Don't Panic! A Pandemic college entrance planning guidE
Applications? Essays? Remote college tours? You don't have to do this alone.
By Kimmy Li
Applying to college, trying to map your future while you’re still a teenager, is trying under any circumstances and doubly difficult in a pandemic. But you’re not alone and resources abound.
Below find a How-To list of strategies and resources that include people—including many that might already be a part of your life—you can reach out to and sites you can surf to and good advice for keeping your head together and your nerves calmed in the process.
After all, you deserve an assist. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that beginning in April 2021, the proportion of mental-health related emergency department (ED) visits for children aged 5-11 and 12-17 years increased approximately 24% and 31% respectively.
So, avoid creeping anxiety by doing research and seeking support. Here’s some tips to get you started:
Where would high school students start with the college search process?
1. Talk to a school counselor
Don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry.
When applying to college, the first person that would come to mind would be the school counselor.
School counselors are able to provide support by giving you a list of resources, answering questions pertaining to the college process, and discussing how to enact an action plan with you.
Or if you would like a safe space to talk to someone about your concerns, they are available to meet with you virtually through Zoom meeting rooms.
According to the American Psychological Association, they are also trained to assist you in ensuring your mental health is prioritized.
So, don’t be afraid to reach out.
2. Use the Internet as a resource.
The Internet can be very resourceful in being able to find out more information on colleges and researching options.
“Academic enrichment and test prep companies — including Mastery Prep, College Board and Khan Academy — are providing a lot of free resources online,” said Briggs, project director in the School of Education at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. “They are hosting virtual seminars, webinars, panel discussions, resource fairs, and college fairs.”
With the transition to online instruction, you could also turn to social media platforms- Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, Youtube- to seek more information.
With just a simple search into the search bar on Youtube, it will bring you to many videos on the college search process.
They range from formal workshops presented by schools to personal experiences through podcasts from current college students.
3. Ask your peers
At any point that you feel lost or stressed, you can reach out to your peers.
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, connecting with others you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling is one healthy way to cope with stress.
Your peers are going through the same process of learning more about the college search process, so talking to each other can be a great way to answer each other’s questions.
Share resources with one another because you are encountering the same challenges together.
How do I determine which college is the best fit?
1. Tour the college virtually
When deciding on which college to attend, touring the college is one of the best ways to see whether it is the right fit for the student.
You may prefer a college with a large campus while others prefer one with a smaller campus.
Touring the campus before making a decision is a great way to get a sense of whether the student can imagine the school being home for them for the next four years.
"It’s important to keep in mind that the lack of opportunity to visit is a new issue for some families and a familiar issue for a lot of families," said Whitney Soul, Dean of Admissions and Student Aid at Maine's Bowdoin College. Soule noted that tens of thousands of students nationwide each year are unable to visit colleges before attending, so schools have already been trying to provide more virtual options.
In-person tours may not be available for all colleges during this time, but most colleges offer virtual campus tours and online information sessions.
You can also use other online resources and Google Maps to learn more about the school’s surroundings.
2. Reach out to current students or alumni at the colleges
When accepted into a college, reach out to students that are currently attending or are alumni of the college.
“The most important advice my adviser gave me was to reach out to second- or third-year students at the college I was interested in,” said Keli Pegula, a first-year Dartmouth College student from Pennsylvania.
Asking them questions and listening to their own personal experiences of being a student at the college allows the student to get a better sense of what their daily life would be like if they chose to attend the college.
Everyone’s experience is different, so reaching out to multiple students would be the best way to see the pros and cons of each college.
3. Schedule a meeting with an advisor
Many colleges offer the same majors, but their programs that are offered in the department may be different.
“The virtual space has also made it possible for admissions officers to be more available to connect with students one-to-one by email, phone, and Zoom,” said Kedra Ishop, Vice President for Enrollment Management at USC.
By scheduling a meeting with an advisor of the department that the student is interested in, this can help the you learn more about the specific opportunities and programs offered.
The advisor would also be able to answer your questions and give helpful advice that would allow you to decide if the college is the best fit.
How do I prepare for the application process?
1. Standardized Test Scores SAT/ACT
The U.S. News & World Report reports that an increasing number of colleges and universities are modifying their standardized testing policies in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
So, research how your top- choice colleges have altered their ACT and SAT policies.
With unforeseen changes to the college admission process, most colleges are now not requiring students to submit their standardized test scores.
It is now optional for you to send in their scores.
2. College essays
When applying to colleges, answering essay prompts is part of your application
Feel free to be as creative as you want and let your ideas flow onto the paper.
Admission officers look over plenty of applications, so having an essay that stands out from the rest would increase your chance of getting into the college.
“The essay has always been an important part of the application. But I don’t think the essay is more important now because of COVID-19, ” said Schiffman, Director of Undergraduate Admission at Tulane University. Schiffman said his team is looking more closely at supplemental essay questions.
It is best for you to start early on these personal statements to have time to revise them and for teachers or someone else to take a look at them before submitting them.
Having another person read over the essay can be helpful in finding typos and seeing if it would be interesting to read.
3. Extracurricular activities
Colleges would also look at what extracurricular activities you take are part of, which includes sports, music, or volunteering,
They also look at what clubs and organizations you participate in and whether you held or currently hold any leadership positions.
"It's definitely not the most important item, but it has a place," says Eric Nichols, vice president of enrollment management at Loyola University Maryland. "By no means are they as important as how students are doing in class and what types of classes they're taking, but it certainly is a component in the admission process."
With the pandemic, it may be harder for you to partake in these activities remotely, but they still play a role in college admissions.
How do I take care of my mental health?
It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You may be worried about your college plans, but remember that you should prioritize your mental health first.
Reaching out to counselors, teachers, parents, friends, and others can help with not feeling isolated from everyone and trapped behind a screen.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provides ways how you can help yourself, others, and your community manage stress.
Set aside some time to take care of yourself, and seek the support you may need for your own mental health.