What we are going through currently is unprecedented for anyone that is currently living since the last pandemic that impacted so many people was in 1918. It’s important that we take the necessary precautions and pray for the recovery of those that have gotten the virus. During this time, however, we could be moving forward and doing things that we sometimes would “put off” or even ignore because we are so busy doing what we think is more important. Seniors, click on this very helpful article titled “How to Make College Decisions When Campuses Are Closed”. Also, you can use Discover’s Award Letter Comparison Tool and TuitionFit when making decisions. When it comes to the college planning process, below are six things that you could/should be doing to stay ahead and be prepared for when you begin applying to colleges soon.
- SAT/ACT Prep– As of now, the March and May SAT tests and the April ACT test have been cancelled and students will receive a refund or the ability to change test dates for no charge. Juniors, it would be best to take the June SAT and ACT if at all possible if you haven’t taken either test yet. If you were going to take the SAT for the first time on March 14th, then it would be best to take the June 6th SAT. In my meetings with Juniors these past few months I have mentioned that the June 6th SAT is not at a great time because it was sandwiched in between our final exams. If our final exams get pushed back now, the June SAT will not be at an inconvenient time anymore. Whatever the case may be with the school schedule, you do not want your first SAT to be in August, so I highly recommend taking the June SAT (which is at DC) for all juniors who haven’t yet taken an SAT test yet. Juniors and Sophomores, with the time you have available over the next number of weeks, this is a great time to do SAT and ACT prep. Sophomores, if you have been in honors math and English and take advantage of the time you have in the coming weeks to prep for the SAT or ACT, taking the June ACT and/or SAT is a good idea. This will move your timetable up a bit so that you get done with taking these tests sooner in your junior year. A lot of how much you get done depends on your mindset and making it a priority. You can take advantage of one of Revolution Prep’s Live Online classes by going to our dedicated DC page here. There is a free SAT or ACT practice test you can take and Revolution Prep will score it for you. There are additional online test prep options through Method Test Prep, Princeton Review, Magoosh or PowerScore. You can also take advantage of the free SAT and ACT prep options below:
2. Researching Colleges– Many juniors and even sophomores feel overwhelmed with coursework and extracurriculars this time of year so they delay taking the time to properly research colleges in order to get an understanding of what colleges may be a good fit for them. Now that you have some more time to search, research, explore and study colleges, utilize this additional time that you are going to be home to find colleges that would be a good fit for you. There are helpful websites like College Board’s Big Future, College Factual, College Raptor, College Navigator, College Scorecard, Cappex and by completing the College Search tool in your SCOIR account. There are great places to go online to view important college financial information as well like Tuition Tracker, Nerd Wallet, and this article with many other resources from Business Insider.
3. Research and Apply for Scholarships– It is never too early or too late to apply for local and private scholarships. Obviously, you need to make sure the scholarships you apply for meet the eligibility requirements, but with the additional time you should/may have on your hands over the next month or so, you can be applying for scholarships NOW! Parents, here is a great article to read on how you can help your child apply for scholarships. Be sure to look in your Naviance account for any local scholarships that have come through my office. Also, keep in mind that the most money you will receive to help pay for college will be the merit scholarships that colleges offer their incoming freshman. If you add a college to the “Following” column in your SCOIR account, you should also go to their “Admissions” page and click on “Financial Aid” or “Scholarships” to see what merit scholarships they offer. Below are a number of websites to search for scholarships.
- Edvisors
- Fast Web
- College Board Big Future
- Sallie Mae
- Scholarships.com
- Cappex
- 11 Private Scholarships That Can Help Pay For College (competitive)
4. Take Virtual Tours– Although colleges are cancelling campus tours for the near future, there is still a great way to take a tour and with the advancement in technology, these virtual tours are really well done and helpful. SCOIR has partnered with You Visit and Campus Reel so if you search for a college in SCOIR, many of them will have a virtual tour available and shorter tours through Campus Reel about student life, dorm life, extracurriculars, food, etc. Here is an article that provides other options for virtual tours as well. Some have even gone the route of using Google Cardboard headsets for campus tours.
5. Take Major/Career Assessments- Now you have the time to take the Major/Career Assessments you thought you didn’t have time to take before. It is always a great idea to get as much feedback as possible when it comes to the major and/or career you would be a best fit for. Juniors, you should definitely take this extra time you have to complete the You Science assessment in SCOIR that is mandatory to complete for Career Stewardship before the end of the school year. Freshman and Sophomores, please do not take this assessment yet because you can only take it once in your high school career and I would prefer this be in your junior year. Below are additional assessments, however, that you can take.
- My Majors
- Career Direct (free Personality I.D.) (full assessment is an additional cost)
- My Next Move
- Career Coach through DCCC
- College Majors 101 (Not an assessment but great information)
6. Read Good Books and Blogs- Besides this blog (which you can always go back and read my posts from the past as well), there are a couple others that I would recommend reading for great college admissions advice. The College Solution is a great blog that Lynn O’Shaughnessy has been writing for years and she is very knowledgable herself but interviews many other experts in the field of college admissions for her posts. Educated Quest is another great blog I would recommend along with Ivy Wise and the SCOIR College Admissions Blog.
Our times are in God’s hands and He is in control as we go through this unprecedented and unusual time as a school, state and country. I hope this information helps you be more productive and stay in front of the college planning and application process as you have some more time on your hands over the next few weeks.
