On the Path to College

Aniyah Braithwite, Staff Writer|December 8, 2020

What in the “Covid-19” is going on in 2020! The Covid pandemic has been overwhelming for students not just in America but all over the world. This year is not only hard on the students but it has also affected adults, family, and friends. Some people during this Covid season lost family members and friends due to the virus. According to statistics from John Hopkins University School of Medicine, “there has been a total of 224,889 deaths in the United States so far due to Covid-19.” The class of 2019 was not able to have a prom or have a graduation ceremony. A lot of seniors found themselves disappointed, because they spent all those years in school, put in a lot of hard work, and did not have the graduation year they imagined. A lot of the seniors were probably even a little angry because they worked incredibly hard and now they can not get the proper validation that they deserve. Luckily a majority of those seniors have ultimately gone on to college and have been able to create new memories and look forward to a later more tradition graduation at the culmination of their time in college.

How would you feel if you could get into college without taking the ACT and SAT? Some would be so excited and eager to know that you don’t need this to get into some schools. “I’m glad I don’t have to take the ACT or SAT again, I still would’ve enjoyed the opportunity to retake again” says Ajaya Barnhardt, Senior.

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I’m glad I don’t have to take the ACT or SAT again, I still would’ve enjoyed the opportunity to retake again.

— Ajaya Barnhardt, Senior

Following this statement Natasia Holland, Senior said “No I have not taken my ACT and SAT yet, I feel more relaxed since it’s not required for the colleges.” Following this statement, Natasia Holland, Senior said,  “I have not taken my ACT and SAT yet, I feel more relaxed since it’s not required for the colleges. It was very stressful when it was required.” It is now possible for rising high school seniors to apply without a score to more than half of the Ivy League colleges; to most top-ranked liberal arts colleges, and to all public colleges according the Washington Post. Examples of colleges that are forgoing the ACT and SAT are Ivy League Schools are those such as Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. Both of these colleges do not require students to take the SAT tests for admission. In a recent message to potential applicants, Princeton’s dean of admission, Karen Richardson said, “while our policy has long been that SAT subject tests are recommended but not required, now seems the appropriate time to reiterate that applicants who do not submit subject tests will not be disadvantaged in our process.” She added, “SAT or ACT test scores are only one part of our holistic review’ from the New York Times. A growing number of U.S. colleges that are dropping the ACT and SAT due to Covid-19 are Northern Illinois University, Reed College, Loyola University, and University of California including Berkley.” 

2020 has been an unprecedented year for students at all grade levels, but particularly those in their final years. The positives that have come to light are that rising seniors becoming college students having new things to look forward to like homecomings, graduation, a good freshman year of college. As well as the advantage of not having to take the SAT and ACT to get into certain colleges. The downside is many students are having to do school online, are unable to experience the college lifestyle such as, going to homecoming and college games. Not starting off your typical year with excitement and goals can be a challenge but Bethel students have proven to be resilient and show they can bounce back from anything!