Test-Optional, Pass/Fail Grades, SIP, Oh My! How To Prepare Your Teen for College Applications Next Year
Lately, it seems like a day doesn’t go by where we hear news of another college going test-optional next year or new plans from the College Board to make up for lost test dates because of COVID-19. As high schools throughout the country are staying closed for the rest of the school year, Pass/Fail grades for the most critical semester on the transcript are becoming a reality. It seems like the entire admissions process is turning on its head because of COVID-19.
Yes, in many ways, it is. But there are also many ways it’s staying the same. As I wrote in my other recent blog post on COVID-19, holistic admissions at competitive and highly competitive colleges will reign supreme. But what is holistic admissions? What will colleges look at if they can’t look at test scores or spring grades? How will students continue to build their resumes? Behold the College Admissions Iceberg. I created this before the pandemic and realized that now is the perfect time to share it to help parents and students understand what college admission officers will be scrutinizing next year.
That’s not to say that the factors below the surface haven’t mattered in the past. Character, self-awareness, values, sense of purpose, social consciousness, these have always been part of the admissions equation. But with COVID-19, most of the factors above the surface: transcript, test scores, accomplishments, and activities will look different next year, which means what lies beneath the surface will take a starring role. And quite frankly, they should and do, especially when there are schools that can fill their freshman class 10 times over with perfect test scores and GPAs.
I would have to write several books to thoroughly cover how to cultivate all the “below the surface” factors. Here are my quick tips:
Encourage your child to pursue authentic interests. Ask them to brainstorm all the times that they find themselves so engrossed in an activity that they lose track of time (video games don’t count). Look for ways to further deepen and explore those interests. Here’s a list of ideas I share with my students.
Start by learning about your character strengths. The VIA Character Survey isn’t your average personality quiz. It’s a research-vetted survey developed by professors at the University of Pennsylvania. I do this activity with every student I coach. What are your unique character strengths? How do you currently use them? What are some new ways you can use them? It’s a great activity and conversation starter for the entire family.
Talk about your family values with your children as much as you can. Share your moral dilemmas. If you want them to get good grades, tell them why. Hopefully, it’s not just because it matters for college. Maybe it’s because trying your best is important, or perhaps it’s because responsibility and a strong work ethic is important to you.
Help your child learn about the world outside their bubble. Since we’re all staying put for a while, watch documentaries about the challenges the world faces. Inequity is in the spotlight because of COVID-19; use news and podcasts to help your child engage with current events and the world around them. Help them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Grow your child’s emotional intelligence by processing setbacks and successes with them. Help them identify the range of emotions they might be feeling. Show your own emotions and let them see your vulnerability, even if it is hard. So much of a child’s emotional awareness and intelligence comes from watching the adults around them.
Authenticity is something that all colleges look for in a candidate. Help your child get rid of the mental checklist in their mind of what they should do to get into college. It might just be a blessing that the summer programs and structured activities they’re used to are canceled. It means they have to rely on themselves to get engaged. And that’s really what colleges want anyway. Authentic, motivated, independent thinkers, who will go on and solve the world’s most complex problems.