College admissions is changing so fast that many of us in the profession who have dedicated our lives to this can barely keep up. It’s no secret that Covid upended everyone’s lives and colleges are no different. As decisions for the class of 2021 are released this week and through early April, consider these changes and how they affect your child.

Standardized testing may lose its value. Some may dispute this, but with colleges being forced to go test-optional last year and already have decided to be test-optional again this year, colleges have to reassess how they view the ACT and SAT. Most schools have yet to release their numbers of how many students applied to their school this year...

At this point, we all have pandemic fatigue and want to get out and do more. If you’re thinking about visiting colleges over the next few weeks, I strongly suggest that you visit that school’s admissions page on their website to learn about their visitation protocols and procedures. Yes, some schools are welcoming prospective and accepted families on campus but many are not. Know what you can do and cannot do before you jump in the car.

Will a self-guided tour “count” as demonstrated interest?
Absolutely. There are ways to convey to a college that your child took the initiative to “see” as much as possible despite some of the Covid restrictions. College is a big...

If your child is in the Class of 2022, now is the time for them to start showing colleges that they’re curious. Demonstrating interest is increasingly a more significant factor in the admissions process than in years past. 

Your kid is probably getting emails everyday from colleges they’ve heard or and others they have not. Digital outreach is the only way for colleges to connect with prospective students right now so colleges and universities have made the investment in it expecting it will have a major impact on the applications they receive for the 2021-22 admission cycle. 

Right now, virtual events are big and your child (and sometimes you) need to be attending them....

I used to be a school guidance counselor and I understand what they go through. It’s a lot to work with a caseload of kids and have to advise them on their classes, tests and college lists. I honestly believe that they want the best for your child but sometimes they’re just too overwhelmed to give you the best advice that you need to succeed. 

First of all, what many of us called “guidance counselors” are now supposed to be called “school counselors” or “Deans.” The title may have changed, but the job description remains the same:

• Help all students to apply academic achievement strategies
• Help all students plan for postsecondary school options...

Every day for the past two weeks, another college has announced that they will be test-optional for the high school graduating class of 2022. If you have a junior, you’re probably wondering, “should they take the SAT or ACT?” For many students, the answer is, yes – you should at least consider taking the tests. Whether or not the scores should be or will be submitted depends on a variety of factors. 

Test-optional policies are an opportunity for you, your child and your college counselor to decide if and how a standardized test can best support your child’s application. Scores can be withheld if they will not help. However, by not taking the test at all, students...

I can still remember the day that my first student got into college. It was in the fall of 1997 and I was the Assistant to the Director of College Counseling at Brooklyn Friends School in NYC. Since I had worked in the admissions office in college and had always taken a keen interest in it as well as done a lot of research about college admissions when I was in high school, I loved my job, and I really liked this kid. After he and I had worked on his essay and I had stayed with him to finish his application on a Friday afternoon in my office six weeks earlier, here he was now, casually walking up to me on a Monday morning and simply saying: “I got in.”

There are no better words for me to...

What To Learn from Virtual Visits - Fall 2020 - Part 1
(this contains excerpts from a high school that I admire as they address how to approach online college information sessions and tours. Please share this with your child as it directed towards them)

Many of you have taken advantage of online college programs this fall, whether they be college fairs, info sessions or college rep virtual visits at school. So what should you be learning during this process? You should be paying attention to what individual colleges offer and how important you believe these offerings will be to you a year from now when you are applying to college. Some of the information may be confusing and won’t make sense...

NACAC Virtual College Fairs are designed from the ground up as mobile experiences that are intuitive, informative, interactive, and fun. Here is a quick start video to learn more: https://youtu.be/bZHtpVHLKok

During each NACAC Virtual College Fair, more than 600 college and university representatives will be available to talk with you and other students. On the day of each fair, log in to virtualcollegefairs.org using your phone or computer. It's totally easy to get around.

Create your schedule by selecting which colleges you'd like to learn about. Sign up to attend their live and interactive Zoom sessions. The sessions are on a variety of topics such as: how to apply, financial aid, student...

Whatever you call the school counselor at your child’s high school -- guidance counselor, college counselor, etc -- please know that they are an integral part of the college application process. A few elements of their job are: 

• to offer college advice to you and your child
• weigh in on the selection of courses for each year
• write a school counselor recommendation on behalf of your child
• send the transcript
• communicate with colleges about your child’s application and interest

Some school counselors do this better than others, and usually it depends on their caseload of students. 

As a parent, you should attend any college preparation presentations that your school offers,...

2020 is a global horror show. You know this already because you’re living it, but what if your kid is headed to college or about to apply to college. Rightfully so, you have a ton of questions and concerns. You’re asking yourself “should my kid go?”; “is it safe?”;  and “how are they going to evaluate my child without an ACT or SAT?” Necessary questions with no obvious answers. 

What I do know, however, is that the ACT and the SAT (Collegeboard) are struggling to make testing even an option for many families. While I’m glad that they’re prioritizing health and canceling the administrations, they need to do so sooner -- like...