“As COVID-19 disrupts schools and testing, ‘soft’ skills count more”

With the continued prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and students are worried about the effect of remote classes on the college application process. SAT and ACT exams have become optional at many universities, college tours are virtual, and alumni interviews will be performed online. All these changes have altered the focus of the admissions committee to different aspects of the college application, which we will discuss today.

As shown in the image above, your ‘soft’ skills may carry more weight in the admissions process this cycle than your knowledge (academic performance such as test scores), due to the shift to remote learning. Even though grades will be one of the few quantitative indicators that the admissions committee can use to evaluate you, it is essential for your essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities to convey your skills and character in the best way possible. This means that you should complete multiple drafts of your essays and have someone revise and edit them (such as our consultants, in addition to your teachers or counselors). Furthermore, choose your recommendations carefully, such as teachers, counselors, or community members who know you well, as these aspects of your application will be even more important this cycle. Most notably, your “soft” skills, shown through your extracurricular activities, projects, and leadership positions, will have more of an impact on this year’s application. Therefore, make sure you discuss the most meaningful activities in detail rather than list positions or organizations. You can do this by describing what you did, how it impacted your community, and what you learned from it. Though it may be too late to run for president of an organization or become captain of a sports team, you can still launch independent research or start your own organization to improve your knowledge about a topic and benefit your community.

Knowledge about the schools you are applying to may be even more significant this cycle, since the changing conditions due to COVID-19 have impacted each college differently. Some schools are waiving the SAT/ACT requirement, while others are making it optional with extra essays in its place. Knowing the admissions criteria, especially during these difficult times, will help decrease your stress when going through the college application process.

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