Beyond Grades: the University Application Process

As the current school year comes to an end, students are being reminded once again of the importance and anxiety of the college application process. Everything that students work for during their high school years comes down to one period of utter stress and effort. This transformative experience in a student’s life can possibly shape their future career and open doors for new opportunities. Before your parents force you to go on those college visits and study over the break, read and be sure to understand what the process entails and what you can expect from it.

Having been hit hard by the Covid pandemic, college admissions are returning back to a normal state. According to SFS university counselor Dr. Cook, the biggest changes brought about by the pandemic have been test requirements and application diversity. During the pandemic, many schools switched their test requirements to “optional,” meaning students were not required to submit scores from tests like the SAT. This policy is continuing despite the end of the pandemic, signaling a new change in the application process and possibly an advantage for students. The other trend that has resurfaced after Covid is the fact that students are applying to colleges in countries like Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong again. In addition to the two major changes, schools are also making many online resources available, which will help students access the schools they are interested in with more freedom. Applicants can make use of Zoom visits and other key adjustments in the admissions process for a better application this year and in the distant future. For current underclassmen, Dr. Cook strongly encourages participation in the college fairs and visits that are making a return for the first time since 2020. By attending such events students can be “[provided] a snapshot of information about what the schools are all about,” says Dr. Cook. For others who already have schools they are interested in, the fairs allow students to ask more specific questions that may not be answered online. The school representatives that come to SFS are a great resource that can help you make your way through the application process in the future. The other message Dr. Cook gives is to focus on your own path. She says “there’s often an underlying current of competition here where people are comparing themselves to each other” and students are spending too much of their time thinking of the success of others. By comparing themselves, Dr. Cook says “students are only comparing themselves to an idea—an idea of people,” which has negative mental effects. In a time of much-needed concentration and preparation, participating in the academic competition is not the greatest way to approach the university application process. Despite the hardships that are expected, it is important for students to be optimistic in their approach to university.

Lastly, for the seniors who will be leaving SFS, the application process is something they can finally forget about. “My hope for this class is that they have a lot of fun in college” says Dr. Cook. She mentioned that this year’s seniors lived through the worst of Covid and lost their chance to be “young and social.” This year’s senior class has studied through a pandemic, escaped quarantine, and will now be opening the next chapter of their lives in university. When you see your senior friends in these final days before summer break, be sure to congratulate them!