by Abigail Anderson, former admissions officer at Reed College

There is a commonly shared belief in the United States that going to college will improve a student’s quality of life upon graduation—that the graduate will certainly earn more money, have an increased quality of life, and perhaps even live ‘better’ than their parents or grandparents before them. And this belief honestly makes sense, given so much of the history and mission of higher education in this country! However, while for many college attendance is a stop on the path to achieving the American Dream, certain colleges and universities do a much better job than others at improving life (or social mobility, as academics would call it) for their students.

While many seniors are still trying to figure out their final college choice for the coming fall, many in this year’s graduating class have committed to their institution. In our first segment, we’ll look what you need to do now. In Office Hours, we’re answering your burning questions about college admissions and finance.

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.

While some colleges have pushed back their reply date from May 1 to June 1 or even later (we see you, Iowa State!), many students will need to commit to their college of choice within the next few weeks. We have suggestions for how to approach this decision, especially since visiting campus is not an option this year. We will also look into using financial fit as part of the college selection process. In Office Hours, we’ll offer options for students who don’t like any of the colleges that accepted them.

Congrats seniors: admissions season is in the homestretch. But just when you thought you would cross the finish line with no more issues, here comes COVID-19! We’re interviewing a senior who is in the middle of receiving admissions decisions and trying to figure out her next steps when she can’t visit any colleges to help her make her final choice. Another topic that’s top of mind this and all years are financial aid awards. We’ll take a look at how to compare them across different schools. Finally, for those underclassmen who are unexpectedly at home right now, we have thoughts on how to use some of this time to get ahead in the process.

In this complex time of high school and college closures, distance learning, standardized testing cancellations, financial upheaval, and great uncertainty, our team predicts that many colleges and universities will adjust their admission requirements for students applying to enroll in the fall of 2021. We anticipate that many colleges will become test optional (at least temporarily) and are keeping a close eye on changes to admissions practices and policies. Subscribe to the blog to stay in the know.

On April 1, the University of California, one of the largest university systems in the U.S., announced changes in their admissions requirements due to the disruption in schooling and standardized testing caused by COVID-19. The UC system is sensitive to the added stress on families right now, and decided on these temporary adjustments to alleviate college admission-related anxiety.  

College Coach admissions expert Ian Fisher was recently featured in a U.S. News and World Report article on improvements made to the Department of Education’s College Scorecard. While the additional data on earnings and debt now provided on the site is a step in the right direction toward transparency in the college admissions process, the new information does not override the fundamental limitation of the site in that median data cannot predict the outcomes of any individual student.  “Fundamentally, this system offers a really interesting broad-strokes perspective on some important data that can be used for making a college decision,” Fisher says, “but should be used in tandem with other resources and should be understood as a snapshot rather than the whole picture.” See below for some insights provided by the College Coach team upon the launch of the College Scorecard which still hold true today.

Help—we can’t agree on a college! You won’t be the first student and parent not to be on the same page when it comes to college choice, and we’re pretty sure you won’t be the last. Tune in for our advice on how to navigate what can be a challenging decision. We’ll also look into the latest trends in micro scholarships, and, in Office Hours, we’re discussing AP exams and their role in the college admissions process.

Guest Post by Sabrina Manville, Co-Founder of Edmit

It’s decision season! After all the time you’ve spent figuring out where to apply, submitting applications, doing interviews, and… waiting, most families now know where they stand at the colleges they applied to. And that means you have to decide where you put down your deposit.

Devastated about not getting into your dream school? There’s no doubt this is a tough time, but you can’t abandon college just because your top choice didn’t come through. Tune in for tips on choosing the best colleges from those eager to welcome you to campus.