Julianna has decided!

Julianna has some news: Boo Covid! Yay Bulldogs! Read the full interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Julianna attends a public high school in Kentucky

Last month you were very much in waiting mode. Has there been any news?

There has been lots of news since I last answered these question! I actually found out that I am a finalist for the University of Georgia’s Foundation Fellowship, which is their full ride scholarship program. There are 48 finalists, and after an interview weekend at the end of this month, 30 will be awarded the full scholarship. However, all finalists are automatically awarded Ramsey Scholarships, which are also extremely generous. With all of this in mind, and with UGA being my first choice anyway, I have committed! Go Dawgs!

How's it going on the financial aid front? Are schools being realistic? Generous? Disappointing? How likely does it seem right now that your top-choice school will also be affordable? I ask this question of almost everyone, but I know that you were hoping to specifically hear from UGA by the end of January.

I haven’t heard much about financial aid from my schools so far, and I’m still waiting on admissions decisions from Boston University, Northwestern, and Syracuse. Those are set to come in March. Although I’ve already committed, I’m looking forward to hearing back. I expect more financial aid information will be sent my way in the months to come.

How's school going? Are you still on campus and still relatively safe?

School has been good! We are fully in person. In the last week of January, I actually was diagnosed with COVID-19 and I’ve been at home. I’m going back to school this week though, so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again and I’m feeling much better.

A major topic in college admissions for the past year has been testing and colleges going test optional. Did you submit SAT or ACT scores with any of your applications? Did you have test scores to submit, and if so how do you go about deciding if you'd include them with your application?

I am lucky enough to have been able to take the ACT multiple times, and each time I had a score in the high thirties. For me, submitting scores was a no brainer. I know that many students aren’t as fortunate to have that option though, and I believe that test optional admissions is the future, one step below eradicating standardized tests completely.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

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2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

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Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

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Opting in and out of standardized tests

There has been some big news in the past few weeks concerning college admissions testing.

The first is a single announcement: the College Board has discontinued SAT Subject Tests and the optional SAT Essay. While I was pleased (but not surprised) to hear this, the SAT Subject Tests are not really a big part of my world. Few of the students I’ve worked with in the past five years took any Subject Tests. When they did take them, it was because they wanted to apply to a specific school that required one or more of the tests, and the students took it once. There had been no multiple-year build up to the Subject Tests the way there is for the SAT (and/or ACT). The Subject Tests and Essay were essentially opt-in tests, meaning those tests were something that people only did once it was clear they had to—it wasn’t “normal” to take those tests.

The second news item is a series of announcements: many colleges are already declaring that they will remain test optional for at least another year. (I’m not surprised at this development, but expected it to come later in the spring, not this early.) With so many test-optional choices available, that means that the regular SAT and ACT are becoming opt-in tests as well. I wouldn’t advise any high school student to take either of those tests until they’ve chosen to apply to a school that requires it. Those tests had been, until last year, opt-out tests: it was “normal” to take those tests, and you needed some good reason not to. But things have shifted drastically.

This news is good for you on a personal level. Eliminating the SAT/ACT requirement, or at least reducing its outsized importance, makes your admissions tasks more manageable. You get to focus more time and energy on things that have a lasting effect and less time and energy on tests that have no value once you enter college.

It’s also good on a wider, systemic level. When it comes to inequities in college admissions, the opt-out nature of the standardized tests is a major factor. First-generation college students are less likely to take the tests before their senior year, or at all. Students in high schools that don’t make test administration part of their focus are less likely to take the tests. For them, the SAT and ACT were opt-in tests, and many didn’t or couldn’t opt in in time. With that barrier to college access reduced, those tests will be less of a factor for equal college access. Of course there are other barriers, especially during a pandemic with widespread unemployment, but making the tests essentially opt-in for everyone can help level the playing field a bit. That’s a categorical good thing for everyone.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts: Test-optional isn’t going to last: Juniors, should you take the next SAT or ACT?; Should you submit your scores to a test-optional college?

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

What should 9th and 10th graders do this spring?

Last March I wrote a post called “Don’t write a Coronavirus essay, but act like you will.” I made the pretty naive prediction that people would be back to “normal” school by fall at the latest. That was, obviously, wrong. I also said that students should not write an admissions essay about their pandemic experience “unless asked.” And now the Common Application does indeed have a short, optional prompt about Covid-19. But I stand by my main idea, that perhaps the best way to make it through this—or any other—really difficult period is to think about how you would hope to describe the experience once it’s passed. So my advice for 9th and 10th graders, high school students that are not yet in the thick of admissions season, remains to focus on being the best high school student possible, given your circumstances and limitations. Below is that original post from March, with all its bad assumptions about the time frame. “Month” and “months” should be changed to “year” and “years.” You may be out of the house more than you were last March, or possibly less. But a focus on actions and activities that make you feel like your most successful self is still what you should be doing right now.

You’re probably not at school right now. You’re probably not going back to school, at least physically, for at least two weeks. You may not go back to school until the next school year this fall. We’re in the middle of a global crisis, all of us.

And so the next month—months?—may be really difficult for you. Even given the best-case scenario—that your family is insulated from job loss, doesn’t need extra medical care, and has plenty of supplies—being together all day as you work and study with Social Distancing may reveal things about yourself or your family that you didn’t realize before. It may significantly change the way you think about school, about your place in the world, about what your future may look like.

If you’re a high school student planning to go to college, you’ll be tempted to write about this for an admissions essay. And that makes sense—it’s probably going to be one of the major events in your life so far. But don’t do it. It’s likely to be a major event in everyone’s life. As extraordinary as this is, its universality will make it difficult to write anything that stands out. It will be like other major life events that almost nobody writes about because they’re so common: starting high school, the difficulties of puberty, realizing that all families have weirdness in them. You should just decide right now that you’re not going to write about this unless asked.

But something that may make the month go better for you and the people around you is to act as though you are going to write an admissions essay about it.

I always advise students to begin the essay process not with the prompts or some story they think will be good, but to begin with thinking about their defining characteristics. Curiosity. Persistence. Kindness. Boundless energy. A talent for planning. Charisma. Those kinds of qualities. What are your defining characteristics? What do people praise you for? What kinds of actions or activities make you feel most successful at being yourself? Start there.

And then think about how you can best apply those qualities to this situation and the people you’re with. And I mean the people you are physically with, day after day. How can you practice, in ways that are meaningful even if they’re small, your best qualities? How can you best put your talents to use as you hunker down with your family and those around you? Once you’ve practiced that, very intentionally, for several days, then think about how you can use the same qualities to help the greater community around you. The answer may very well be that you can’t right now, that social distancing means you won’t interact with many people and definitely not strangers. But think about it and plan as much as possible.

Extreme situations and changes of routine can bring out the worst in us, but it can also bring out the best. Decide right now that you’re going to make sure it brings out your best by practicing your best each day.

Work to make this month as essay-worthy as possible. You don’t have to cure the sick or single handedly re-organize society or publicly criticize each mistake you see other people making. You just have to make this ordeal a way to keep doing the things you’re best at with those around you. Doing this won’t make a better essay, because you’re not going to actually write the essay. But it will help you make the most of this horrible situation. It will help you be an active and useful part of your suddenly much smaller community, and it will help you know yourself much better. Surely that’s more important than a single-use essay?

Be careful out there. Wash your hands. Be the best you can.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read What Should I Be Doing Now? for other grades.

3. Ask a question—or share other resources—in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

What should juniors do this spring?

Dates & Deadlines

SAT: March 13 (register by February 12); May 8 (register by April 8); June 5 (register by May 6).

ACT: February 6 (register by January 19); April 17 (register by March 12); June 12 (register by May 7).

Should you plan on taking the SAT or ACT this spring? NO.

AP Exams: May 3-14, with “full length digital contingency exams” in early June for students unable to take the regular exams.

Work at being good at high school

The best way to prepare for college is to be a good high school student, and there may be no more important semester of high school--as far as college planning is concerned--than this semester. When admissions counselors look at you transcript next fall, this semester is the most recent and full picture they have. While they'll look at all your grades and activities, the junior year is more important. It lets them see how you perform in more rigorous classes and more leadership roles than you're likely to have in the 9th and 10th grade. 

What it means to be a good high school student—what it means to be a high school student at all—is drastically different this year. Keep in mind that everyone knows this. Everyone, from your teachers to school counselors to admissions officers, are also struggling through this year. They know that this past year hasn’t been normal and that transcripts and activity lists look really different.

So you don't need to add any stress or anxiety about this. You need to give this spring all that you have, that you be as fully engaged and active as possible. Nobody is asking the impossible of you. If your circumstances require you to scale back your efforts this semester or are getting in the way of your success, begin thinking about how you will talk about those circumstances with colleges.  If you find yourself falling behind, take the time to talk with your teachers and family about how to catch up—if you can. If you need emotional help, go get it. Don't wait.

A lot of the pressure that smart and ambitious high school students have to deal with is the idea that one wrong move or bad grade will ruin your chances of getting into a "good" school. This isn't true.

Reach out to colleges

By now you've probably got a good idea of what type of college you think will be good for you, and you've likely got some schools in mind. If you haven't done so yet, reach out to them now. As a starter, check out their admission web pages and read what's there. Watch the videos and take the virtual tours. If there's an easy way to ask for more information or get on a mailing list, do it. If there's an easy way to ask a question, ask it. Many schools will even make it clear on their web site the name of the admissions counselor for your area. Remember their name and reach out to them. If you find yourself feeling anxious, remember that this process isn't about proving that you're worthy. This is just an introduction, a saying "hello." It's not going to hurt you or count against you.

If you don't have a good idea yet where you might like to look, do some exploring. I’ve found that students’ geographical preferences are usually their strongest preferences. People who thought they wanted a big school end up at a small school. People who wanted to major in STEM end up majoring in Humanities. But people who want to avoid hot places rarely end up in the Southwest, and people who want to be in an urban area rarely end up in the country. So try this: think of three states you might like to live in. For each of those states, spend some time looking online at their big state university, a liberal arts college in that state, and at least one other school in that state. In this case, it's ok to search for "best colleges in...." Don't take the list's word that those schools are indeed the best for you, but it's a staring point to look around.

Once you find something that looks interesting to you, reach out to that school. This reaching-out process is really important, but not necessarily for obvious reasons. Even though some schools take "demonstrated interest" into account, it's not real likely that filling out an on-line form in your junior year is going to be the one thing that gets you accepted to a school that would otherwise reject you. It's also unlikely that an admissions counselor will, a year from now, remember your name and feel more inclined to be generous. The reason reaching out is really important is because it helps to shift your own mindset. Proactively reaching out to schools and taking that initiative reminds you that you're not just a passive product to be offered to colleges. The power in the relationship isn't only with the schools--you also have a voice in asking questions, making decisions, and finding what's right for you. When you treat the process like finding a good person for a relationship, then you understand that you have to be an active participant.

Talk to 12th graders about college

If you're in the 11th grade, then you know 12th graders. Talk to them about college. Ask them where they applied and why. Ask them how they went about their search. Ask them where they thought about applying but didn't. Ask them for advice. Be a good listener when they talk about their own experiences. 

Lots of schools have some sort of get-together where graduates get to come back and give advice about college. If your school has this option then go, and listen carefully to what they say. Ask them not only about their college experiences, but about their application experiences. Remember not to take any of their advice--or anybody's for that matter--as the only or best advice. What worked for them may not be appropriate for you.

Make summer plans

If you had asked me last summer to predict what this spring would look like, I’d have been very wrong. I would have told you that after a very difficult lock-down and widespread mask use, by January things would be largely back to normal. Yes, there would still be people getting Covid-19, but it would be a managed situation and not still a crisis. So I’m not going to make any predictions about this summer. I’m going to repeat my standard summer advice, with some Covid edits, humbly knowing that I have no idea how to give targeted, practical advice at the moment.

Here's where I'm supposed to give very pointed mandates about thinking strategically and making plans for this summer that best align with your college goals and help "round out your resume," whatever that means. But really I can't make myself do that. Because it really doesn't matter so long as you do something and you're thoughtful about it.

If you need to work or want a job, that's great. [Covid: it’s a lot less likely you’ll get a job.] As far as college is concerned it really doesn't matter what that job is so long as you work hard at it and are reflective about what you learn from the job. As you go to work, remind yourself to work as hard as you can. And when you're done, ask yourself what you learned from that day's work. Those two things matter so much more to everyone than the job title or name of the company. 

If you don't need to work, then make other plans. And here's the trick: treat it like a job, in the sense that you decide to do your best and be reflective. Even if you have the cushiest summer imaginable--maybe you're going to spend two months as a VIP on a cruise ship sailing around the Caribbean [Covid: you probably won’t be traveling], you can still get a lot out of this. Just begin each day [Covid: even if you’re stuck at home all day, every day] reminding yourself to make the most of the day, and end each day reflecting about what you learned. Whatever is you do, it can be useful for your college applications and useful for your productive and interesting life.

Another way you can make sure you make the most of your summer is to give yourself a goal of 20. Make 20 visits to local museums or parks. Have 20 intentional interactions with older members of your family asking them about their experiences. Read 20 books. Watch 20 of the best movies of all time. Find 20 items to donate to charity. Run 20 miles, spread out over as many days as you need. The number 20 is arbitrary, but an arbitrary number helps make a vague idea an achievable goal. Every time you knock out one of your 20, remind yourself to be deliberate and reflective.

Sitting around "doing nothing" is the enemy of any smart and ambitious student.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read What Should I Be Doing Now? for other grades.

3. Ask a question—or share other resources—in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Seniors, it's time for thank-you notes

If you’re a senior who’s sent out all your applications, it’s a weird time. After all that working, now you’re waiting. Waiting to hear back from everyone—both in terms of acceptance and financial aid—before you make a final decision. While you wait to hear from schools and think about how to choose from your acceptances, take some time to write thank-you notes. Write a thank-you note to everyone who has done something for you along the way: teachers who wrote recommendation letters, counselors who sent off transcripts, college admissions personnel who answered questions, people who took time to interview you. Everybody. They gave some of their time to help you, and you should thank them if you haven't already.

Do it in writing. I hope you remembered to thank people along the way in person, but you should also send a written note. Many people still insist that you only send hand-written thank you notes, but for most of these email is really fine. If you have less-than-great handwriting or don't happen to have good stationary ready to go, then email is really better. Be specific in what you're thanking them for: "thank you for taking the time to write and send recommendation letters," or "thank you again for the time you spent with me in our interview." Also let them know that you appreciate their time and expertise. 

Do it individually, not in batches. No matter how alike they may sound, send every thank you note individually. Use the person's name. I can tell you from experience that being included on a "thanks to all of you" email with 11 other people doesn't particularly feel like being appreciated. And on that note, even if the only reason you're sending a thank you is because your mother is making you or you feel obligated, don't tell people that. (Yes, I’ve seen this before.)

Gifts can be tricky. You may be tempted to include a gift. You probably shouldn't. If you're sending a gift to a person at a university while your application is still being processed, it can look like an attempted bribe. Same goes for giving a gift to a teacher before they've sent out the recommendation or if you’re still in their class with more grades coming this semester. If you decide that it is appropriate to give a small gift, then be thoughtful about it. There are very few adults in the world thinking "I sure wish someone would bring me another coffee mug!" People who don't drink coffee may be tired of receiving Starbucks gift cards. People on diets probably don't want candy, and a huge percentage of adults think of themselves as on diets. While there may actually be some teachers or counselors who want a piece of leftover birthday cake or your first attempt to bake cookies, they probably don't think it's a good thank you gift. Unless you know the person well enough to really know something that they want, you should probably just stick to a note. 

Don't wait. You're thanking the person for their time and effort, not your results. So don't wait until you hear back from colleges and only send thank you notes to people associated with the ones who accepted you. (Yes, I've seen this too.)

Follow up. If a teacher, counselor, or other adult helps you in any way with a college application, follow up and let them know how it went. I've had students who I spent several hours with looking over essay drafts, writing recommendation letters, or giving advice who never told me what school they ended up choosing. Don't get people emotionally invested and then leave them hanging!

If it helps, here is an example of a basic thank you note:

Dear Ms. Washington,

Thank you again for writing recommendation letters for me to Stanford and the University of Alabama. I know you don't write them for everyone, and I'm honored you would spend time to do that for me. In this especially crazy year, I’m especially grateful that you could spend extra time helping me. Wherever I end up going to school, I know that my experience in your class will have me prepared. I'll let you know when I hear back from the colleges!

Thanks again.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out these related Apply with Sanity posts: What to do when you get waitlisted, Asking for more financial aid, how do wealthy kids get into elite colleges?

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Some notes from the Inauguration

I spent almost the entire day yesterday watching the inauguration and official events afterwards. There are three college-related notes I want to quickly pass on.

1. Joe Biden went to the University of Delaware, and then on to Syracuse Law School. He is the first president since Ronal Reagan not to earn a degree from an Ivy League school.

Add to it that last October, Amy Coney Barrett became the newest justice on the Supreme Court—and the only whose law degree isn’t from Harvard or Yale. Maybe we’ve past Peak Ivy? That would be nice.

2. One thing I like to stress about college and about why finding the right fit is so important is that for many people, their college isn’t just a “piece of paper” but an integral part of their identity. Want evidence? Check out Representative Jim Clyburn wearing his South Carolina State University ball cap on the inauguration platform. That’s dedication to his alma mater, where he graduated in 1961.

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images News / Getty Images

3. Speaking of HBCU power, all the commentators on MSNBC actually stopped their talking and commenting to just let the audience listen to the Howard University marching band for a minute. Sorry, U. Delaware band, but they just talked right over you.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read this related post: The Glossary: Ivy.

3. Ask a question—or share other resources—in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It’s not trying to sell you anything. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Banner photo by Zoe Herring.

Juniors, should you take the next SAT or ACT?

There’s an ACT test coming up on February 6, and the regular registration deadline is tomorrow, January 15. There’s an SAT on March 13th, with a registration deadline February 12th. Should current juniors consider taking either of these tests?

Nope.

The main reason I'm not recommending anyone take the ACT in February or SAT in March is simply the Covid situation. With the numbers as high as they are, I just don't feel comfortable encouraging anyone to go into a group setting in the near future. Last fall there was a lot of chaos surrounding test administration, with many test sites closing at the last minute, so I don't have full confidence that registering for the spring exams will even get you into the spring exams. I would look ahead to the June or August exams instead of spring. That will still give you plenty of time to re-take if you want.

Another reason to put off testing is the number of universities that are test optional. A growing number of colleges were already test optional. And then last year a whole lot more went test optional, some for one year and some for multiple years. But the ones that only gave a one-year break are likely to do it again (at least one already has), because the pandemic is even worse right now than it was last June. By the time you are applying this fall, It may be that the majority—or even all—of the schools you’re considering won’t even be requiring test scores. So risking an unhealthy situation for an unnecessary test just doesn’t seem like a great idea.

Let’s also look at reasons why you might want to take the test soon:

You want to take the test once, early, to get it out of the way and focus on other things in the summer and fall. I love the thinking behind this. I don’t, however, think it’s all that likely to happen. In my experience, almost nobody is ever happy with their test scores. Even if you take the test and get what you think is a good score, there will still be some tempting reason to take it again and aim for a higher score. Your scores will be just under the mid-range of a school, and you want to get them up just a little bit more. Your scores will be just under the top 25% of a school, and you want to get them up just a little bit more. Your score will have a 9 in it—either a 29 composite for the ACT or a combined SAT score that ends with 90—and you want to get it up just a little bit more. That just a little bit more is going to be hard to resist, and so the “once and early” strategy often fails. But if you think you will actually do it this way, go for it…in June. Not right now.

You want to get a baseline score to help you plan for test prep and retakes. Again, this is completely rational and practical. You probably have an idea of where you want your test scores to be, so now you need to know where you are. I get that. But again, you can put off your first exam until June and still be able to execute that plan. You can also take practice tests to get a good idea of your starting point, and they are free and can be done from the safety of your own home.

You want to take the exam as often as possible for superscoring purposes. This is something I hear less often. Most the people I’ve worked with who took the exam a bunch of times thought they’d take the test once, maybe twice. Then they just ended up taking it three or more times because they kept chasing that just a little bit more. Some students, though, absolutely do decide early on that they’ll take the exam four or five time to get the highest possible score. While I don’t endorse this approach, I do understand it. And again, if this is your plan you can take the SAT five times between June and December. Give it time.

But there’s another way to think about testing, an approach I do endorse: don’t take them at all. Not this spring, not this summer, not this fall. Decide right now that you’re only going to apply to test-optional or test-blind schools. There are lots of reasons to dislike the tests, and Fairtest is good at explaining them. Here’s the thing that I always come back to, though: every other part of your college application has value far beyond college applications. Doing well in your high school classes, being involved in your community, strengthening your writing skills, practicing interviews, taking action to pursue your interests—all these are valuable on their own. But a college-entrance exam has no value once you enter college. It’s extremely limited in usefulness. So I encourage you to skip that part. It’s not worth it.

Does that mean you’re eliminating choices based solely on their testing policy? Yes. But there are thousands of colleges and universities. You’ll only apply to maybe a dozen, and only attend one. Elimination is what the process is all about. But isn’t testing policy a pretty arbitrary reason to eliminate choices? Yes. But so are other reasons. You want to stay within 100 miles of home? Arbitrary. You want to avoid places that are hot, or avoid places that are cold? Arbitrary. You want to go to a college with a “good reputation?” Arbitrary. It’s fine to use an arbitrary reason to pass on a college. But could you be letting go of a college that would otherwise be a really great fit? Absolutely. But remember that wherever you go to college, you will also be letting go of colleges that are also a really good fit.

If you’re not ready to make that leap, I understand. There may be a college you really have your heart set on, and they require you to take the SAT or ACT. That’s fine, I’m not judging you. But I still believe it’s time we all—students, parents, counselors, consultants, teachers, all of us—start thinking of the SAT and/or ACT as a special opt-in circumstance, not the default that only a certain subset of students opt out of. You can go to a really great college and have a really great career and a good life without ever taking one of those exams. Think about how nice that can be.

Be safe. Be careful.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read these related posts: Should you submit your test scores to a test-optional college? and It seriously looks like SAT/ACT testing is going away.

3. Ask a question—or share other resources—in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It’s not trying to sell you anything. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Breya is having a rough time

Breya’s school year has been up and down. This month sounds pretty down. She’s got most her college applications out and is still moving along, but she’s showing some doubt about this school year. Read the full interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Breya attends a public high school in Ohio

How were your holidays? Do you feel rested and ready for the rest of the school year?

My holidays were good. Maybe not the best, but it’s usually the same. I’m not sure. I’m kind of nervous for the rest of the year. And I feel that next semester is going to be like a ton of bricks.

Have you now got all your applications out? DId you change your list at all? Is it still Ohio State, Hampton, Howard, Spelman, North Carolina A&T State, Xavier, Columbia, UChicago, Michigan, and UPenn?

I have 9 out of 10 applications out. I have not changed my list at all.

Have you got any news? I know you already had some acceptances come in. Any more?

No, I haven’t gotten anything else yet. It made me nervous at first but maybe it is a good thing. I don’t know.

Assuming you've sent in all your college applications, reflect on the past five months: do you have any regrets? Have you gained any wisdom you can share? Is it what you expected it to be?

I regret putting too much on my plate. Everyone talks about how senior year is the year where you can relax a little bit after finishing exams and applications but I haven’t been able to just have time for myself. It is not what I expected it would be. I thought that I would have more help or at least have people who cared. I have learned that a little stress can push you a long way, but a lot of stress can make everything not as fun or exciting as it should be. My advice is to make time for yourself and do what makes you happy.

You've reached the point where you no longer add to your college list but start reducing it to the final one. What's your plan? What are your priorities? What's your best-case scenario that will make you the happiest?

Right now, I am thinking about if I can actually afford to go to a certain college and if it feels right for me. I’m not really sure right now of my complete process yet.

What does your spring semester look like? How's your school holding up?

My spring semester looks about the same as my fall semester. I’m still taking the same amount of courses. I’m hoping that it might be a little less stressful than the previous semester. I am currently prepping for my Phlebotomy certification test that is in March.

My school is still pretty much the same. They are still going back and forth with whether or not they want to open back up and how.

Do you have any college-related events coming up, either in person or online?

I am hoping to go on a few more visits before I have to really choose where I want to go. Along with some more videos and things.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Julianna is waiting

On one hand, there’s nothing left to do to get college applications out. And that’s nice. But on the other hand, there’s, um, nothing to do but wait. And that’s not always so easy. Julianna, like a lot of high school seniors, is in the waiting period. Read about that and more below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Julianna attends a public high school in Kentucky

How were your holidays? Do you feel rested and ready for the rest of the school year?

My holidays were great! I was able to spend time with family while still being safe. I traveled to Oregon to visit my best friend, who goes to the University of Oregon, so I’m still jet lagged since my return, but it was a nice break and I’m looking forward to finishing my final semester of high school.

Have you now got all your applications out? DId you change your list at all? Is it still UGA, Indiana, DePaul, BU, American, Syracuse, Northwestern, Mizzou, and Ohio?

All of my applications have officially been submitted and my list is the same as it has been. I’m very happy with how things have turned out so far.

Have you got any news? I know you already had an acceptance come in. Any more?

In terms of news, I did find out that I was accepted to the honors program at the University of Georgia and I received a merit scholarship, both of which are relatively uncommon for out of state students. I'm over the moon.

Assuming you've sent in all your college applications, reflect on the past five months: do you have any regrets? Have you gained any wisdom you can share? Is it what you expected it to be?

The past five months haven't been nearly as stressful as I thought they would be. Finding intrinsic motivation has been difficult at times, but for the most part I think it's really been, more than anything, exciting. Getting to think about the future in a real, tangible way, with college acceptances in your hand instead of in your dreams, definitely changes the game. I feel like maybe I could have worked harder, or made different decisions about what to write about. In the long term, however, I am confident that I will end up where I need to be. I really am proud of myself for setting myself up for success in that regard. Too many students apply to places they don't want to go, and I've never understood. There is money to be found in lots of places if you know where to look.

You've reached the point where you no longer add to your college list but start reducing it to the final one. What's your plan? What are your priorities? What's your best-case scenario that will make you the happiest?

Right now, I'm waiting. I've never been one for patience, so it's a bit nerve-wracking. My best case scenario would be receiving the University of Georgia's Foundation Fellowship, or at least becoming a finalist and receiving the Bernard Ramsey scholarship. These scholarships are nearly full rides, and UGA is my top choice. Right now, even with the merit money I was given, it isn't affordable. I'll hear if I am a finalist by the end of January, so I'm trying to distract myself and think positively while I wait. I also have some fantastic schools that I'm still waiting to hear from, and those may be game changers depending on whether or not I receive financial aid. It all depends! I'm just excited to be along for the ride. At this point, I strongly feel like I've done all I can do and I'm okay with that.

What does your spring semester look like? How's your school holding up?

My school has started back in person, and this time I truly believe we are here to stay. I'm just going to spend this final semester solidifying my friendships, staying safe, and savoring every last minute of childhood. Graduation seems so far away until suddenly, you're ordering a cap and gown. You're wondering how it's already over. 12 years suddenly feels like 12 seconds. Despite the nostalgia I'm feeling, and the added grief I have for my lost prom, football games, and other events, I'm more ready than ever to move on and begin the next chapter.

Do you have any college-related events coming up, either in person or online?

I do not have any college related events coming up. I have done as much research as I could possibly do at this point, so I'm just trying to distract myself from the waiting!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Tyra is having mixed emotions

Tyra is beginning her winding down of high school. There are still months to go, but she’s already looking ahead to college and beginning to relax. Not all seniors are at this point so early in the year, but many will get to this point soon. Read the full interview below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

Tyra attends a public high school in Iowa

How were your holidays? Do you feel rested and ready for the rest of the school year?

The holidays were fine, and I am starting to get the mixed emotions about senior year. Like I am extremely happy to graduate but at the same time I am sad to leave everything that I know behind. As for rested, today was my first day back and I am completely shot and beyond tired.

You're still on track for the vet tech program? Can you tell me the school? What--other than finish high school--do you need to do to be prepared for the program? Are there any other requirements or classes? Anything for you to do this spring or summer for that?

I am excited to attend Iowa Lakes Community College for their veterinary technician program. I am on track and will take four total college-level classes that will get me credits for my degree this year already. So then once I am into my first term I will only have vet tech classes, which I think will be a huge load off of my back. I need to save some money to go dorm room shopping, that’s for sure. I have barely anything bought yet and need to make a list.

Assuming you're set on that being your school, reflect on the past five months: do you have any regrets? Have you gained any wisdom you can share? Is it what you expected it to be?

I would not say I have any regrets, I am just happy to be a senior. I have been making friends with underclassmen who I generally do not like and can say I have learned a thing or two about their generation and how it’s much different than mine.

What does your spring semester look like? How's your school holding up?

As for this semester, I have an extremely light load and plan to use my time in order to just relax and soak up the rest of my high school career. My school is holding up well I would say, there are not too many new cases and the Covid vaccine just made its way into our small town.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Check out interviews with other Meet the Class seniors.

3. Ask a question in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Angela Elisabeth.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.

What should seniors do this spring?

Each January I update the “What Should I Be Doing Now?” section of Apply with Sanity for the new semester, grade level by grade level. Last spring, I quickly revised it to account for all the school closures, testing site closures, and college closures that came with Covid. I actually said to “assume, for planning purposes, that the COVID-19 emergency will be easing up by June 1.” At that point I thought we’d all go into quarantine for two to four weeks, the virus would die out, and we’d be moving back to normal by summer. I was, obviously, really wrong.

But now it’s back to the spring semester, and I’m still saying it. Even though vaccines are rolling out, I don’t actually expect everything to be moving back to normal by June. But for planning purposes, I think seniors should still act as though it will. It will be better to assume that next fall will be a regular, in-person and on-campus semester and be wrong than to assume that everything will still be on hold and then be caught unprepared if things do go better this year. Read my updated—as of January, but who knows if and when I’ll need tp update—advice for the class of 2021. Over the next week I’ll also be giving advice to other grade levels.

Happy New Year!

AP Exams are in development. They were quite the mess last year, when the College Board had a short time to figure out a new plan. The online-only, shortened exams did not go well for many students. They’ve had more time to make a plan, but they—we all—still have a similar problem to last year: the pandemic. Yes, the vaccines are out, and there’s some hope that students will be able to take exams in person. But the current numbers for Covid cases and hospitalizations doesn’t look promising for even a few months from now. Here is the full statement about current AP plans:

We’re working with educators to prepare an expanded 2021 exam schedule, with two contingency testing dates for each subject—one in the second half of May and one in the first half of June—to support schools that want more instructional time before testing. Exams on the contingency dates will be full length, covering the full scope of content.

If a school is closed or coronavirus-related risks prevent a student from testing at a school, the AP coordinator will be able to authorize a full-length digital contingency exam that can be taken at home.

The exam schedule and information about the contingency testing options will be posted to AP Central in early February, and announced via email to AP teachers, AP coordinators, and administrators.

You can find this and other updates on the AP Central website.

When it comes to AP Exams, some things never change. Remember that you have to sign up for AP exams not knowing how they might affect you or if you really want to take them.

For example, if you end up going to a school that doesn’t give credit for AP exams, or will only give credit for a 5 when you’re on track for a 3, then you may not want to bother taking a test that’s not going to benefit you directly. But you usually have to register for the exam long before you know which college you’re going to next year. Here’s the best thing to do: go ahead and register for exams and act as though you’re going to take all of them. Act as though each score of 3 or higher will get you college credit, potentially saving you time and money. If that turns out not be the case, then talk with your teachers and counselor about what to do. Many seniors end up going into the exam room knowing that the exam either doesn’t gain them anything or that they’re not likely to get a good score, and so they go to sleep. While this practice, honestly, is not likely to have personal negative repercussions for you, it may have negative effects for your AP teachers and your school. So be thoughtful about how you handle an exam that you’re neither expecting to get much from or put much into.

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.

It may seem silly to talk about being a good high school student in the spring semester of your senior year, especially given how horrible the past year has been. But the fact remains that you're still in high school and there's still more to be done. And yes, I'm very aware of "senioritis." Your parents and teachers may not want me to say it, but slowing down your last semester is completely normal and fine. Because it's true, you're not just a regular high school student any more. On top of your normal classes and activities, you also have a lot of college decisions to make.

But think about it this way: how crazy would it be for an athlete to be told she's going to be on the Olympic team, and then stop working out and practicing? How self-destructive would it be for an employee to get a big promotion and then celebrate by not showing up to work half the time and being rude to her team that helped her get the promotion? You're almost out of high school and into college. That's wonderful! But don't let that be an excuse to start acting like a seventh grader again.

One way that senioritis works is for students to suddenly take on the "I don't need it to graduate" standard. Even good students find themselves failing classes or dropping their extracurricular activities simply because they don't need them to graduate. If your family has raised you with the bare minimum of parenting required not to get arrested for neglect, and your teachers have only done what was required to not get fired, then the "I don't need it to graduate" attitude is understandable. Otherwise, it's pretty reprehensible. Don't celebrate your transition to adulthood by acting like a toddler. It's that simple.

So what is a more healthy and productive transition? What, if you will, is Good Senioritis? Good Senioritis is the kind that begins to move away from high school realizing that you're moving Up. You act even more like a leader to pass your skills along to next year's seniors. You let the adults in your life know you appreciate all they've done to help you get to this new space. Even though you really are tired and stressed, you ask a lot of questions instead of whining and dropping out. Seriously, the last thing your teachers and parents need is for you to tell them how hard it is to be a responsible adult. They know. So ask them for guidance and be honest about your fears.

The best way to prepare for college is to be a good high school student. Even this late in the year. Even this year. While it's different being a high school student your last semester, you still need to be good at it. 

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. Most colleges ask for a commitment by May 1, and that’s the standard deadline for accepting or rejecting their admissions offers.  Last year many, but not all, colleges pushed it back to June 1, but this year may be different. Make sure you know the deadlines for you by checking the school websites and social media.

Take a lot of time to think about this. Talk to your family. Talk to your trusted teachers and counselors. Talk to your smart and ambitious friends. Talk to the financial aid offices. You’re not just making a choice about classes and professors, but a big part of your identity. Go back over the Five Foundations, especially the part about treating it like a relationship. Remember that while some schools may be a better fit than others, it’s hard to make the “wrong” choice unless you choose not to go anywhere. While we’re still in Covid mode, there are three things you should keep in mind every day for a while:

1. Be patient. Right now the answer to many important questions is still “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.

   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 changed this year or 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 school year has been 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.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. Read What Should I Be Doing Now? for other grades.

3. Ask a question—or share other resources—in the comments section.

Apply with Sanity doesn’t have ads or annoying pop-ups. It doesn’t share user data, sell user data, or even track personal data. It doesn’t do anything to “monetize” you. You’re nothing but a reader to me, and that means everything to me.

Photo by Zoe Herring.

Apply with Sanity is a registered trademark of Apply with Sanity, LLC. All rights reserved.