It’s a new world; especially in college admissions. What we did last year at this time has been obliterated by the coronavirus. Future college students (upcoming seniors) will have to adapt. Current college students are faced with all sorts of dilemmas.

Just for parents, I’ve compiled some of the articles I’ve found about navigating college during COVID-19. I hope you find them helpful for you and your student.

Future college students

Applying to College during COVID-19

Amy Romm Lockard of Dovetail College Consulting in Portland, Oregon works with high school students nationwide to look at careers, majors, colleges and other post-secondary options as well as all the pieces in between (testing, financial aid, teacher recommendations, scholarship applications and more).

Amy has been writing for CollegiateParent about admissions for a while now and we are so thankful for her contributions, and for her insights and warmth which you can see in this recent video interview, College Admissions During COVID-19: A CollegiateParent Conversation.

We’ve compiled highlights from our conversation with Amy — read on to catch her best tips for high school seniors applying to college this fall. 

High School Juniors and the Pandemic

High school juniors may be wondering how the pandemic will affect their college plans. Your student may be asking: 

• How is this virus going to affect my future college application? 
• Are these abridged AP exams going to count? 
• I worked so hard this year, took a rigorous curriculum, but now how can this pass/fail grading highlight my improved grades? 
• My prestigious summer program was just canceled—what can I do for the next several months? 
• With all the seniors currently asking for gap years, will this mean there will be fewer spaces in future years?”

We can’t know the future, but we can deal with what we know now. As time progresses, the options will change, but for now, here is some helpful information.

How Covid Impacts Rising High School Seniors

We looked at the kinds of challenges and changes that rising high school seniors may face this fall.

Here’s what we found.

All schools that return to on-campus learning will have new procedures in place for keeping students and staff healthy. That includes whatever the state mandates for the number of students allowed in buildings, mask use, how far apart they can sit, where they can eat, hand-washing routines, changes in how clubs and extracurricular activities are handled, and whether sports are played and can be attended. 

Class of 2021 College Admissions: What College Officials Want You to Know

Collaborating with the Making Caring Common project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, college admissions professionals have jointly issued “Care Counts in Crisis: College Admissions Deans Respond to COVID-19.” The statement focuses on five points students need to keep in mind this year: Self-care, academics, service, families, and extracurricular activities.

COVID College Search: Tours, Student Panels, and Fairs In Your PJs

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, rising high school seniors would likely be spending some time during the summer and fall visiting prospective colleges, attending college fairs, or meeting with college recruiters who visit their high schools. But what about now? As you might expect, researching college options for the Class of 2021 just got very interesting! Let’s take a look at what some of these formerly typical activities might look like this year. It’s the COVID college search year!

Current college students

Will Students Be Safe on Campus This Fall?

As college move-in day approaches, parents around the country have understandable concerns about online vs. in-person instruction.

Many parents wonder if the quality of instruction will be the same if classes are conducted remotely, and if it’s worth the high cost of tuition they’re paying.

Parents are also expressing anxiety about student safety — both health safety because of the pandemic and physical safety in communities where protests and violence continue. Unlike the decision about how classes will be held, your student may have a choice about whether to return to campus or study from home (unless their school has closed all residential facilities or is permitting only certain grades to return).

If you’re still up in the air about this, or just want to prepare your student as well as possible for a safe and healthy fall semester, here are some things to know and talk about.

COVID-19s Impact on College Students This Fall

We looked at the kinds of challenges and changes that entering freshmen and current college students may face this fall.

Here’s what we found.

All schools that return to on-campus learning will have new procedures in place for keeping students and staff healthy.

That includes whatever the state mandates for the number of students allowed in buildings, mask use, how far apart they can sit, where they can eat, handwashing routines, changes in how clubs and extracurricular activities are handled, and whether sports are played and can be attended. 

Find Money for College During the Pandemic

COVID-19 has impacted many families financially — including their ability to pay for college. What may have been a positive financial outlook in the fall of 2019, when students applied and accepted admission, has changed dramatically for many families with the nationwide shutdowns and changes in employment.

Student athletes have been hit hard as many colleges are cutting programs to save money and stay afloat. Needless to say, athletes aren’t the only students who are impacted. Many students who’d planned to use family funds to pay for college are now faced with financial hardship and left wondering how they will be able to afford college. Families are being forced to get creative and look for funds in the form of scholarships and grants if they wish to avoid borrowing to pay for college.

If you find you are short on funds to pay for college, use these tactics before you decide to take out loans.

COVID-19: 5 Things That Will Be Different on Campus This Year   

The elbow bump. It’s a thing!

As freshmen and upperclassmen start thinking (dreaming?) about heading to college this fall. They’re going to be packing more supplies than usual, however. What will be different on campus this year, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic? Maybe more elbow bumps than hugs! Here are five things you may not have thought of. Make some preparations if possible!

Both high school and college students

Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Families of High School and College Students

In one of the most challenging periods in the last century, the Coronavirus has roiled healthcare systems and everyday life, with citizens wondering what the ramifications are for society and their everyday lives.

While public health and government officials are providing their expertise to the specifics of health and everyday life, high school students, college students, and their parents face special complexities in managing their finances and their college experiences.