Every fall is when many seniors start applying to colleges; however, this year is different because of COVID-19. Many college applications are now test optional, and seniors are scurrying because they cannot visit their prospective colleges. Although applying to college looks a bit different this year, it is surely still possible.

While there’s a solution to visiting colleges by doing so virtually, a big challenge has been the SAT. The SAT is usually a major factor in the application process, and for most seniors, their first time taking the SAT was Oct. 14, 2020. Universities are aware of this, and most applications have become test optional.

DGS college and career counselor Adrienne Nolan shares her thoughts on test-optional college applications.

“You can submit a test score if you want to and if you feel like it is an accurate depiction of who you are as a student. Colleges are standing by their test optional requirements, making sure you know test optional means test optional. The biggest success indicator in college is your GPA, hands down, they know it’s not a test score,” Nolan said.

Breaking these usual admission standards may be helpful for seniors, who know that their SAT score probably won’t be as good as if they took it in the spring, like usual. However, there may be pressure put on students who feel like they need to send in a test score to set them apart. Senior Rachel Kelley provides her ideas on college applications being test optional.

“I think being [test optional can be good and bad] in my opinion, because it will benefit the ones who do give [colleges] their test scores. If all these people are applying to this one school and they’re not sending in their test scores, and you send in your test score, then that clearly sets you apart from everybody else,” Kelley said.

The DGS staff recognize that seniors need to be able to access resources to plan their post-secondary plans virtually, and they want to be there to help. Nolan explains what teachers are doing to help students out.

“I have been sending out college and career newsletters [and] we’ve had three editions that have come out. It’s a PDF with tons of links in it, and that’s where we’re putting all the most relevant information. The very first newsletter has a full page of virtual tours, [and] if you have a specific college in mind you can always go just to their website and they have virtual tours and everything there,” Nolan said.

These newsletters can be found in CSD99 students’ emails, and they can be found on the College and Career Google Classroom page.

For students, these resources are commonly used while applying to colleges and figuring out post-secondary plans. Kelley has used some of these resources, which may give ideas to students who are worried about finding their perfect college fit.

“I attended two [virtual tours], Baylor and Texas State. I think [they were effective] because especially now you can’t go down and actually see the schools, so it helps students a little bit to realize if they like it or not,” Kelley said.

Seniors may be lost on what to do, but they are not alone. Counselors are available to help and guide you through the college application process.

“We are meeting with all of our seniors individually, so we have individual meetings with every single senior in our caseload. Then we follow up if necessary because every student, all 600+ of you are in different spots and need different help with college. These are things we typically do, but we have to be innovative and find new ways to push out the information since we’re all virtual,” Nolan said.

Senior Ariel Oh assures her senior classmates that there is hope for students that are worried about applying this fall.

“[Don’t] stress, I feel like a lot of my friends are stressed out about their college essays because a lot of colleges are test optional, so now they feel like their college essay has to be really good. [However], I think a lot of colleges are considering giving us accommodations since our class has been going through all of this. So you shouldn’t really stress about it, you’ll probably get in,” Oh said.

Nolan has a similar outlook as Oh, which shows that both staff and students have faith in the class of 2021’s post-secondary plans.

“Apply to college as if nothing has changed; just because we’re in a pandemic now and there’s all these restrictions and differences in the way you’re applying, doesn’t mean that your college experience is going to be any different from what you’ve imagined your entire life. So, I think you have to apply to college with a positive outlook knowing that things eventually will get better and this will only be a small moment of your life in which you can hopefully one day look back and smile about,” Nolan said.