How will colleges reopen?
May 12th, 2020And will they reopen this fall? These are the two most frequent questions crossing my desk in recent weeks. If only I had a crystal ball …
In these uncertain times, higher education leaders are trying to determine what fall semester will look like. Many universities have already pushed back the first enrollment deposit date from May 1 to June 1, affording students and parents more time to consider their options.
Yet, while students are being asked to make a commitment, colleges find it nearly impossible to commit to clear plans with certainty. We’d all like to be optimistic and we have no doubt that every campus would like to reopen for business as usual. However, the pandemic and related safety concerns will dictate choices.
Many colleges have set a date to announce their plans for fall semester and The Chronicle of Higher Education is tracking updates from individual schools on this topic.
While most universities have yet to release their plans, University of Miami is providing admirable transparency about considerations for reopening this fall. Today, to provide insight, we share an article from The Miami Hurricane student newspaper, where President Julio Frenk, a world renowned health expert and physician, uses his background to create a four-part plan for what students might expect this fall.
Information referenced below from The Miami Hurricane student newspaper on May 11, 2020 written by Anna Timmons
President Frenk outlines his plan for a return this fall
University of Miami President Julio Frenk is confident that in-person instruction will resume come August. However, during a Zoom roundtable discussion with student media leaders on April 30, Frenk said the campus environment students return to will be very different.
The university’s plan for a return in the fall will include mass-testing of students and employees for COVID-19, contact tracing and a reimagination of on-campus lifestyle and instruction, Frenk said.
Throughout the course of this pandemic, Frenk has been leading UM decisions not just as the president of the university, but also as a world-renowned global health expert. During his long career in public health, Frenk has worked as a physician, Mexico’s secretary of health, an executive director at the World Health Organization, a senior fellow of public health at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and most recently served as the dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Read more at The University of Miami Hurricane student newspaper>>
Engage! Become a more interesting individual (and a stronger college applicant) from the comfort of your own home
April 28th, 2020
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for students to grow; you just have to think outside the box. While online instruction continues and we all wait for things to return to normal, the article below from Link for Counselors provides ideas that may help you develop new skills. Not only will trying new things add an interesting dimension to your life right now, it will also help your personal development and could equip you with enriching experiences to add to your college applications. So, if you have a little time on your hands, please read on!
Article referenced below published by Link for Counselors on April 15, 2020, written by Scott Garbini and Eric Endlich
Covid-Era College Prep
Normally, there are many ways for high school students to bolster their resumes and prepare for college application season: playing team sports, being active in school clubs, working in after-school jobs or summer internships, attending college fairs and touring campuses, to name a few. During the current pandemic, however, most of these traditional opportunities have vanished. What’s a teen to do?
Right now, focusing on the priorities of staying healthy, keeping up with coursework and earning solid grades already constitutes a full plate for many students, especially if they have additional responsibilities at home. But for those who wish to do more, there are various college prep possibilities even while sheltering in place. Engaging in productive activities may also enhance teens’ well-being. Here are some suggestions to get started:
Flexibility and creativity: the college admission process in unusual times
April 14th, 2020The need for social distancing has thrown a wrench in so many plans for high school students, from prom to class trips and graduation. It’s both reasonable and healthy to mourn the loss of these milestones, as the spring and summer events anticipated have completely changed and a wide range of emotions come along with that.
Don’t let this take away the entirety of your high school experience, though. You’ve each been on a journey of learning about yourselves, which has helped shape your future plans. Remember that all high school students are going through this together and there will be an end, perhaps an even brighter future, ahead for all.
The article from Forbes linked below shines light on ways to be flexible and creative despite today’s uncertainty. Brennan Barnard offers ideas for seniors as they make their final decisions and for younger students as they move through the college application process.
Article referenced below originally published by Forbes on April 1, 2020, written by Brennan Barnard
Virtually Possible: Locking Down The College Search In A Global Pandemic
“This is virtually impossible!” my daughter blurts out from the next room, adding, “who thought geometry was important anyway?” “Actually,” I respond with my under-appreciated dad irony, ”it is virtually possible.” Deciding to spare her the lecture on how Euclid and Descartes thought geometry was pretty important, instead, I urge her to set up a virtual meeting with her teacher to work through her confusion with the theorem. This is the new normal for students throughout the country as they settle into pandemic-enforced distance learning. Young people are adapting to online classrooms and virtual meetings while also confronting the disappointment of missed opportunities at school and out in their world.
We are living in uncertain times, and as a high school educator, I am watching students (from my appropriate social distance) start to come to terms with the feelings of loss that the novel coronavirus has introduced into their lives. As the reality sets in of the short and long term changes this pandemic is bringing, they are experiencing a range of emotions. Time in class, in the halls, competing in sport, on stage, at prom and other hallmarks of spring in high school are quickly disappearing. While we must acknowledge the visceral feelings of loss young people are experiencing and support them, we must also encourage them to look for new opportunities and approaches to the milestones in their schooling and lives. One of these, for many high school juniors, is the search for a college. Despite the inevitable virus-induced challenges, it is virtually possible. Consider these tips for beginning your stay-at-home college search:
Changes surrounding ACT, SAT and college admissions amid coronavirus outbreak
March 31st, 2020COVID-19 has certainly changed our world. I’m constantly thinking about those affected physically, mentally and financially. For high school and college students alike, so much of their immediate future has changed: graduation, prom, financial aid and decision day. Many feel a tremendous sense of loss. Parents and students everywhere are seeking ways to manage the uncertainty.
The week before last, we held a virtual open house with two college students who had returned home from their campuses mid-March due to the Coronavirus outbreak. They answered many questions from parents and students about what families can do to feel more confident as decision day approaches. Some of the excellent advice they shared centered on finding virtual tours, virtual chats and online groups of current or incoming students at schools under serious consideration. We’re grateful for the time they shared, even as they were trying to adjust to their own “new normal.”
In response to students’ need for up-to-date information, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has developed an online tool tracking colleges’ changes to campus visit policies, enrollment deposit deadlines, etc. You’ll find a wealth of information on this website: https://www.nacacnet.org/news–publications/newsroom/college-admission-status-coronavirus/
More colleges are becoming test-optional in admissions, which is one positive change to report. Recently announcing this new policy, in some cases on a pilot basis due to spring testing plans having been upended: Boston University, Case Western Reserve U., Scripps College, Tufts U., U. of Oregon, among others.
Still, most current juniors should plan ahead for summer and fall testing. Future dates are subject to change so you’ll find it helpful to monitor updates that ACT and SAT are sharing. Another excellent resource on this topic is Applerouth, a trusted test prep provider. The article linked below was initially published on their website, and it’s a useful resource for those affected by SAT or ACT cancellations.
Stay strong and healthy, and stay in touch with updates and any questions you may have. We remain here for you, focused on your bright futures.
Article referenced below originally published March 17, 2020, by Jed Applerouth.
What to do if your SAT or ACT was Canceled
Yesterday, The College Board and ACT, Inc. announced that in response to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the SAT and ACT will be suspended until June. Students who were planning to take the makeup SAT on March 28, the ACT on April 4, or the SAT on May 2 will have to make adjustments to their testing plans.
For students who had prepared or have been preparing for these tests for weeks or months, this decision, though necessary for public safety, was disappointing. At the same time, the delays don’t mean that the work you have been putting in this spring will be for naught or that you won’t be ready to apply for college come fall.
If your spring SAT or ACT was canceled, here are steps you can take to make sure you are prepared once testing resumes:
