With next fall’s plans pretty a giant question mark, many families are trying to understand what online study versus on-campus study will do to their costs. We’ll share what you need to know about funding an online education. In other segments, we’ll offer some standardized testing advice as test dates are cancelled and more colleges opt to go test optional in the coming year. Finally, we’ll revisit computer science, this time with Rick Bischoff of Case Western offering the college perspective.

by Ian Fisher, former admissions officer at Reed College

Last week, the Common App announced it will add a short COVID-19-themed essay question for students applying to college this fall. This came as little surprise to those of us at Bright Horizons College Coach, where one of our more prescient educators even had a dream about this addition, way back on April 10. We have long anticipated that colleges would offer a way for students to express how this global pandemic has upended the ordinary parts of their lives, and the question below will give them an opportunity to do exactly that:

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

As I spend time speaking with families, I notice that many are missing the cultural experiences they had before stay-at-home policies were established. Some love museums, no matter how small and quirky. Some miss the popcorn at their local movie theater. Some are yearning to learn new things at lectures. And, honestly, many didn’t have regular access to these experiences within their community before this.

Have a science enthusiast teen at home? Fear not! There are many exciting summer opportunities that can be done from home this summer.

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”  – Coretta Scott King

As we settle into another week of trying to slow the spread of this virus nationwide, I’m having more conversations with students who have started to adopt a routine with schoolwork and accept a “new normal” for learning. But this will continue to be an emotionally taxing time for everyone, so it’s important to look for ways to relieve anxiety—and giving back can be a great way to do that. Way before COVID-19, research showed that stepping outside of ourselves to help someone else is a great way to stave off loneliness, boredom, and stress. As an educator for the past 25 years, I can truly say that I have never met a student who didn’t feel better after volunteering.

Choosing where to go to college is already a daunting decision. But it in a pandemic, the process feels especially fraught and complicated, particularly if a student has never had the chance to visit some of their prospective colleges. Former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer, Beth Heaton, and former Reed College admissions officer, Ian Fisher, are here to offer their tips on how students can educate themselves about their options—virtually.

With so much unknown out there about the timing of COVID-19 and the length of social distancing measures, one of the most common questions we are fielding is whether or not a gap year might make sense for incoming freshmen. This practice of putting off enrollment for a year is called “deferring,” and whether or not the time off is granted is up to the university. If family finances have changed and your college plans are up in the air, or if the uncertainty surrounding the structure of campus life and learning has you rethinking your plan to enroll this fall, a “gap year” might be a good option. Here are questions to ask before pursuing the gap year option:

As in-person summer camps, pre-college programs, travel, internships, sports training, and more begin to be canceled, many wonder “what next?” First, we need to remember that colleges will all take these extraordinary circumstances into consideration when evaluating applications for admission. Accept that it is ok to slow down. There are, however, many enriching ways teens can use this time to positively impact their community, grow academically and personally, and continue to thoughtfully prepare for college.

As I talk with high school juniors and their parents, it’s clear that one of their biggest concerns around the COVID-19 situation is standardized tests. With the March, May, and June SAT and April ACT test dates cancelled, students are hoping to test sometime in summer but are aware that even that may not be an option in every state. Such uncertainty is stressful, to put it mildly.

I think we can all agree that this is a challenging time for families, and trying to balance work and young children can be particularly difficult. While many days are hard and require a whole lot of patience, there are small moments and silver linings that are so important to focus on and enjoy in these uncertain times.