Ten Ways We Can Help One Another Move the College Process Forward Now

A little bit of encouragement, a little bit of support, a little bit of structure

I recently finished a video call with a high school junior, here in Seattle. I asked her how she was doing now that the shelter in place directive is our reality. A few minutes into the call, it became clear that she needed more than guidance regarding her college search. She needed reassurance, support, and a few action items to help her move forward with her college plans—from home. With no online classes right now, and no options for retaking standardized tests in the near future, the uncertainty of her next steps felt overwhelming. After years of hard work, combined with intense athletic training with an eye towards the recruiting process, her gears have suddenly shifted from overdrive to neutral. What to do now?

With so many students around the world facing similar challenges, I want to share what I shared with this student, as well as a few other helpful resources. Take away what you can, even if it is just focusing on one thing at a time. We’ll get through this together!

5 things students can do now

  1. Stay informed.

    • Check the Admissions page of any colleges you are interested in to see how this year’s testing environment has changed their requirements and deadlines.

    • The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has created a site to search for up-to-date information on everything from deposit deadlines to admissions events for individual colleges.

    • Follow your colleges on social media. It is a great way to get up-to-date information and learn more about what their priorities are, how they are handling the current situation, and what their places are for the future.

    • On a recent webinar, one admissions director summarized the situation in admissions like this:

      • You are going to see a lot of grace, a lot of flexibility, a lot of understanding

      • Applications are reviewed by real people who are going through this same turmoil now will be sensitive to the disruptions you’ve experienced

      • All students are in the same position, and some students won’t even have grades for 2nd semester or 4th quarter, but colleges will likely assume that the grades a student would have earned during the pandemic would be similar to what they previously earned in those courses

      • Colleges will take a close look at the grades a student had before the pandemic

      • It is likely that more colleges will take a more holistic approach to admissions

  2. Get connected.

    • Fill out the short contact form on the Admissions page for any colleges you are interested in. Admissions teams put a lot more value on students who actually go to their admissions website and complete that contact form. This will also get you on the college’s mailing list, ensuring you get invited to online events hosted by the college and receive updates on financial aid and scholarship deadlines as well as changing testing requirements. I guarantee you will know a lot more about all of your colleges by the time you have to make a final decision just by taking this simple step.

    • One college admissions dean suggested students follow Instagram sites for student organizations that are of interest.

  3. Take a virtual tour.

  4. Take an online course.

    • Interested in learning something new and eager to continue building your activities for upcoming college applications? What better way to expand your knowledge than to explore some of the many (and growing daily) online courses available? I am not talking about earning college credit or grades, although some paid courses are out there that include these options. I am talking about studying any topic of interest to you. From learning a new coding language to digging deep into an area of history that always interested you to experimenting with a new artistic medium, the possibilities are nearly endless. My favorite poker playing students wants to explore game theory and another student, who was just accepted into a business real estate-focused college program, told me he is going to start studying for his real estate license. Remember that colleges are cutting students a lot of slack right now, but this is one way to demonstrate how your love of learning was taken to a whole new level during a very challenging time.

      Here are some online course options to explore:

      Other online learning resources:

      • OpenCulture for ebooks and audiobooks

      • TEDTalks

      • The Facebook group Amazing Educational Resources has assembled a good list of resources that companies are now allowing everyone to use for free. 

      • Georgia Tech, ASU and your local community colleges also offer options that might help you get ready for college. I have heard from some of my students that they will be getting a head start on everything from calculus, to organic chemistry and accounting. 

  5. Volunteer virtually.

    • Many nonprofit organizations are reeling from cutbacks in fundraising activities and lack of people and resources to keep them going. Reach out to any organizations you’ve volunteered with previously and see if there are ways to help them virtually. Or connect with a new organization that needs your help right now. Be creative and start researching ways to help locally and internationally by Googling “Virtual Volunteering”, the options out there are growing daily.

    • One counselor recommended doing “remote science” through the projects listed on Citizen Science. Their searchable database of projects students can help with includes everything from uploading photos of ladybugs to transcribing and exploring women’s suffrage history through the lives of those who fought for the right to vote 100 years ago. You might learn something new too (see #4)!

3 Resources for Parents/Families

  1. Create structure.

    • From Khan Academy, how could we not love these daily schedules for students of all ages? Families are craving some routine, and these adaptable schedules are an awesome start. 

  2. Talk to your students.

    • Here’s a great article exploring ways to talk to students about their anxiety levels right now.

  3. Find support and community.

    • I love the posts on Grown and Flown, whose founders have assembled a world class team of experts to provide timely updates and trustworthy support for families with teenagers. Spend some time connecting and learning from experts and other parents, a little bit of support might be just what the doctor ordered.

2 Things for Everyone

  1. Get on the same page

    • As the founder of Corsava, I want to share a free resource that allows students to discover what matters most to them as they start the college process. By helping students discover aspects of college they may have never considered, yet are key to college success, everyone can share a summary report and open lies of communication early as to what is important. This is a great way to use time at home to share a parent’s own experience, if applicable, while also learning what is important to the student. Students can invite parents to play their own game while sharing information and building ratings of aspects of college that are important to them.

    • Bonus - high school counselors are eligible for free Corsava for Counselors accounts. Share this form with counselors you might know who would benefit from helping their students with their college search remotely.

  2. Find your zen

    • And leave it to Sal Khan to create a terrific meditation video playlist. In the videos, Sal introduces simple meditation techniques to help “calm your mind, relax, and focus.” We could all use a little more calm these days!

Lastly, I want to share a photo I took on my daily run past University of Washington’s Rowing Center. It is quiet now, but we are all looking forward to returning students and activity!

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