High School Seniors that intend on applying to colleges typically face the stress that comes with writing personal essays, taking a standardized test, and attempting to stand out through their extracurriculars and achievements among thousands of other students. However, applicants of the Class of 2021 have made that typical process look easy in comparison to the process they are currently enduring. With the complications surrounding standardized tests, participating in extracurriculars, and touring colleges due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, this year’s applicants will struggle immensely with standing out due to these missed opportunities. With the expected increase in competition for this round of applicants, the pandemic has taken, applying to college has progressed to a whole new level.

The process of taking standardized tests has been more brutal than ever recently. The majority of applicants planned to take the SAT or ACT in the spring or early summer, meaning that they spent their winter or spring studying and practicing in preparation for their exams, unaware that they would have to wait numerous months to finally take their exam. The information is no longer fresh in their minds and this will definitely hurt the students if and when the time comes to finally take their exam. Many students devoted hours upon hours to studying while simultaneously managing their school work and keeping up their GPA. Those who paid for a tutor or textbooks for the exam have lost not only their time and energy, but also hundreds of dollars. Many students still haven’t taken their exam and may not be able to at all. This raises concerns for those who feel confident in their test-taking skills and feel that their score on the exam would help them stand out on their college application. Although the far majority of colleges have gone test-optional for this year’s applicants, any student who hasn’t been able to take the exam may face the trouble of not getting accepted to a school they dreamed of going to because they didn’t get the chance to show their skills through their exam scores, a conflict that applicants of previous years never had to face.

With the closures and cancellations of numerous extracurricular activities and opportunities for the class of 2021, applicants are struggling to find a way to show their involvement in their community or prove that they get out and make the most of the world around them. The Art & Science Group’s national survey shows that 30% of applicants have missed out an opportunity to participate in some type of extracurricular activity due to Covid-19. This aspect of the college application can be crucial in determining whether a student will be admitted to college or not. Without the ability to prove themselves through standardized tests or extracurricular activities, students are finding it harder than ever to differentiate themselves from the many other students applying this year.

The Art & Science Group’s national survey also allowed students to express their simple desire for more time. If colleges were to push back their deadlines for applications, students could take the appropriate tests and possibly take advantage of extracurricular activities before submitting their application. They could also visit more college campuses and get a better idea of what schools they actually want to apply to, since the pandemic made touring colleges extremely difficult because of the majority of schools cancelling tours and visits, difficulty travelling, and of course the fear of contracting or spreading the Coronavirus by attending these tours. Students are now in a situation where they don’t feel confident in their application because the pandemic forced them to miss opportunities, and they are unsure of the schools they even want to apply to, causing students to apply to schools they didn’t even tour just in case they later discover that they want to attend that school. It is very likely that more students will not get accepted into schools they wish to attend, and students will spend more money on applying to more schools than they would under normal circumstances, all because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although the Coronavirus has made applying to colleges extremely challenging for this year’s round of applicants, a few positive things have come out as well. For example, to compromise for college’s cancelling college visits, the schools have created virtual opportunities instead. This may not be ideal for those who wished to tour these schools, however for those who are looking to apply out of state or internationally, it has been much easier to explore the different colleges and all that they have to offer. The writers at US News predict that applicants may actually have a better chance at getting accepted to some colleges. This is because the uncertainty surrounding the next school year has led many students to reconsider their college plans. It is unclear whether or not in-person classes or dorming on campus will be available to students in the next school year, turning many students away from applying. This will make colleges less competitive and students may have a better chance at getting accepted. Overall the pandemic has been a rollercoaster with the many ups and downs that came with it for college applicants of the Class of 2021. In hope that reality will eventually be restored, college applicants are still moving past these challenges to hopefully get the college experience they’ve worked so hard for.