5 Ways the COVID-19 Pandemic Will Impact Your College Admission: Seniors Edition
It's an uncertain time for everyone, which is why we want to help answer some questions you may have about your college admissions and applications, campus visits, and test prep.
As it’s going to affect every other aspect of your life, Coronavirus is going to affect your admissions journey. It might not be for the worse, though, and using your time wisely now may position you well once we come out the other side. Universities are planning for the summer and fall despite all the uncertainty, and you can be in a position to be one of the students they need to get back on track.
For High School Seniors:
If you’ve been deferred or waitlisted, be sure and let your colleges know that you’re still interested. Other applicants who have been accepted may be in less sure positions than they were a couple of months ago. Overseas students, especially, might feel less secure about leaving home to come to the US in the fall. Other students might be under family or economic pressure and unable to attend.
If that’s the case, you can expect to see deep dives into waiting lists and late acceptances for deferred students. Schools will be under pressure to improve yield (the number of accepted students who end up attending the school), so scholarships might be more available.
Schools Will Get Creative. Accepted student days have been cancelled, so expect to see creative efforts from the schools who accepted you to try to convince you that they are “the one.”
You Can Negotiate. Take your time to choose wisely, and don’t be shy about negotiating with financial aid offices for better deals.
Be as flexible as you can. We don’t yet know when things will return to “normal.” You may have a non-traditional start to your college career. You might not even start right at the end of August as is usual. Just trust that your schools want you there as badly as you want to be there; they’re just making sure that you’re moving to a safe and stable environment.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me today at 704 692 4559 or davidreedparker@gmail.com.