KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In just a few months as high school seniors head off to college, high school juniors will begin applying to schools. With so many kids across the country out of school because of coronavirus, and grades all over the place, experts say colleges will be focusing on the person and not just numbers.
College admissions is a numbers game between the volume of applications, open spots and GPAs, SAT & ACT scores that typically determine whether a student is admitted or not. But a new set of numbers could decide the future for next fall’s applicants.
“A 650-word essay is going to be way more powerful than a perfect SAT score or GPA,” Neha Gupta said.
Gupta is with a program that helps students navigate the admissions process: College Shortcuts.
“A lot of the colleges know there won’t be a standardized way after COVID-19 on how the 11th grade grades are going to pan out,” she explained.
With the coronavirus crisis closing classrooms, canceling tests and forcing students to sit at home, Gupta says traditional numbers for admission would be skewed. That’s why, for the first time ever, she says more colleges will be focused on the stories, instead of the stats.
“They’ll have to look at the values, the character, why they’re interested in it, and why this child will be a fit, and that’s all going to be boiled down into a 650-word essay,” she said.
With admissions deadlines for next school year just months away, she says juniors should be suing the time now to separate themselves from the pack.
“Those who take the time to do the hard work right now, they’re going to pass with flying colors and get into the college of their dreams,” she said.
Gupta says colleges won’t be rigid to some challenges from the pandemic, but deadlines won’t be pushed back. She calls the changes long overdue.
“I think this is going to be a long-term change. I think COVID-19 is creating a long-term change in a number of fields,” Gupta said.
Gupta also says the pandemic canceled ACT and SAT tests in March, but there could be another opportunity in June. She recommends if you can, to still take the test.
