The past two months have seen tons of changes on the college application and admissions testing landscape, and WE’VE mostly had OUR worlds toppled upside-down as well. At this point in time, some of us are still confined to our homes while still others are starting to slowly re-emerge from stay-at-home orders.
While many of the specifics have changed or are in flux regarding taking the SAT or ACT, which schools will be “test optional” for the class of 2021 or longer, and if/which universities will re-open next fall—believe it or not, there actually IS a TON you CAN control. Yes, YOU.
Not all of college admissions is #cancelled. Not all of testing is #cancelled. And your interests definitely are NOT #cancelled. And though it might seem like we are all “losing” time right now…your Testing Timeline ultimately waits for no one. You still WILL have to produce an application package, like it or not. So let me help keep you on track with what your priorities should be at the end of this school year.
Seniors (Class of 2020): Here’s Your College Admissions To-Do List
Finish strong! (Yes, despite a particularly, uh, viral version of senioritis.)
This means, for any finals or remaining AP exams you might have, give them your BEST shot. Who knows? A few 5’s on some AP’s might just buy you some college credit wherever you choose to attend, if you haven’t already. Plus, it means you’ll roll into your first semester of college with way more momentum than you would have if you’d let the end of your senior year dribble through your fingers. Speaking of which…
Make your final college decision.
Did you get accepted to multiple universities? Many gave you an extension of June 1st to ultimately decide where you want to matriculate in the Fall. But even that date is fast-approaching. If you are still undecided about what to do, you have multiple options for getting the intel you need during this socially-distant time:
Attend a formal virtual tour or virtual info session.
Many schools now offer these—just go to their website and there will usually be a link! These will help you make your decision if you’re still making it—but if you’ve already decided, they can also give you a leg up on the academic and community options at your campus-to-be.
Take an informal college tour.
When you take the formal version, you hear what the admissions office wants you to hear…but when you take an informal college tour like the ones on CampusReel, you see videos made by real students, showing you the campus and the school from their point of view.
Research social media accounts of the clubs/departments you’d participate in.
If water polo’s your thing, find your prospective college’s water polo Instagram or Facebook page and check out the interactions and inner dynamics of the group. You’ll get a great sense if these are “your people” or not. And if they are…why not get in touch? After all, you’ll be there soon—it can’t hurt to have a few people to follow up with once you arrive on campus.
Gap year? It’s worth considering.
I’ve heard this one a LOT lately, and yes, many of you might choose to do it. Just let your college know by whatever deadline they gave you.
Juniors (Class of 2021): Here’s Your College Admissions To-Do List
Make a strong finish (DON’T cop out on your semester in school even if you can!).
This means give your finals and any AP exams you’re taking your all, even if your school decided to go “universal pass/fail” for the spring semester. First of all, you still actually need to KNOW things. Especially when your coursework next year builds on what you learn this year (think: math, literature/reading comprehension, writing/grammar, foreign language). Plus, the ACT and SAT test concepts you’re learning right now—would you rather pay attention and have them ready to go, or would you prefer to cram them during your test prep? And second of all, you still want to make a favorable impression on your teachers…a couple of whom will be WRITING YOUR LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION for your college applications.
Register and prep for the SAT/ACT.
Unless EVERY SINGLE one of the schools on your college list is test optional…AND you live somewhere (i.e. rural Wisconsin, etc.) where you truly didn’t have a chance to test because the only available 2 test dates for the year were cancelled…AND you’re a truly outstanding candidate GPA-wise, co-curricular-wise, and course-rigor-wise…you should still take the SAT or ACT. For the SAT, your next test dates are August 29th, September 26th, October 3rd, and November 7th. (The December 5th date might be too late for your applications). For the ACT, you next test dates are June 13th, July 18th, September 12th, and October 24th. (Again, the December 12th date might be too late for you.) And if you still don’t have scores to submit, many colleges will understand and just weigh the rest of your application more heavily. THAT’s what the “test optional” means. If you need help, contact me here.
Forego SAT II Subject Tests if you need to.
Though nice for an application if you can score in the upper 700s and prove your definitive mastery of a subject or two, no American university requires them as part of their general application anymore, and many departments/degree programs are easing up on this requirement. So if you need that test sitting for the regular SAT I, everyone will most likely understand! (Just make sure to check with the particular program you’re applying to!)
Refine your college list!
Use virtual tours and internet sleuthing to narrow down the institutions that you ultimately want to apply to. This will also help with #2 and #3…and with your sense of confidence that you know what you want and where you’re heading.
Select your courses for senior year.
Remember that just as important as GPA is WHAT you got those As in, in the first place! “Academic rigor” paired with your grades is the top indicator admissions staff use to evaluate your application and decide if you’re “college material” for their institution—or not. Select your classes to show a trend of someone who’s curious, growing, wants to challenge herself, and fearlessly goes down the “rabbit hole” of her proclaimed academic interests.
Be proactive about your extracurricular and summer activities.
Many programs, internships, or formal activities might be #cancelled, but SUMMER is not cancelled! If you’re truly interested in something, there’s ALWAYS something you can learn. There’s always something to read, a tutorial to watch, something to write/paint/play/create/plan. There’s always some way you can volunteer, some work you can do (even a virtual babysitting job or internship), some summer course or online offering you can use to self-teach. There’s always a blog or YouTube channel or poetry book you can write/create yourself! Get creative! Doing something interesting and productive in these circumstances really demonstrates the genuineness of your interest and the maturity of your dedication to the college admissions officers who will eventually be looking at your application.
Start crafting your college application essays!
You’ll need to do a balancing act between academics, testing, extracurriculars and college applications, but it’s a rite of passage! And so far, the Common App essay prompts are the same as last year.
Sophomores (Class of 2022): Here’s Your College Admissions To-Do List
Finish strong (yes, even if you “don’t have to”).
This means give any AP’s and finals your all, even if your school decided to go “universal pass/fail” for the spring semester. You still need to KNOW things, especially when your coursework for the rest of high school builds on what you learn this year (think: math, literature/reading comprehension, writing/grammar, foreign language). And you know what ELSE builds on what you’re actively learning right now? The SAT and the ACT!
Pick next year’s classes.
Again, academic rigor is VERY important. It’s not just about your grades. Take the most challenging classes in subjects you’re genuinely interested in. You’ll be amazed how the trajectory you create now will really separate you from your classmates who chose to coast, when it’s application time.
If you will need extra time or other accommodations for admissions testing, get the ball rolling NOW.
This means scheduling any visits to the neuropsychologist right away if you need to update your evaluation. Read all about it in my last post about getting extra time on the SAT and ACT.
Start your standardized testing journey!
This means primarily two things for you at this point:
Make an educated decision between the SAT and ACT. You will NOT be taking both. You need to find the right test for YOU and put your energy into that one only; and…
Make your Testing Timeline. Luckily, I do BOTH of these things—and MUCH MORE—in my Ace the Test: Game Plan™. You’ll ideally want to have both done before junior year begins.
PS: If you’re not currently ready or able to seek my personal (and personalized) expertise when making this important decision, consider grabbing my FREE ACT or SAT cheat sheet (look down in the lower right-hand corner of your screen).
Be Proactive With Extracurricular Activities.
Dive into what interests you. How do they all align with what you proclaim your passions are? What CAN you do, even if much of life appears to be cancelled? When you apply to colleges, they’re going to want to know who you are—what passions, interests, and principles you’re pursuing. And you’re going to want to be able to tell them!
Freshmen (Class of 2023): Here’s Your College Admissions To-Do List
Finish strong. Yes, even if you “don’t have to.” Yes, even though “it’s just freshman year.”
This means continue to participate in your classes, study for your finals, and give any projects your all, even if your school decided to go “universal pass/fail” for the spring semester. A common thread here: you still need to KNOW things, especially when your coursework for the rest of high school will only build on what you learn this year.
Pick next year’s classes.
ALSO a common thread here: academic rigor is as important as your grades! Maybe even more-so! Challenging yourself by taking AP Bio as a Sophomore and getting a low-A is preferable to getting 100’s in yoga class. Start now going above and beyond what’s “required,” what’s “expected” of you, and especially what you observe other students doing! Who CARES what they do? What can YOU do to fully engage and curiously investigate all there is to learn and know? This is the time to test the waters and find what makes you tick, creatively and intellectually.
Find your passions!
Just like finding your academic interests, finding your LIFE’S direction is so, so important, even if you don’t ultimately stumble on the “answer.” It’s rare that a person finds what truly lights them up and actually spends their time pursuing it in real life. Sad, but true. Imagine, what if YOU could find what truly lights YOU up, and then get to spend the rest of your days at school, in college, and in life DOING that thing you love? Not too shabby, if you ask me! So start exploring that now…it’s the single BEST investment of time that you can make right now in your long-term future. Including your college applications.
