Apply with Sanity always has a “What Should I Be Doing Now?” section, updated for fall, spring, and summer. Obviously, the idea of what students should be doing right now is quite different, so I’ve updated the section for seniors to reflect what’s going on right now.

For 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, the “What Should I Be Doing Now?” entry is simply last week’s blog post “Don’t write a Coronavirus essay, but act like you will.” That’s really all the college admissions planning you should be doing right now while we’re in this emergency.

It is my largest hope right now that the Summer section, when it goes up in May, will be the same as every summer. Stay safe, stay home, and wash your hands.

AP Exams are May 4-15. The College Board is working on making short, writing-prompt-only exams that students can take at home. It’s still a work in progress, but they’ve already answered questions like “what units will be covered?” Art portfolios have an extended due date and shortened requirement. They’ve also said that any student already registered for an exam can cancel at no charge. Follow the AP updates here. College Board is also offering livestreamed tutorials for AP exams.

International Baccalaureate exams are cancelled. Follow the IB updates here.

Normally I say to continue to work at being a good high school student. And if that’s possible for you and your situation right now, you still should. Finish the year as strong as possible. But if you, like so many, have bigger things to worry about right now, then worry about the bigger things. Make sure you graduate. Other than that? I don’t think many admissions departments will be spending their time this summer checking up to make sure your grades didn’t decline. Get through this.

Choose a college. Making your final choice is going to be difficult this year for a lot of students, a lot more than most years. Almost all colleges have cancelled accepted-student events and tours. There are three things you should keep in mind every day for a while:

1. Be patient. Right now the answer to almost every important question is “nobody is sure right now.” Nobody’s holding out on you. Universities are getting the information and decisions as best as they can as admissions offices work from home (many of them also caring for children and/or elderly while they do it). High schools are also doing the best they can from home. Your family may not be in a good place right now. You’re going to need people to be patient with you, and you’re going to need to be patient with people.

2. Focus on what’s important. You likely have a few schools that have accepted you and are contenders for you. Focus on those. Don’t worry about the schools who didn’t accept you or the ones that are no longer really on your list. Focus on the few that you can. Follow them on social media and ask questions as you have them—as long as you’re patient about responses. Find out if their decision/deposit deadline is still May 1 or if it’s been pushed back to June 1. NACAC has a centralized site where you can check on status changes for many schools.

   You may be tempted to take advantage of the chaos to push for reversed decisions or better offers—resist that temptation. Nobody’s ideal student profile includes “takes advantage of others’ weakness for their own benefit.” So do’t be that person.

3. Check your email daily.

Get financial aid. Most students depend on at least some financial aid to get through college. For most, the final decision about where to go is heavily--if not completely--influenced by financial considerations. Look through your financial aid offers very carefully. Ask a lot of questions. Talk to you family about money, often. If your financial situation changes between now and when school begins—if a parent is laid off, if you have unexpected and/or high medical expenses, if your family has to sell major assets or their business goes under—let all your contender schools know immediately. Look for updates on their financial aid office page, if at all possible email someone in the financial aid office, and start working on the financial aid appeal process as soon as possible. You’re probably not going to get any swift or firm responses—see above about being patient—but you don’t want to wait a single day more on this than you have to.

Make summer plans. It’s really hard right now to think about summer when the spring is in such disarray. But assume, for planning purposes, that the COVID-19 emergency will be easing up by June 1. What do you need to do to get ready for college? Don't wait until the week before the fall semester to think about clothes for a new environment, bedding for a dorm, and transportation issues. If you've had a sluggish spring and need intellectual stimulation, see what your local museums or community centers offer. This summer will be the only time you have to get prepared. Wherever you think you need improvement, be it physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, intellectual, or any combination, now is the time.

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Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

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