How to Manage During College Admissions Season

It’s been one year since COVID has impacted every facet of our lives. We continue to be amazed by the resiliency of our clients–they have risen to every challenge and have flourished during a time defined by uncertainty. As we continue to see acceptances roll in, just remember, there is always a light at the end of a tunnel–even if it’s hard to see it at times. Although challenging, the key is how to stay calm when March also brings the standard worries about admissions for many high school seniors. Here are some tips for how to manage this particular time:

• Stay flexible. Flexibility applies to how you’ll gather information about schools if you can’t visit them a first or second time in addition to being open to all your options. For seniors, you can speak with current students, watch university videos, and reach out to faculty with any lingering questions to help you decide. Now that classes have moved online for many institutions, you may have the opportunity to attend class from home. Ask colleges if that is a possibility to help you decide. 
• Reassess your own needs. Nobody could have predicted the Coronavirus, but every year there is something that catches colleges and their communities off guard. Think about what is important to you? Do you want to be far away from home or closer to home? What is the best environment for you to thrive? Have your academic interests remained the same? Do you want to be close to a major hospital?
• Evaluate. Think about how your prospective schools responded to the past year: Did they have frequent COVID testing for students? Are they communicating clearly and frequently with students and families? How has their reaction aligned with your needs? Have they created opportunities for community engagement? Has the school culture changed?
• Practice resiliency.  Once the admissions decisions come in, even if they are not what you had hoped for or anticipated, be grateful for your options. Look for the positive in your acceptances and realize that life is filled with ups and downs, much of which you don’t have control over. But you do have control over how you respond and make the best of each situation.
• Celebrate your success. You’ve worked hard over the past four years, adapted to a new normal, and should celebrate getting to this milestone. By the time you start college, COVID will (hopefully) be a distant memory.