How COVID Has Changed College Admissions For Good

270+ days into this quarantine,

with new numbers of COVID cases surging higher than ever, we are all growing more and more weary of this epidemic.

And yet, despite the chaos, we are catching glimpses of silver linings all around us. Especially for those of us with our eye on top tier college admissions.

First silver lining: more and more colleges decided to move to a test optional admissions season. In fact, the UC college system just announced that they will be moving into a permanent test-blind admissions policy by 2024.   

Because California is the largest market for standardized tests, the UC System’s decision will likely have a ripple effect to many other elite colleges, according to Jeffrey Selingo, author of Who Gets In and Why. Which means that many other colleges will likely move to phase out standardized testing in the next couple of years.

This is remarkable! Not just because it saves students an enormous amount of stress and time, but also because it moves the admissions system into far more equitable territory. Up until this year, the more resources a family had, the higher the students’ scores were, and the more they believed they could boost their chances of admission to their dream schools. 

Now, without the SAT and/or ACT scores, students who don’t have access to the same financial resources have a better chance of competing for a spot at top-tier college or university.

Which leads to the next silver lining: without being able to take the usual standardized tests or rely on the usual grading system and extracurricular activities to create a powerful resume,  students will need to focus far more on what truly matters: developing their authentic form of leadership.*

And that’s the fun part! When students come to understand what truly lights them up and channel this interest into a project that makes a difference for others, they shed the usual stress and overwhelm that so often accompanies college admissions. And, as a side effect, they end up standing out from every other high achieving student who focused primarily on grades and the usual achievements.

That means that students are fueled throughout the entire admissions process by cultivating their instinctive curiosity and developing a newfound sense of pride. And THAT is exactly what we want our students to learn. 

For when students learn early on that they can have both success AND joy, they are learning the essential qualities of a fulfilled life. And, fueled by this all-important sense of purpose, they are far more inspired to believe that they can come up with solutions to the world’s greatest needs. 

What other silver linings in the college admissions arena are you noticing right now? Reach out to me here. I read every email and will personally respond to you.

* To understand more about developing an authentic form of leadership, check out How COVID-19 Is Helping Students Better Prepare for College.