Setting Yourself Apart as a College Applicant Just Got More Complicated

Getting into college is full of unique challenges, even in the best of times. That said, it’s safe to say that these are certainly not those times. The unprecedented challenges and changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have upended just about every facet of our lives.

For students applying to college this year (and for the near future), coronavirus will undoubtedly have its effect on the application process. However, the core challenges students face when applying to schools still remain: students must both portray themselves in the best possible light while also setting themselves apart from their fellow applicants.

COVID-19 Changes Everything and Nothing

Here’s the thing. There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world on its head. But that’s just it, it has been (and continues to be) a global challenge. Everyone has felt the effects in some way.

Ordinarily, a student enduring a life-altering event this serious would set an application apart (and possibly even elicit some extra attention from admissions counselors). Not in this case. You can bet that most college applicants will be referencing their coronavirus experiences as part of their application. 

Why shouldn’t they? Just consider the magnitude of typical high school experiences and opportunities that have been swept away for students impacted by pandemic-related closures:

• Schools have shifted from classrooms to living rooms

• Sports seasons have been cut short or canceled outright

• Extracurricular activities and the arts have been severely curtailed

• Volunteerism opportunities are limited

• Student employment has been hard (if not impossible) to come by

• SAT® and ACT® test dates have been canceled and/or postponed

This is to say nothing of the tens of thousands of people who have been personally impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Countless students will be applying to school, having endured the recent loss of loved ones.

When it comes to college applications, the name of the game is standing out. There are only so many ways to do so, but the main focal points remain the same:

• GPA

• SAT®/ACT® scores

• application essays

• extracurricular activities

• sports

• employment

• volunteerism/community service

• demographics

• legacy/alumni connections

• full-pay students

Of these, there are only so many factors that students can control. A student’s demographics, family history, and financial situation are what they are. These days, there’s not much that can be done about canceled activities or an inability to work.  Regardless, standing out in as many of these ways as possible can help increase a student’s odds of an acceptance letter – pandemic or not.

GPAs Won’t Have the Same Value They Once Did

For students in high school during the 2019-2020 academic year, the traditional grade point average metric likely has a diminished value now in the eyes of college admissions counselors. Circumstances have created an academic year where there is no historical basis for comparison.

Sure, comparing grades between students from different schools and backgrounds has always been, on some level, comparing apples to oranges. Despite this, colleges have their ways of attempting to make it work. Now, after half a year (plus) of pandemic-induced changes to the entire educational system, the comparison becomes more like apples to dump trucks.

Many schools have employed technology-based distance-learning plans that have far-reaching implications when it comes to grading. For one thing, students working from home can tap into a wide array of helpful resources (ranging from online references to assistance from other people). Consequently, high schools cannot reliably discern what knowledge and skills a student has actually acquired. This can only undermine predictive value of a student’s GPA.

Similarly, most distance-learning models rely upon students’ access to technology and internet service. Some students have struggled to simply connect and access coursework and support; others have had the luxury of a more seamless transition.

To account for all of these inequities, many schools moved to pass/fail models to prevent COVID-19 disruptions from interfering with students’ abilities to graduate. It’s good news for those worrying about finishing their K-12 education, but it’s just another way in which the landscape of college admissions has temporarily made it much more difficult for a student to stand out as a college applicant.

Standardized Tests Suddenly Provide a Unique Advantage for Students and Test Prep Businesses

Since it will be harder than ever to quantifiably compare student GPAs, colleges will likely be looking even more broadly at what can make an applicant stand out.

Much has been made of colleges temporarily adopting “test-optional” policies with regard to the ACT® and SAT®. The initial narrative was that these assessments are — at least for the time being — not a required feature of the application process. However, in virtually all cases, students who submit SAT® or ACT® scores to a “test-optional” school will have their scores considered.

The number of schools that have temporarily suspended their requirement that students submit SAT® or ACT® scores has certainly grown as institutions grow increasingly concerned about enrollment numbers. That, coupled with the fact that it’s not 100% clear when students will have the opportunity to take an ACT® or SAT® before sending off their applications. In recent days, Harvard underscored this point by issuing a press release announcing it too has reluctantly adopted a temporary suspension of its policies requiring SAT® or ACT® scores. According to an article in the Harvard Crimson, “for both the early and regular action deadline, the College will accept test scores that arrive after the usual deadline, from the November and February test dates, respectively.”  

For now, it remains clear that whether an applicant’s target schools have gone full-blown “test-optional” or have merely adopted a temporary test optional position to address the COVID-19 crisis, the SAT® and ACT® have become an even more important part of the college application. Accordingly, high school students should prep early and diligently for standardized tests, given the fact that a strong test score may very well be the best way to set oneself apart from those applicants who see “test-optional” as an excuse to avoid putting in the time to prepare for the ACT® and/or SAT®. 

Test-prep businesses and tutors should already be broadcasting this message on every frequency. There is plenty of false belief out there that “test-optional” means test scores matter less and less. In reality, they may matter more now than they have in recent memory. Being the first to share this information with your market may very well be what sets you apart.

For more on how Clear Choice Test Prep can help you supercharge your test prep, even in the current climate, click the button below for a free demo and consultation.