The COVID-19 pandemic has, since the 2019 outbreak, continued to ravage the world and dictate new methods for doing many things.
Before the outbreak, colleges and universities had comprehensive guidelines for applicants to meet before admission as students. These guidelines include GPA, standardized test scores, academic rigor, extra-curricular activity, letter of recommendation, work and volunteer experience, and essays.
Now many schools are closed and students have to take their classes from home. With virtual classes going on everywhere, some people have to even rely on college homework assistance to solve their school work.
Some high schools have stopped extra-curricular activities while some do not calculate grades at the moment. Many students could not take part in the internships that they wanted during their summer programs. Similarly, many could not prepare for their standardized tests while some others could not even take their tests.
Considering that work was grounded in many countries in this period and students could not volunteer or go for jobs during summer. Research by the Arts and Science Group reports that 30% of students could not take part in educational activities during summer due to COVID-19.
Therefore, there is a need for adjustments in the requirements for admission in 2021. In this article, we will consider some big changes in college admissions that happened because of the COVID-19.
Test-Optional Policy
Some colleges are considering the impact of COVID-19 to decide whether to make test scores optional or not. For schools choosing to make things optional, changes are already being made to the schools’ admission policy.
At the moment, some have already gone ahead to cancel tests; that is CAT and SAT. According to the United States National Center for Open and Fair Testing (FairTest), over 1,600 colleges and universities in the US have made standardized tests optional for admissions in 2021.
However, before you throw away the CAT or SAT for your ward, ensure that you check the FairTest website to see the policy for your child’s school.
Virtual Campus Tours
Before the pandemic, campus tours were important because it was through these tours that students made their decisions whether to study at a school or not. With the dawn of COVID-19, many schools are closed to students at the moment.
Schools can not allow many people to move around at the same time. Since these tours are important, officials are starting to find alternatives by offering virtual tours to their prospective students.
These tours also come with virtual question and answer sessions, personalized emails, and social media interaction. Ensure that you get the best help for your children as they prepare ahead.
If you can, provide them with the needed assistance they need to write standardized tests. Also, help them study ahead of the exams. If they need help, you can connect them with the best assignment writing services.
You shouldn’t be caught unaware if there were policy changes later in the year. You should keep checking relevant sites for new information.
