Tackling the Pandemic-influenced US University Application

In the last blog, we covered the challenges in this year's US university application since the COVID-19. The shift to virtual activities has affected two central differentiators in students' upcoming admissions; grades and standardized tests.

We closed the blog with a resolution to those challenges, which is to work on the qualitative aspects of the application. What are those qualitative aspects? And how do you amplify them in your application?

Quality Over Quantity

Make your application stand out in the quality aspects, things that are not quantified by grades or scores. Things like your character, curiosity, inventive mind, and impact will most likely be the main actors of your application. 

Universities usually take on a holistic approach where they see you not only from one aspect but many. For instance, they want to know about you beyond grades, your hopes and dreams, your uniqueness, your story, your brand. 

Now, how can you show that to your dream college?

The answer is by utilizing your admission essays, letters of recommendation, and admission interview, to their fullest potential. 

Well, yes, it is not a new drill to work these substantial requirements in the best fashion possible. Additionally, there are new updates you should know first before creating your application.

Update for Your College Essay

Among thousands of 400-word college essays, what kind of information do you think the admission officers seek? 

Other than academic interest, they want to know what kind of student you are and how you will fit into the university. You must portray your interests, creativity, willingness to work hard, and other unique qualities. Most importantly, connect your traits with your dream university, and describe how you will fit in perfectly. 

This year, the Common App added an optional prompt that allows you to share about how COVID-19 impacted your life. Thus, you are able to show your perseverance and resilience during the trying time, as well as how you grow and move forward from the obstacle. 

However, you must be mindful if you opt to answer this prompt. You would want your dream universities to see you as someone thoughtful and not as someone trivial and insensitive. So, you need to specify your obstacle during the pandemic instead of writing about how the lockdown ruined your summer fun-plan.

If the pandemic does not make a significant change in your life, you can choose other additional prompts that will benefit you more.

Make an Impact on Your Surroundings

Did you enroll yourself in summer courses or internships?

As a commonly known fact, you need to fill time with extracurricular or immersion activities to deepen your knowledge about your preferred field. Indeed, it will also emphasize your characteristics, leadership, and communication skills, all things that you want to include in your application. 

But, how will you earn those benefits if your plans for internships or other activities are canceled? 

It gets challenging when you have to be active in order to build a good resume but what you can do during the pandemic is limited. However, it is where you get reviewed by the admission officers; what you make out of things accessible to you during the lockdown and also how do you contribute to your surroundings during the crisis.

Truth is, there are many things you can do online to still have a productive time. You can join courses or workshops online as a way to learn and further sharpen your technical skills. You can also build a passion project, even dedicating the purpose to help your society during the crisis. 

Be creative and resourceful in finding what useful activities you can do. Show how you contribute and utilize your best qualities to bring good in a trying time.

Letters of recommendation 

The key points you should note for your letters of recommendation are the tangible evidence of your qualities provided from other perspectives. The admission officers seek qualitative information that makes you truly exceptional, and not only as a well-credentialed student. 

Unfortunately, many of you have lost direct interactions with your mentors and teachers from school. Although you still have classes and courses online, how will you keep connected to your instructors in the way you did before the social distancing? 

Before virtual classrooms, the interactions and relationships that kept the class dynamic are the foundational aspects of the classroom itself. Now it's your turn to figure how you are going to perform and engage during your courses online as well as you did in the in-person classes. 

So, keep being curious, responsive, and intellectually engaging in the online classroom. Show your teachers and mentors that even with challenges you are still a strong and achieving student. 

Those are the things we extracted from the new situation of the admission cycle this year. For you, students, we hope that you can note important things from this information and figure out how you will fill your university applications. 

Good luck and see you next time!