COVID-19 complicates college search

The process of selecting and applying to college is often stressful to seniors in any year. This year, they have to do it throughout a global pandemic.  

When choosing colleges, Mr. David Newell, Milton High School’s guidance counselor, said to do research on the schools a student is considering. “Try to do visits if possible. Apply to schools with varying levels of tuition and for financial aid.  Choose the school that fits you the best,” he added.  

Colleges are taking certain safety precautions when doing in-person college tours because of COVID-19, said Mr. Newell. These safety precautions include having smaller tour groups and wearing masks, he added.  

Depending on what college a student plans to visit determines whether the visit is in person or virtual, he said. 

Mr. Mike Ferlazzo, the Director of Media Relations at Bucknell University said that there has not been a change when it comes to the applications process for colleges. “We want prospective students to know they won’t be at a disadvantage because of how their high school chose to conduct classes,” he added. 

The admissions office at Bucknell University understands that all high schools handled the pandemic differently, said Mr. Ferlazzo. They will take into consideration that extracurricular activities, test scores, non-English speaking students, mental health and other aspects of the pandemic, added Mr. Ferlazzo.  

“I haven’t noticed any difference [with students applying for colleges] other than remote visits and SAT testing.  Most post-secondary schools have made SAT tests optional because of COVID-19,” said Mr. Newell. 

“In recent years, very few of our students actually met with college reps in-person at our school,” said Mr. Newell. A lot of students had gathered most of their information online, he added. 

According to Mr. Newell, students should be preparing to apply for colleges throughout their entire high school career. Most students have finished applying for colleges before Thanksgiving break of their senior year, said Mr. Newell. “The more competitive the school/program, the earlier the student should apply,” he added. 

If a student wants to determine whether or not the school of their choosing is doing a virtual or in–person college tour, they should contact the school’s admissions office, said Mr. Newell. A student should also get in contact with the office to set up a possible tour date, he added.  

According to Mr. Newell, students are able to do out of state college tours on their own time. “Get an educational trip form in the main office so the day is excused,” said Mr. Newell. Students will be expected to quarantine after an out of state trip, he added.