Upperclassmen Prepare For College During The Pandemic

by Blaise Runyon, News Editor

The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.

Preparing for college is an important and intimidating feat for many students. This year, colleges and universities are having to adapt to ensure the safety of students and staff. The Jaguar Times spoke with HCSD College Counselor, Mr. Tom Woodford, who all students have probably heard from through their school email. In addition, Bradley students shared their own experiences and thoughts.

Bradley’s juniors and seniors are looking to the future and deciding how they want to continue their academic careers. The coronavirus has changed the ways they are handling this. With traveling and social engagement limited, many colleges are moving their visits to Zoom or other online video conferencing platforms. The intention of this is to decrease the in-person exposure to prospective students. Recently Bradley students may have received information through Canvas or email about Zoom sessions regarding various topics, such as financial aid, Q&As, and ACT prep. Though it may be discouraging to not visit a campus in person, this does make it easier for students to gain information on out of state colleges.

Mr. Tom Woodford, the college counselor for all three Hilliard High Schools, weighs in on how upperclassmen can prepare for college this year. Photo by HCSD.

There’s a lot of information to consider while students are planning their futures. “A lot of students from last spring deferred their enrollment. Instead of starting this fall, they deferred it to next fall. Those kids are already sitting in seats for next fall that our current seniors are trying to get into,” shares Mr. Woodford. This means that it could be more difficult for the Class of 2021 to be admitted to schools. This ripple effect could go on for years. This also affects student athletes. The NCAA gave all players who missed their 2020 spring season red-shirts, which allow them to stay on their team another year. Professionals are looking back to predict what’s coming next. “Back in 2008 when the financial crisis hit a lot of students changed their mind about going to a four year school, and chose to go to a two year school,” Mr. Woodford told The Jaguar Times. This effect could hurt four year colleges financially, but alternatively help open up spots for incoming freshmen.

Bradley’s students are disappointed about the college search changes. Baylie Lawrence (12) tells The Jaguar Times, “I was looking forward to going on visits over summer, but quarantine changed my plans”. Despite these difficulties, Baylie has committed to Bowling Green State University’s gymnastics team. “It’s been so difficult to figure out what colleges I like and don’t like because I physically can’t be at a camp. I'm looking to play college soccer and not being able to see how a team plays and how they interact in a campus setting is so difficult,” Anna Miller (11) explains. These changes are affecting the entire student body. This has been especially hard for student athletes, especially since so many will rely on scholarships that may be used by returning seniors. Similarly to athletes being unable to catch the eyes of coaches, students who haven’t been able to take their SATs are unsure of their chances of getting accepted to competitive schools. Always remember that the most important action when preparing for college is asking questions. Your options may be different this year, but different isn’t always bad!