on applying to in the spring are different than the ones you have on your list now. It's important to think about what matters to you when making a college list - Do I want to stay in the city to with my family? Do I want to go to a school with more personal space? Questions like these help push you to consider places and colleges you wouldn't have thought about months ago.
Most schools have their deadlines in early January, but if you want to get ahead of things and finish your process earlier, you can apply through what is called Early Action or Early Decision. The difference between the two is that for Early Decision, if you get in, you're committed to going to the school. Check out more info about that here!