Score Plus Education - UAE Hosts 1st Virtual Counsellor Forum On Impacts Of Covid-19 On University Admissions In USA
The two-hour online workshop (in its new avatar) was the first of the Counsellor webinar series, where counsellors across the Middle East had the first-hand opportunity to receive updates and advice
As part of its initiative to host regular High School Counsellor workshop every year, Score Plus Learning Center - UAE organized Mission Admissions Connect: Impacts of COVID-19 on US Admissions, in partnership with Boston-based Al Jamiat of U.S. Education Group and The Princeton Review, USA on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. The two-hour online workshop (in its new avatar) was the first of the Counsellor webinar series, where counsellors across the Middle East had the first-hand opportunity to receive updates and advice from US Colleges on Fall 2020 and 2021 intakes.
Admission Directors from six reputed U.S universities were Virginia Tech, University of Kentucky, The University of Tulsa, California Lutheran University, Michigan State University, Marymount University along with Score Plus’s Key Note Speaker, Mr Robert Franek, New York-based Editor-In-Chief of Best 385 Colleges from The Princeton Review, USA interacted with 100 counsellors from the Middle East region. The panel speakers addressed the effects of cancellation of school exams such as IB and A-Levels on admissions for Fall 2020; the changes in the test format and exam dates for standardized testing such AP, SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS in 2020; and the latest admissions criteria and college preparation for Fall 2021.
The panel speakers were in unison that due to the sudden changing flow of the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is still certain for the incoming freshman class in terms of the move-in date, the orientation and finally, the first day of classes in Fall 2020. The possibilities range from a return to normality to conducting online university classes until the situation permits a return. As a result, numerous US universities have also extended the National College Decision Day to June 1, 2020 — giving more time to high school seniors to accept their college offers.
The university speakers also shared their current admissions criteria but indicated that there are a few provisional changes to their admissions policies for the Fall 2021 cycle. For instance, while many universities still require standardized tests for prospective students, some US colleges are not requiring them or are currently on test-optional admissions because of COVID-19. In response, Grade 11 students should stay open to online opportunities such as joining the online mailing list; attending live-streamed events and virtual open houses; and checking out virtual tours to exemplify their demonstrated interest. Towards testing, students can take these tests in Summer/Fall 2020; the test scores on the application forms will be viewed in a positive light.
Mr Robert Franek, National Test Prep and College Admissions Advisor for over 25+ years at The Princeton Review, USA, advised the counsellors to stick to the fundamentals of test-taking in terms of test choice: SAT vs ACT. He also encouraged students and counsellors alike to start planning for test preparation as there is already green light from ACT and College Board on the revised international ACT and SAT Summer and Fall 2020 test dates. However, update on the test set-up: in-person or at-home remains pending.
Mr Robert highlighted that the College Board would offer a digital version of the SAT exam if schools remain closed in Fall 2020 while its rival, ACT, is already in its online format. Since at-home digital AP exams are in check, at-home digital SAT testing would be similarly effective for use in college admissions.
As for colleges adopting the test-optional policy for Fall 2021 admissions criteria, Mr Robert Franek clarified that it does not imply test omission or relaxation of a college’s rigorous academic standards. Rather, it is a simple way the university could support high school students as they traverse a disrupted college admissions process. With these shifting sands in the college admissions procedure, Princeton Review advises rising seniors to continue sharpening their test skills as test cancellation does not mean that SAT or ACT revisions are too. If students are continuing prep until summer 2020, consistency can be the key to their test endurance, build-up along with their test confidence!
As an end note, Ritu Kalwani, Director of Score Plus Education Centre-UAE offered each participating school on the Missions Admissions Connect webinar to make use of 100 free student passes for PSAT, SAT or ACT practice online to upkeep their students’ knowledge fresh and their skills aligned with the SAT or ACT standards. These free practice tests are personalized so that the students can follow a study plan based on a diagnostic score. Additionally, counsellors were offered a copy of the Best 385 Colleges Guide Book for their participation.
For school administrators who are working remotely from home, counsellor’s webinars like this have proven to be of the utmost importance to be on the loop with the latest developments in the higher education arena. Counsellors in UAE, in particular, are grateful for the opportunity to have first hand, expert information on the university measures during COVID-19.
As mentioned by Nancy Al Hamad, University and Career Counselor of the Al Ittihad School: “The webinar was brilliant as it was great to hear directly from the US University Admissions Representatives about the steps taken to assist current students and how they would look at future student applications post Covid-19. Rob Franek from The Princeton Review’s session was insightful to help us answer student queries with the SAT and ACT test cancellations”
As stated by Juan Espinoza, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, Director of Undergraduate Admissions: “The webinar was fantastic and we hope that it will be a great resource for the counselors in these difficult times.”
Several more counsellor webinars as part of Mission Admissions Connect: COVID-19 are to be conducted in the next coming weeks (May 5, 2020, and June 9, 2020). These are free and open to the high school community like the weekly Saturday student webinars in May and June 2020. To find out more, please contact Ritu Kalwani at Score Plus Education Centre-UAE and Al Jamiat USEG Educational Group.
