A quick note that we will be closed on Monday for Presidents Day. We hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!

BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES

We’ve written before about the need- and merit-based aid processes for schools, but there are a variety of scholarships available for students from outside organizations, and it is important to be on the lookout for options like these (Shannon once applied for a college scholarship granted to tall students!). 

Scholarships that have been announced this week include the National Catholic College Admission Association scholarship, which is awarded to 16 randomly selected students who are attending National CCAA member colleges like Boston College, Villanova, or Notre Dame. 

The Cameron Impact Scholars application is also now open - the early deadline for the Class of 2022 to apply for this full-tuition merit scholarship is May 21.

JILL BIDEN PROMISES FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Dr. Biden said on Tuesday that she would work to ensure free access to community colleges and training programs for all students. Those who are local to Northern Virginia are very fortunate to have guaranteed admissions agreements in place between Northern Virginia Community College and over 40 colleges and universities, including William & Mary, GW, Virginia Tech, UVA, and JMU. All students who graduate from NOVA and meet the requirements of the agreement are guaranteed admission to the college of their choice - a great deal for Virginia students! Dr. Biden is an instructor at NOVA.

CHANGES FOR THE CLASS OF 2022

We wrote last week about some of the changes we are seeing to the AP exams, and expect to see even more changes going forward now that the College Board has done away with subject tests. The College Board is offering three administrations of AP tests: the first wave in early May will be in-school only, while the late May and early June test dates will be available in school and at home. Schools, not students, will make the decisions about exam dates and administration methods, so check in with your school for information.

Changes have also been made this cycle to the citizenship section of the Common App. The question about citizenship will now offer different options for international students and undocumented/DACA students. All questions related to geography will now be optional, as will questions about parents and family. Questions about student visas have also been changed. In general, we recommend that students include as much information as possible, even for optional questions, but we encourage clients to reach out to us if you have any questions about your particular situation!

STUDENTS PROTEST SEXUAL ASSAULT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE US

College students at Boston University, Minnesota State, Gettysburg College, and more participated in socially-distanced demonstrations to support survivors and raise awareness of sexual assault on campus. Students argue that schools have deprioritized sexual assault issues amidst the focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.  

BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK

We had hoped that with more college students back on campus this spring, lessons learned from the fall semester would improve safety. But with the new coronavirus variants now spreading, there are already outbreaks at many schools around the country, including Michigan, Berkeley, and Tulane. Some of these outbreaks are linked to the new variants, while others arose because students did not follow quarantine rules upon the return to campus. As we’ve said before, it is not worth the trouble of a disciplinary violation to flout COVID restrictions on campus - you will set yourself up for success by following the rules as closely as you can!

Though we don’t necessarily agree with every single point made in this article from the Wall Street Journal, there were parts of it that definitely resonated with us as interesting as food for thought with the new changes to the SAT and the admissions process this cycle. The author argues that by focusing less on merit and data like grades and test scores in the admissions process, colleges shift their focus from excellence to “mediocrity.” Definitely makes us think about how schools and colleges (and the rest of us!) define excellence for ourselves and our students. 

If you need a feel-good story to counteract all the negative news lately, check out this Washington Post article. It profiles a Houston high school senior who used the money she had saved to attend Barnard College in the fall to pay her family’s rent after her mother lost her job due to the pandemic. This particular story has a happy ending - the student was able to raise the money after her story was featured on Good Morning America - but it is a reminder that during this difficult time, there are a lot of students forced to make challenging financial decisions. 

OFFICE HAPPENINGS

We have been busy discussing how we might reopen in person in our office - we miss seeing all of you! Given the current Phase 3 restrictions for small businesses in Virginia, this would look very different than it has in the past. Of course, students who want to remain fully virtual would still have this option! If you are a Class of 2022 student or family, please fill out our in-person services questionnaire to help us understand your priorities as we move forward. We really want to serve our clients in person, but we also want this to be safe and successful for everyone - it is a tricky balance!

Have you checked out our Summer 2021 Internships Database recently? If not, you might be missing out on some great opportunities! We update this page every week with local and virtual internships and college courses. You can also see information about registration for the virtual Fairfax County teen job fairs coming up next month on March 13 and March 20. Now is the time to get your plans set for this summer! If you are an employer with an internship or job opportunity for high school students, let us know - we would love to feature your posting on our page. 

Enjoy the long weekend!