Applying to College during COVID

1

00:00:00,660 --> 00:00:02,241

In a year of can'ts, colleges

2

00:00:02,241 --> 00:00:05,930

and college-bound seniors are

figuring out how they can.

3

00:00:05,930 --> 00:00:09,060

And with more online

applications, more technology,

4

00:00:09,060 --> 00:00:11,651

and more creativity, colleges

are finding their place

5

00:00:11,651 --> 00:00:14,150

in a pandemic world.

6

00:00:14,150 --> 00:00:15,700

You're watching the Local News Network,

7

00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:17,670

brought to you by Kroeger's Ace Hardware

8

00:00:17,670 --> 00:00:19,540

and FastSigns of Durango.

9

00:00:19,540 --> 00:00:21,570

I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

10

00:00:21,570 --> 00:00:24,860

Over the years, the college

admissions process has consisted

11

00:00:24,860 --> 00:00:28,510

of an application, maybe a

college visit and interview,

12

00:00:28,510 --> 00:00:30,070

and a decision.

13

00:00:30,070 --> 00:00:33,060

That much hasn't changed since last March,

14

00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:34,470

even though colleges now have

15

00:00:34,470 --> 00:00:37,760

to accommodate social distancing

and other safety measures

16

00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:39,400

during the pandemic.

17

00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,460

After all, many perspective

students can't visit campuses.

18

00:00:43,460 --> 00:00:44,910

Many have also been unable

19

00:00:44,910 --> 00:00:47,260

to take standard college entrance exams

20

00:00:47,260 --> 00:00:51,160

and remote learning has

disrupted their lives.

21

00:00:51,160 --> 00:00:54,050

So at Fort Lewis, our

application for admission

22

00:00:54,050 --> 00:00:56,760

typically opens in early September.

23

00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,173

We've seen a bulk of our

applicants come in from September

24

00:01:00,173 --> 00:01:04,490

through about January in a typical year

25

00:01:04,490 --> 00:01:06,170

and an application

26

00:01:06,170 --> 00:01:08,900

for a traditional first-year

student would include

27

00:01:08,900 --> 00:01:12,050

a high school transcript

showing their work completed

28

00:01:12,050 --> 00:01:14,830

through their junior year,

standardized test scores

29

00:01:14,830 --> 00:01:17,490

as required by the state of Colorado,

30

00:01:17,490 --> 00:01:18,800

either ACT or SAT scores,

31

00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,720

and then the application form itself.

32

00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,210

Colleges have found

creative and different ways

33

00:01:24,210 --> 00:01:27,310

to show off their campuses

without in-person visits,

34

00:01:27,310 --> 00:01:29,670

and at smaller schools like Fort Lewis,

35

00:01:29,670 --> 00:01:33,850

they've kept the tours operational

with some modifications.

36

00:01:33,850 --> 00:01:36,081

We are really fortunate that we get to do

37

00:01:36,081 --> 00:01:40,284

in-person options both

based on our location

38

00:01:40,284 --> 00:01:41,980

and using the best, you know,

39

00:01:41,980 --> 00:01:46,490

San Juan Basin public health

COVID guidelines in the state,

40

00:01:46,490 --> 00:01:47,980

we felt we could do our visits.

41

00:01:47,980 --> 00:01:50,100

We're a small enough

school that we could give

42

00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:53,530

these students and families

a personalized visit.

43

00:01:53,530 --> 00:01:55,849

So instead of 35 people

sitting in a presentation

44

00:01:55,849 --> 00:01:58,880

and then going on a tour around campus,

45

00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,861

now students and families

come to our office

46

00:02:00,861 --> 00:02:02,810

and it's a one-on-one meeting

47

00:02:02,810 --> 00:02:05,578

or like a one-on-family meeting

where the family comes in,

48

00:02:05,578 --> 00:02:07,626

they sit on one end of a conference table.

49

00:02:07,626 --> 00:02:10,400

We have our admission

counselor on the other end.

50

00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:11,780

There, of course is a health screening

51

00:02:11,780 --> 00:02:13,630

when they arrive, they wash their hands,

52

00:02:13,630 --> 00:02:18,030

everyone has masks and

they're keeping distance,

53

00:02:18,030 --> 00:02:20,310

but we're still able to do that,

54

00:02:20,310 --> 00:02:22,130

to kind of give that

personalized experience,

55

00:02:22,130 --> 00:02:26,020

and what we have found

is that both our staff

56

00:02:26,020 --> 00:02:28,410

and the students and families

actually really enjoy

57

00:02:28,410 --> 00:02:29,243

that experience.

58

00:02:29,243 --> 00:02:31,160

It's much more individualized.

59

00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:32,890

Many colleges now offer

60

00:02:32,890 --> 00:02:36,830

online admission applications

and have added virtual tours.

61

00:02:36,830 --> 00:02:39,770

It's now an expectation

that every college is going

62

00:02:39,770 --> 00:02:42,120

to have virtual visit options.

63

00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,870

You know, I think, like I said,

we're constantly refining,

64

00:02:44,870 --> 00:02:47,670

so what we're offering today might not be

65

00:02:47,670 --> 00:02:51,410

what we're offering a

year and a half from now.

66

00:02:51,410 --> 00:02:53,470

If you'd like to learn more about changes

67

00:02:53,470 --> 00:02:56,426

to college admissions, contact

your high school counselor

68

00:02:56,426 --> 00:02:58,900

or college admissions advisor.

69

00:02:58,900 --> 00:03:01,170

Thanks for watching this

edition of the local news.

70

00:03:01,170 --> 00:03:02,733

I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

‍