Alert: UPenn is test-optional this year because of Covid-19. If you’ve had your sights set on Penn but you’re not sure how to proceed, keep reading for a few tips on starting your application. **Please do read the blog linked above that breaks down what their announcement means, and be sure to send in your scores if you’ve already taken the test and done well**
Tips for Applying to Columbia During the Coronavirus/COVID-19
Last year, only 6% of students who applied to Columbia were accepted. It should be expected that even more people will be vying for a spot at Columbia this year, because last week, Columbia opted to go test-optional for this year’s round of applications. Columbia’s statement starts off by saying that if you have scores, send them in. The scores are still of value to Columbia, so if you’ve taken a standardized test and done well, you should absolutely submit them. But let’s look at their second part of their statement:
Tips for Applying to Dartmouth during Coronavirus/Covid-19
Last week, we posted this blog post about Dartmouth’s test-optional policy for the class of 2025. If you’re a regular reader of your blog, you should know by now that this doesn’t mean that getting into Dartmouth will be easier this year. In fact, we expect their 8.7% acceptance rate to decrease this application cycle because more students will be applying. Keep reading for three tips on how to proceed:
UPenn is Test-Optional for 2020-2021 because of Coronavirus/COVID-19
In a quick one-two-three punch, UPenn joined Columbia and Dartmouth on June 4th in announcing that they would become test-optional for the next year, in response to the College Board’s announcement that they will not be pursuing an online SAT option. While not surprising, as UPenn announced in mid-May that they were shifting their policy on SAT Subject Tests from recommended to “optional,” (along with Brown) we want to dive into what this further step means for applicants.
Dartmouth is Test-Optional for 2020-2021 because of Coronavirus/COVID 19
Another one time deal was released by Dartmouth--they are suspending their testing requirement and are test-optional for applicants for the class of 2025 (those applying during the 2020-2021 application cycle).
Columbia University is Test Optional for 2020-2021 because of Coronavirus/COVID-19
Columbia released its revised testing policy for the 2020-2021 application season. They’re joining the ranks of hundreds of other schools, and, as of this writing, three other Ivies (Cornell, Dartmouth, and UPenn) in the removal of their testing requirement. Applicants are no longer required to submit their SAT or ACT score with their application. This is a big deal, sure, but we also want to contextualize the policy for you so that you can assess what it means.
Camp Cancelled: What Do I Do with My Summer?
With the short-term in question, many kids are wondering what they should expect for their future. The reality is, no one (not even Dr. Fauci) knows what exactly is going to happen, so we recommend taking this one day at a time. And today, we should focus on the summer. Camps everywhere are cancelled. While that’s devastating to the businesses that run them and while you may miss your friends, it’s going to be okay. Here are some ideas on how you can be productive this summer.
Tips for Applying to Cornell during Coronavirus/COVID 19
More than a month ago, Cornell announced that they were going test-optional for the upcoming round of applicants. We wrote about it here. Cornell is a great school, and because it has the highest acceptance rate of all of the Ivy’s, we often hear people say that they “might as well apply.” This is, of course, absolutely ridiculous.
How to Make the Perfect College List
Individual college applications (aka supplements) don’t open up until August, but you should have a good idea of where you are going to apply well before you start adding schools to your Common App. If you are a Junior, the spring before senior year is the ideal time to begin to get your college list into shape for future success.
Tips for Applying to UChicago During Coronavirus/COVID-19
Tips for Applying to USC During the Coronavirus
A few weeks ago, USC announced a test-optional policy for the 2021-2022 academic year. Obviously, this means that if you’re applying to USC later this year, standardized test scores are not required.** However, there seems to be some confusion. Many people are under the impression that this policy will make it easier to get into USC, when it reality it will be just as hard, if not harder, to get in. Lowering the barrier of entry means that more people will be applying, which makes it that much harder to differentiate yourself from other applicants.
Best Online Summer Programs for High School Students during Coronavirus/COVID-19
You’re certainly not alone if the plans that you made for this upcoming summer (before Covid-19) have been canceled or are in flux. Pretty much everyone is dealing with rescheduling, shuffling things around, and an impending sense of panic regarding how to move forward. But fear not! While it’s obviously true that this summer is going to look different than we all had hoped, that doesn’t mean that it’s a total bust. The very last thing that you should do is throw in the towel.
Tips for Applying to Princeton During the Coronavirus
Applying to an Ivy League School gets tougher and tougher each year. Layering a pandemic onto the application process isn’t going to make things easier. We have some advice for students interested in attending Princeton. Namely, you will need to work extra hard to maintain a structure for yourself. Don’t let this be an excuse to let your Ivy League dreams fall to the wayside.
Tips for Applying to the UC Schools Fall 2020: Coronavirus/COVID Analysis
Coronavirus/COVID-19 College Admission Essays: The Ultimate Guide
As the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic becomes more impactful to an ever-increasing swath of the world, the perspectives of millions of students are inevitably being shaped by the experience. Crises — and trauma — produce changes, and changes become fodder for essays. In the 2020-2021 college application season, many students will be writing essays about this event.
Will Colleges Reopen in Fall 2020?
Last week, fourteen presidents from various colleges around the U.S. virtually met with Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The conversation was about what kind of support college campuses will need in order to safely reopen in the fall. We know that colleges are risk-averse, but they’re also large financial institutions that need money to keep the wheels in motion. It’s a difficult balance to strike, and making decisions about reopening is forcing colleges to factor in issues and outcomes that they have not previously dealt with.
Gap Year Because of Coronavirus?
With the world turning upside down and questions of how universities will safely open for the fall semester growing by the day, a lot of families are considering taking a gap year. Many students considering whether or not they should take a gap year or defer are wondering what the colleges are saying. To be frank, no one has concrete answers on what the future holds for incoming college freshmen (at least not in the immediate future.) But we can offer some advice as to what we think the next year should (or shouldn’t) look like for your student:
Common Application Essay Question About the Coronavirus/COVID-19
On May 12th, College Board announced that the 2020-2021 Common App application would be different. In addition to the standard Additional Information section, there will be an additional optional 250-word question focused on COVID-19. We think this is a very important and necessary move to make the college application process fairer. All students are dealing with extraordinary circumstances, and many need room to explain how their situation is particularly trying.
College Admission Essay Topics to Avoid
The college essay brainstorm process can be overwhelming when you feel as if there are so many different directions that you can head towards. In an effort to help you cross some ideas off of your list, we put together a list of topics that should be avoided. Keep reading if you’re hoping to fine-tune your list of thoughts:
Advice and Analysis on Forming a College List During Covid-19
We have written at length about creating college lists. It’s a long process that requires an honest look at your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities – and a healthy dose of introspection about what you’re really looking for in a college experience. And in the age of the Coronavirus, a lot of new information is circulating. Cornell went test optional, the SAT is on hold for the next few months, and it’s safe to say that the college admissions process is going to look slightly different this year. However, when it comes to creating your final college list, conventional wisdom still applies. What does that mean? It means that you shouldn’t necessarily tier yourself up a notch and create an unrealistic list of schools to apply to just because you’re a junior during Covid-19. If you didn’t have the grades and scores to apply to Harvard in January, you’re not suddenly viable because of a global pandemic. We realize this may sound harsh. But we tell you this so that you can apply to suitable schools and not waste your time on applications that won’t result in an acceptance letter.