Summer is typically a time filled with excitement for students heading into their senior year of high school. But this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, things feel a bit different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like everyone else, students graduating in 2021 are concerned about the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones. Many are dealing with heightened levels of stress and anxiety<\/a>, and some are facing added food and housing insecurities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Uniquely, though, they\u2019re entering the college admissions process in the midst of a global pandemic. They\u2019re fearful that disruptions caused by the pandemic — such as canceled SATs<\/a> and ACTs<\/a>, pass\/fail grading systems and cancelled extracurriculars, among other things — have hurt their chances of getting into their choice schools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And there has been a lot of speculation surrounding how colleges and universities will evaluate applicants this upcoming year. Speculation, however, only furthers uncertainty and exacerbates students\u2019 anxieties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, we at The University Network (TUN) set out to find the real answers by talking to admissions officers at a variety of institutions. Of course, they can\u2019t speak for every college and university in the country. But, they\u2019ve revealed some overarching themes that shed light on how next year\u2019s applicants can expect to be evaluated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It may be reassuring for students to hear that admissions officers are people too, with families of their own. They have empathy for what the class of 2021 is going through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGiven the many disruptions and limitations caused by COVID-19, colleges and universities will be particularly flexible with the admission process,\u201d said Gil Villanueva<\/a>, the associate vice president and dean of admission at the University of Richmond. \u201cIt behooves colleges admission offices to meet students where they are in terms of the college search process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Villanueva, who has a daughter who\u2019s currently a junior in high school, said he is very aware that the class of 2021 hasn\u2019t had the chance to tour colleges, has endured changes in grading policies, has to navigate through testing cancellations, has varying access to college counseling, and has struggled with technology and connectivity issues, among other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These, of course, are components that University of Richmond will be considering when reviewing upcoming applicants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other admissions professionals, including Stefan Hyman<\/a>, Stony Brook University\u2019s interim associate provost for enrollment and retention management, share this sentiment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking at a whole set of different strategies to make sure that we\u2019re still finding students who are a good fit for Stony Brook, but also making sure that we\u2019re doing so in a compassionate way, knowing that students are going through a lot this semester,\u201d said Hyman. \u201cAnd I think it’s on us to be understanding of that and try to balance that compassion with making sure that we\u2019re finding students who can be successful at our university.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Admissions officers at many of the nation’s colleges and universities have always made it a goal to review applicants as holistically as possible. They try to avoid focusing on just one thing, like a student\u2019s SAT score or grade point average. Instead, they try to understand where applicants are coming from, who they are and what hurdles they\u2019ve overcome in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This approach is not going away. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause it to be more pronounced than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not just going to focus on one aspect or one factor. We are going to look at a myriad of things,\u201d said Villanueva. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter to the class of 2021<\/a>, Harvard\u2019s admissions office explained, \u201cWe will continue to look at the whole person as we consider applications next year \u2013 as always. Accomplishments in and out of the classroom during the high school years – including community involvement, employment, and help given to your family \u2013 will all be considered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kellie Kane<\/a>, the director of admissions at the University of Pittsburgh, explained that her office will take a similar approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll applicants to the University of Pittsburgh already receive a comprehensive, individual review,\u201d said Kane. \u201cAs such, Pitt will take into account any challenges students may have faced during the pandemic in the admissions decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even more than before, colleges and universities will be taking a close look at applicants\u2019 essays and personal statements. That is where applicants can share their COVID-19 stories, including how the pandemic has impacted their life or inspired them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, students who use the Common App can take advantage of an added optional COVID-19 question<\/a> to write about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think a lot of stories \u2026 are being written right now in terms of experiences that students are going to be able to share with us in their college essays and in other ways about how they are making the most out of this experience,\u201d said Hyman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even before COVID-19 hit, many colleges and universities phased out requiring applicants to submit test scores. And amid the pandemic, that number has rapidly increased. There are currently more than 1,000 colleges and universities with test-optional policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And seemingly every day, a new institution steps forward to announce that applicants will no longer need to submit an SAT or ACT score this upcoming admissions cycle if they aren\u2019t able to or don\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The University of Richmond is one of those institutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is very difficult for a lot of young people to go ahead and try to rally for these tests that are not going to be scheduled now until the fall,\u201d said Villanueva. \u201cAnd, of course, they still have classes going on; they still have a lot of things going on. So we determined that this is a good way to support students and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Current sophomores shouldn\u2019t get too excited yet, though, as many institutions have only become test-optional for the class entering college in 2021. They\u2019re treating this next admissions cycle as a trial run to see if the tests can permanently be phased out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Across the country, however, institutions are confident they don\u2019t need the tests to effectively evaluate applicants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe believe this shift will serve the complex and unique needs of freshman applicants for the 2021 class,\u201d Wes Null, the vice provost for undergraduate education and institutional effectiveness at Baylor University, said in a news release<\/a> highlighting the university\u2019s transition away from standardized testing. \u201cWe are confident that, through a holistic review process, we will be able to identify incoming first-year students who will thrive at Baylor and contribute to our campus community in significant ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean, though, that students should completely forget about taking the SAT or ACT. Despite the number of institutions that have dropped standardized tests, there are many still require applicants to submit test scores, even if they don\u2019t put that much weight on them. In that light, it’s important for applicants to check standardized test policies for each unique college and university they\u2019re interested in applying to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In March and April, many of the nation\u2019s high schools moved to a pass\/fail grading system. With so much uncertainty surrounding how online classes would be taught on a day-to-day basis and out of consideration for those who struggle to find consistent access to a computer and the internet, schools thought it wouldn\u2019t be fair to grade students as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overwhelmingly, however, colleges and universities have been quick to assure applicants that altered grading systems won\u2019t affect their likelihood of admissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs long as the student has them as \u2018pass\u2019 grades, we are not going to have that adversely affect their admissions decisions,\u201d said Kane. \u201cWe will make the assumption that, generally, whatever types of grades they made in the past probably would\u2019ve been the same types of grades they made in their junior year as well. Anywhere we can give students the benefit of the doubt is generally what we want to do in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And this isn\u2019t the first time admissions counselors have seen an altered grading system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are countless ways that high schools assess students\u2019 performance,\u201d Andrew B. Palumbo, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, wrote in a letter published by The Washington Post<\/a>. \u201cAdmissions professionals see a range of grading point scales (4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 12.0, 100, etc.), narrative transcripts and yes, pass\/fail. Our goal is not to set expectations for your school; instead we\u2019re responsible for understanding your school\u2019s grading system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important for applicants to remember that even if COVID-19 turned one semester\u2019s grading system to pass\/fail, institutions still have access to applicants\u2019 grades they earned during previous semesters and know which courses they took.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re certainly looking at their cumulative high school GPA, but then we\u2019re getting into the weeds in terms of understanding the strength of their course schedule,\u201d said Hyman. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at which types of gateway classes they\u2019ve taken and how that relates to what they intend to study in college to try to understand if they are a good fit for that major.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When nation-wide social distancing rules and closures were put in place, high school students lost their ability to participate in traditional extracurriculars, including spring athletics, volunteer opportunities and research opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Colleges and universities understand that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMany of you had events to attend. New leadership roles to step into. Campaigns or policies you wanted to introduce. Or well laid-out summer programs or research programs to pursue,\u201d Giselle F. Martin, the director of recruitment and talent at Emory University, wrote in a letter<\/a> to upcoming applicants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLeadership doesn\u2019t always come with a title,\u201d she added. \u201cYour humanity and ability to engage with your own family, friends, and neighbors right now supports the well-being of the broader community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This, however, doesn’t mean that applicants will benefit by just sitting around at home. Institutions will prioritize those who\u2019ve made the best out of a bad situation, whether that comes through actively helping family members or using the time to better themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are still ways that students can make the most of their time,\u201d Hyman said. \u201cAnd I think we want to encourage them to use this time in as productive ways as they possibly can.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for students to \u2026 really dive into some of their passions,\u201d he added. \u201cFor example, an artist or a musician can use this time very productively to enhance their craft.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nA more flexible review of applicants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A holistic approach to reviewing applicants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Less focus on SAT\/ACT scores<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Support of altered spring semester grades<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A new form of extracurricular activity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Acceptance of APs as course credit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n