How the Coronavirus Has Affected the College Application Process

Many things have changed in our lives due to the coronavirus, which is something that is known by everyone. Numerous families have been affected, and schools have been closed since March due to the concern that students and staff could contract the virus. For the new 2020-2021 school year, some schools are attempting to open under a hybrid system, but not all schools have. Since some schools are not open, they are unable to proctor exams such as the SAT or the ACT.

Now, what does this mean for the college application process? The SAT and the ACT tend to be big factors that colleges focus on in order to admit a student into their school. The issue is that many seniors have been unable to take these exams as many schools have canceled them from March to September. Schools are just starting to open up and proctor the exams, but there are limited spots, which makes it almost impossible to sign up for these exams. Also, a student may be unable to find a school that is proctoring the exam close enough for them to go and take it. With Early Action deadlines coming up in November, students currently have a limited amount of time to take these tests.

Luckily, many colleges have realized this problem and are now making the submission of SAT or ACT scores optional. This may be beneficial for those who did not have enough time to take the exam, and they feel that their grades and activities they have participated in are sufficient enough to get them into college. However, some do not have the grades or activities that they wish to have, and they are relying on their SAT or ACT scores. Now that it is hard to find somewhere to take the exam, many students are stressed.

Overall, depending on how a student feels about their current grades and resume, it affects how they feel about the current situation with the SAT and ACT. Many students are grateful that colleges are making these scores optional due to the current situation, but it just depends on how confident a student currently feels.