The world around us has been surrounded by chaos and unpredictability lately. We’ve all had to endure the recent flip, forcing many of us to react immediately to these new changes. This sudden change in lifestyle has made it harder for seniors in high school to better prepare themselves for college. My main focus is to learn how the pandemic outturns high school students’ academics and every day social lives in order to make certain they aren’t in disadvantage.

Students who have been separated from their teachers, classmates, and classroom, might have a hard time talking to teachers about planning for college. College-bound seniors are now having to be pressured to choose between schools without the opportunity of visiting the campuses in person. Seeing pictures of a college online is far from enjoying the reality of in-person tours. Not being able to consolidate with current students is also a big disadvantage. Juniors and even sophomores who have been working on their further college plans have as well been experiencing challenges. Some of the best known laid pays have been put on hold as they find themselves back at home dealing with the new life of online classes. As Covid-19 experts further study the evolution of the world’s situation, they have predicted that this will be a long process and it won’t be going away any time soon.

Since many colleges are dropping requirements for standardized tests considering whether or not to use the letter grading system or change it to a pass or fail grade. This is leaving many students wondering what is actually needed from them to attend to the colleges of their choice. High school counselors are informing students to not stress over these sudden changes and that focusing on their studies should come first. Students taking AP courses should continue completing their work to maintain a good understanding of its work structure, possibly helping them pass their AP exams giving them college credits.

Applying for financial aid should always be an option even if a parent doesn’t have a job. It’s never too late to get financial aid but getting as soon as possible will definitely save many families the hassle. ​”Go on and fill it out with taxes from 2018, but then if you have come into a different financial situation, which many people are now, then you will reach out to the college and then the college will make adjustments for you,” said Ficklin. The classes of 2021 and 2022 should have the same idea in mind. Since many decisions made by the district affect those classes the most they should keep researching entry requirements and virtual tours for any considered colleges.

With the absence of school sports and events, students are left with much more free time to themselves. How some use this time can discern a difference in them from other peers when applying for college applications. Jordan Kanarek with College Wise said, “This is where students need to find their creative edge. It’s where they need to figure out, ‘Am I going to be the victim of COVID-19? Or am I going to find a way to make an impact during this scary and unprecedented time?” Students should be thoughtful about how they use their time, learning new skills and developing different hobbies that can be interesting to put down on their applications. “But even under normal circumstances, colleges do not expect all students to be able to fill time away from school with academic work or specific extracurricular activities,” says Veronica Hauad, deputy director of admissions at the University of Chicago. “We recognize that many students have significant responsibilities at home and will be called upon to do even more at this time. Take extra care of yourself and of those around you, and know that we are here to help in any way that we can.”

The best thing to recognize is that we are all in this together. The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected all students, but we must remember that it is only temporary. We should take the next few months as as any other school year, making sure that each student’s college plans aren’t put to an end. Keep moving forward aiming towards your goals cause if you truly want something you can achieve it, of course with a little help along the way.