College Planning During A Pandemic

Visiting campuses and taking the ACT has been difficult for many seniors.

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Matt Marlow, Staff Writer

College admissions weren’t easy to begin with, but the current pandemic has thrown a wrench in the plans of many seniors. Access to standardized testing like the ACT or SAT has been limited for many, as testing centers around the area continue to face uncertain closures. Visiting campuses has also been a barrier for many with new visitor regulations in place at many colleges. While some are continuing business as usual with their college plans, many have reconsidered whether they still want to attend a 4-year university, and some are debating whether to attend a higher education at all.  

Many seniors have decided to change their plans in response to the pandemic. Senior Emily Springkamper talked about how the change to remote learning shifted her perception of the college experience. 

“I do want to eventually attend a 4-year university, but I think I’m going to go to (Jefferson College) for now,” she said.

Others are staying on track. Senior Peyton Honea had already planned to attend a four-year university before the pandemic, and she is sticking with it. 

Access to standardized testing for college admissions has been a challenge for students all around the area. While many seniors were able to take it in December 2019, testing centers were closed until September for many, and they have faced intense demand for testing availability. Sprinkamper said she hasn’t had an opportunity to take it up until this April. 

In response to the problems many seniors are faced with, colleges around the country have gone test-optional, meaning that an ACT or SAT score is not required for admission. Yet, the majority of scholarships require a minimum ACT score to even be considered for selection.

Making the decision on a specific college has never been easy, but the pandemic has complicated that to a new level.

Senior Avery Funston plans on attending a university in Louisiana, but said, “Since (my university) is in Louisiana and with everything like COVID we haven’t gone.”