How Has the Global Pandemic Affected Students Looking to Apply to College Next Year?
Rohin Buch
Health Head
Though this year has been difficult for high school seniors, who may still be wondering whether their colleges will move to online learning in the fall or have in-person classes, it can be argued that this year’s high school juniors have it worse. They have been subjected to a cruel waiting game in which they do not know how the college admissions process will be affected, if they will be able to take the crucial ACTs and SATs—the standardized tests which are a usual prerequisite for college applications—and are even facing a potential crisis in which they have to reevaluate how to be more suitable to receive a spot at one of the country’s numerous prestigious universities.
It is imperative to first understand how the timing of the pandemic has affected the college process. The spring of one’s junior year of high school is the time period in which the college process begins. From finding teachers who can represent you well and write college recommendation letters for you, to starting to think about what your ideal college environment would look like, to even preparing for the standardized tests, this period is a crucial one in deciding what the future holds for the incoming seniors. However, this year’s spring threw a wrench in these idealistic plans, with the onset of COVID-19 and the ensuing global pandemic which led to closures everywhere and cancellations of all things with big crowds. These cancellations were not restricted to social events, but rather permeated all aspects of life, meaning that the regular SAT and ACT dates, which would each attract hundreds of students to a nearby high school or institution to test, were all canceled, or rather “postponed”, thus rendering juniors unable to complete one of the most important parts of the process.
This led to the hugely unprecedented move by hundreds of colleges nationwide to change from requiring the SAT or ACT to becoming “test-optional”, a move which guarantees a degree of leniency to those students who were unable to take the standardized tests in time. It was even more appalling when four Ivy League schools came out and moved to “test-optional” admissions, as they are notoriously known for relying heavily on standardized test scores to make admissions decisions.
An even more shocking piece of news came when the UC and CSU systems in California announced that standardized tests will no longer be required for applicants to their systems for admission until at least the Class of 2025. This news comes as the saving grace for many students who wish to pursue a college education in California and levels the playing field for those who may not be so accomplished in standardized testing.
The summer months will undoubtedly hold many more instances of schools becoming “test-optional” but also will lead to more solid news from colleges around the country. The only thing we can do for now is wait and hope these colleges realize that this panic-filled time is affecting all of us adversely.
Works Cited
Rim, Christopher. “Updated Testing Policies For Top 20 Colleges During The 2020-2021 Application Cycle.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 9 June 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2020/06/09/updated-testing-policies-for-top-20-colleges-during-the-2020-2021-application-cycle/#6b0945784cea.
“UC's Response on Admissions to COVID-19.” UC's Response on Admissions to COVID-19 | UC Admissions, admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/response-covid-19.html.
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