September 2021 College Application Update

Almost exactly a year ago, I posted a blog that is still relevant today, except for a few modifications. It mentions the importance, among other things, of doing research in advance, creating a well-balanced college list, and writing a strong essay. After a year of online learning, COVID restrictions, and all the other things that have contributed to our new normal, almost all of the points mentioned in that year old post are still valid, though there are a few updates.

• Vaccination requirements: More and more both public and private colleges now require students to be fully vaccinated before coming on campus. Incoming freshman should double check their schools’ requirements before driving on camus. If in doubt here’s a state-by-state list of these schools and never hesitate to reach out to the admissions office.

• Common App Essay Prompts: Still a key part of any student’s application, the college essay is the one opportunity for these applicants to use their own voice. This year’s essay prompts continue to offer a wide range of options for students to tell their story.

• Common App Updates: This year’s Common App is further streamlined to help students with every facet of the application process. See those updates here.

• Test Optional Schools: A trend towards eliminating the use of the SAT/ACT scores as a means of evaluating applicants was already growing, but the pandemic and the difficulties students encountered for safely taking these tests last year, prompted many colleges to become test optional, test-flexible or test blind. While this might sound like great news for students who are poor test takers, there are exceptions, conditions and consequences that come along with each of these options and students must understand them before applying to these colleges.

Otherwise, I can’t stress enough that the time put in at this end of the application process will pay dividends come next Spring. Students who do their research and carefully consider all the criteria that is important to them will eliminate a lot of doubt later on in the process.

In review, the three most critical pieces of information needed to identify the best suited schools are: the transcript, GPA/class rank and SAT/ACT scores. Each college ranks the importance of these three elements, and others, differently so make sure to check College Board, and the schools websites, for their policies and admission philosophies.

Have questions?? College Apps Made Easy is always ready to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out.