International College Counselors

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Brochure
    • Scholarship Essay Contest
    • Why ICC?
  • Services
    • College Counseling
    • Graduate School
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Learning Differences
    • K-12 Placement Services
    • SSAT Flex Testing
    • A La Carte Services
    • Corporate Benefits
    • Giving Back
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
    • In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Awards & Recognitions
    • Upcoming Free Webinars and Seminars
  • Essays
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Locations
    • Florida Locations
    • Connecticut Location
    • New York City Locations
    • North Carolina Location
  • Resources
    • New Book: To University and Beyond
    • Overall Admission Rates

10 Lessons About College Admissions that COVID-19 Has Taught Us in the Past Year

April 12, 2021 by Cheree Liebowitz

In March 2020, schools began closing because of COVID-19. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the education of millions of high school and college students. Colleges, universities, and high schools alike have had to adapt, and many of these adaptations will likely have long-term effects on the future of education. As we reach the end of the school year, we take the time to reflect on what we have learned.

Lesson 1: Test-optional policy changes the playing field. Most colleges suspended testing requirements this year, and many students took advantage. While it is difficult to completely discern if the test optional policy change was wholly responsible for more applicants identifying as first-generation, low-income, rural, African-American, Hispanic, and/or Latinx students, the short-term success in creating more diverse and equitable admissions is undeniable. These results indicate that a permanent test-optional policy could create more equity in admissions. The advisors at International College Counselors worked closely with families determining to which colleges students should submit their test scores, and to which colleges scores should be withheld. These decisions were very strategic. Since many colleges will be test-optional next year as well, we will continue advising our families on a school-by-school basis.

Lesson 2: Colleges are looking to diversify their student body. The Class of 2025 will be one of the most diverse classes ever at many schools. At Princeton, nearly 25% of students admitted this year were first-generation (children of parents who did not have a bachelor’s degree). And, more than 66% of the U.S. citizens or permanent residents who were admitted identified as people of color, including biracial and multiracial persons. First generation students at Harvard will represent approximately 21% of the Class of 2025, with more than 60% identifying as people of color.

Lesson 3: College costs are out of control. This year’s seniors changed how they applied and where they applied. Students included more in-state colleges to avoid both long-distance travel and having to pay private college costs for online classes. College expenses continue to rise, with some colleges’ tuition, room and board, and fees now exceeding $81,000 per year. Doing research is more important than ever to find colleges that meet family needs with a range of price points, locations, and selectivity.

Lesson 4: If financially possible, apply Early Decision. Because of the pandemic, colleges faced staggering financial losses. One way that colleges eased this pressure was to accept even more students during the Early Decision rounds. Students applying ED are committed to attend that school if they are admitted, which means that often, students who need to compare financial aid among schools do not apply ED. Though this is not “fair,” it is still true that Early Decision almost always gives students an advantage. This year proved that more than ever.

Lesson 5: Don’t waste your Early Decision. Many students apply to their reach schools for Early Decision. As students can only apply to one school Early Decision, families should strongly consider focusing on a realistic reach rather than an impractical one. The odds of getting in during the early round are higher, but, as seen this year especially, it’s not an opportunity to waste. Moreover, if a student is not accepted Early Decision I, they should consider Early Decision II at a different college.

Lesson 6:  More applications result in long waitlists. One result of the surge in applications was that colleges had a more difficult time predicting their yield – the percentage of admitted applicants who actually enroll. Colleges will continue to rely on waitlists as a way to hedge against over-enrollment and to determine student interest. We do expect that colleges will be going to their waitlists! If you have been waitlisted and do not know what to do, please reach out to one of our expert college advisors for help.

Lesson 7: The list of ultra-competitive and competitive colleges expanded. Many, many more colleges in the United States are showcasing acceptance rates at 25% or lower. Schools that were once considered “easy” to get into are only accepting students at the top of their classes. Students aiming for these top colleges must do well in rigorous courses, and find ways to stand out in the admissions process. That said, a college’s selectivity does not reflect its quality nor whether it’s a good fit for your student.

Lesson 8: School lists should and must expand. With acceptance rates in the single digits for some schools, students need to both diversify and expand their lists. We did not see many students who got into numerous top colleges. This year, our top applicants were happy if they got into 1-3 of the exceptionally competitive colleges.

Lesson 9:  Vaccination requirements are trending. More U.S. colleges are requiring students to get the COVID vaccine before returning to campus. Rutgers announced in late March that vaccinations will be required, and now several other schools, including Cornell, Brown, Syracuse, Northeastern, and Notre Dame have made similar announcements. Colleges will be releasing more information over the summer, and we expect to see this trend continue. Students going to college in the fall must know their school’s policies.

Lesson 10: You are not alone. Students and families around the world are experiencing feelings of frustration surrounding the unprecedented admissions environment this year. Colleges, too, feel the stress. Have a younger student? Consider a college counselor–we’ll keep you sane while staying ahead of NEXT year’s trends.

Know a family who needs help navigating the college admissions journey? We welcome them to contact us at: http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com or call 1-954-414-9986.

______________________________________________________

Upcoming Free Webinar
Great Admissions Advice for Medical School Applicants
April 20 at 7pm EST
Register and more info: https://bit.ly/3suZdcq

______________________________________________________
Apply for the ICC Scholarship – April 15 Deadline
All students in grades 9-11 are encouraged to apply for the ICC scholarship. Write an essay that answers the question: If you could create one class in high school that reflects your academic values, interests, and/or outlook on education, what would it be and why? Additional contest rules and submission information can be found here. The scholarship deadline is April 15, 2021.
______________________________________________________
Books By Our Staff
  • To University and Beyond: Launch your career in high gear – Pre-order now
  • From Public School to the Ivy League: How to get into a top schoo without top dollar resources
  • International Admissions: How to get accepted to U.S. colleges

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: In the News, International College Counselors blog Tagged With: college acceptances, college admissions, college advisor, college coach, college consultant, college costs, college diversity, college lists, college vaccination requirements, college waitlist, early decision, test optional

Sign up for free college admissions advice!

Subscribe

Recent Acceptances

M.I.T.
Yale University
Stanford University
Brown University
Caltech
Harvard College
Princeton University
Harvard Business School
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School
Washington University St. Louis
Cornell University
Columbia University
Dartmouth College
Northwestern University
The Cooper Union
Johns Hopkins University
University of Florida
New York University
University of Michigan
University of Chicago
Brandeis University
University of Texas @ Austin
NYU Dental School
USC Dental School
Duke University
University of Virginia
Barnard College
Amherst College
UNC Chapel Hill
Wesleyan University
Rice University
McGill University
Olin College of Engineering
Tufts University
Emory University
Carnegie Mellon University
George Washington University
University of Notre Dame
Georgia Institute of Technology
Boston University
USC
U.C.L.A.
Vanderbilt University
Syracuse University
UC Berkeley
Rensselaer Polytechnic
University of Maryland
New College of Florida
Loyola Marymount University
American University
Harvey Mudd College
Middlebury College
Boston College
Babson University
Georgetown University
Colgate University
Bard College
Ohio State University
Indiana University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Tulane University
University of Miami
Purdue University
Oxford College @ Emory
Wisconsin @ Madison
Northeastern University
Lehigh University
Goucher College
Pennslyvania State University
Muhlenberg College
University of Connecticut
Loyola University Chicago
University of Colorado Boulder
Colorado State University
University of Alabama
Louisiana State University
Drexel University
Embry-Riddle University
University of Arizona
Florida State University
University of Central Florida
S.U.N.Y @ Binghamton
S.U.N.Y @ Stony Brook
S.U.N.Y @ Albany
S.U.N.Y @ Geneseo
S.U.N.Y. @ Oneonta
S.U.N.Y. @ Oswego
S.U.N.Y @ Purchase
Art Institute of Chicago
University of Illinois
Pratt Institute
Ringling College Art & Design
George Mason University
University of Vermont
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Parsons New School of Design
Emerson College
Auburn University
Michigan State University
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
Elon University
St. John's University
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Lowell
UMass Boston
Suffolk University
Bentley University
Lynn University
Arizona State University
University of North Florida
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
Florida Gulf Coast University
University of South Florida
Nova Southeastern University
University of Tampa
Hofstra University
Pace University
University of New England
Western New England College
Bowling Green State University
Rollins College
Eugene Lang College
Baruch College
Hunter College
Santa Fe College
Fordham University
UNC Greensboro
University of Hartford
Lasell College
Shimer College
Hillsdale College
College of Charleston
Bryant University
Clark University
James Madison University
Curry College
Southern Methodist University
Florida Institute of Technology
LIM College
University of British Columbia
College of the Holy Cross
University of Pittsburgh
Purchase College
University of Minnesota
Virginia Commonwealth University
Columbia College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
St. Leo University
Stetson University
Canisius College
LIM College
Case Western Reserve
San Diego State University
Marymount Manhattan College

Blog Categories

  • College Admissions
  • College Applications
  • College Essays
  • College Planning
  • College Visits and Information Sessions
  • Extracurricular & Summer Activities
  • FAQ
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships
  • Giving Back
  • Graduate School
  • In the News
  • International College Counselors blog
  • International Students
  • Other
  • Special Students – Athletes, LD, Art Majors
  • Standardized Tests – SAT/ACT/AP Courses/PSAT
  • Summer Opportunities
  • Tips for High School Freshman and Sophomores
  • Tips for High School Juniors
  • Tips for High School Seniors
  • Transfer Students
  • Uncategorized

Blog Archives

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

International College Counselors

3107 Stirling Road, Suite 208
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 USA
(954) 414-9986
(800) 452-9090

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Books By Our Staff:

To University and Beyond: Launch Your Career in High Gear by Mandee Heller Adler and David Teten. From Public School To The Ivy League by Mandee Heller Adler International Admissions by Mandee Heller Adler and Aimee Heller

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

  • Personalized Support for Seniors – Get Help with College Admissions, Essays, and Applications!
  • Mark Your Calendars: SAT and ACT Testing Dates for 2022-2023
  • Top Tips for the Common Application
  • Tips to Start the School Year Right
  • Game On: How to be Recruited as a Student-Athlete

Copyright © 2022 International College Counselors • Log in

en English
en Englishes Spanishzh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchfr Frenchit Italiande Germanpt Portugueseru Russianar Arabic