In the COVID-19 world of college admissions, every day there is a new development.  It’s difficult to keep up with the newest news. 

For that reason, what I offer here, could change by the time you read it.  Hopefully, the links and resources will remain useful.

For easier reference, I’ve decided to do this as a Q & A. 

Here are some answers to the most frequent questions I am asked by students, parents and college counselors about the impact of the Coronavirus on college admissions .

Do you think the SAT’s will really be given in June?

I don’t.  I think it might be a much more protracted period of chaos than we expect.  To gather students in a physical space to take the SAT’s or ACT’s (which is usually how they’re given) has become not only impractical but dangerous.  I have spoken to many parents who say they would not send their kids even if the test is given. 

NB:  Since I first penned this post, the SAT’s have decidedly been cancelled.  Many schools including the University of California are going test-optional.  

If my son or daughter can’t take the SAT’s until the fall, what should we do?

I would suggest you use this time to really prepare.  As much as we sometimes wish, I doubt the SAT’s will go away any time soon.  At the very least, it’s a multimillion dollar business.  I am sure the College Board is working hard to keep this business alive by considering virtual options.

Now you have potentially six months more than originally planned to prepare for the test, IF the October SAT’s will be administered at all.  Of course, the College Board might come up with some way to administer the test remotely before then, in which case, you don’t want to be left behind.  I would be on the lookout for this possibility and check in on the College Board every once in a while to see what they’re saying about test dates and other options.

Will there still be college tours this spring?

College tours will all be virtual.  College campuses are ghost towns.  There will be no college tours or interviews.

In addition to going test-optional, colleges are bulking up their virtual offerings in lieu of cancelled in-person events.  . . .for many students, a personal visit to campus can help in the decision process. Applicants can sit in on a lecture, or meet with current students to get a good feel for how a particular school might “fit.” But with these spring events cancelled, schools are moving online — with virtual tours, video chats with professors and online classes.

“Admissions offices are working hard to make sure [that] even if students can’t visit, they can still get a sense of a place,” explains Bigham, who’s been on the phone with admissions officers across the country.

For those students already admitted, when will they need to make a decision?

Many colleges have extended this deadline.  Colleges understand that without being able to visit, it will delay decisions.

“Every parent and student is going through a difficult time just managing to deal with the uncertainty,” says Boeckenstedt. “It’s really unfair to say, well, we have our deadlines, and come hell or high water, you had better decide by May first.”

According to EdSource.org:

About 300 colleges and universities across the nation have reported that they have extended deposit deadlines, usually to June 1, according to a survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In California, those include Cal State San Bernardino, Whittier College, Mills College and Cal Lutheran University. But 481 of those surveyed said they would not, including UCLA, University of Southern California, Cal State Fullerton and Pepperdine University.

In addition to going test-optional, colleges are bulking up their virtual offerings in lieu of cancelled in-person events. Bischoff acknowledges that, for many students, a personal visit to campus can help in the decision process. Applicants can sit in on a lecture, or meet with current students to get a good feel for how a particular school might “fit.” But with these spring events cancelled, schools are moving online — with virtual tours, virtual chats with professors and online classes.

“Admissions offices are working hard to make sure [that] even if students can’t visit, they can still get a sense of a place,” explains Bigham, who’s been on the phone with admissions officers across the country.

Admissions tests have also been jumbled: Advanced Placement (AP) tests will be given online, without multiple choice questions. The ACT has rescheduled the April 4 test to be given in June because of COVID-19, and the College Board has cancelled the SAT test scheduled for May. 

Shut out in another way, too: With high schools closed, it may be harder to stop by a counselor’s office or get advice from a teacher regarding college. Even though many colleges are shutting their campuses, admissions and financial aid staff are still working and urge students to ask questions by phone, email or on recently-deployed chat tools on the college’s website.