On March 17, the Colorado Department of Education announced it would pause all end-of-the-year state assessments for the 2019-2020 school year for K-12 students, including the PSATs and SATs, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The decision has left some people wondering how it will impact college admissions for the fall of 2020 and beyond.Matt Bonser, director of admissions, systems, operations and international at Colorado College, said the recruitment admission cycle for the fall of 2020 has passed, and students have already been selected.ìFor the applicant pool, so many come in, in November, and our regular deadline (to apply) in January was not significantly impacted by the lack of testing,î he said. ìThere are some wrinkles for new students around their schoolís ability to provide their final transcripts and their official graduation date.îBonser said there are potential concerns around the overall enrollment at CC, but the school intends to maintain their student body size and enrollment numbers.ìEven with distance learning, we are very much doing so in a small cohort environment,î he said. ìClass discussion is still very important. Writing and honing writing skills is still important. For faculty to provide in-depth feedback to students, we are looking to keep our class sizes similar to what they are.îThe students starting college in the fall of 2021 are more likely to be impacted at other colleges, but CC transitioned to a test-optional application format several years ago, allowing students to forgo standardized tests during the application process, Bonser said.ìI think there will be a draw to test-optional schools or those that seem more flexible, and likely they (students) will look at ones closer to home,î he said.Jared Verner, director of communications for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, said applications for admission in the fall of 2020 are usually submitted by this point, meaning the lack of standardized testing should not greatly impact the incoming freshman class.ìWe do not just look at test scores,î he said. ìWe look at the studentís entire career. We look at the whole picture of a studentís academic success and ability to handle the college environment.îAdditionally, Verner said the UCCS admissions office is accommodating for students faced with a situation they cannot control. Unforeseen situations should not impact being able to enroll in fall classes, he said.ìWe do not have a firm cap on admissions,î Verner said. ìIf you meet the minimum requirements, you are accepted. If a student applies in August, in theory they could start at the end of August with everyone else. We are dedicated to being accessible to everyone.îAlthough COVID-19 caused the university to shift from face-to-face daily operations to remotely performed ones, Verner said applications are still being accepted and processed. Employees are processing the necessary paperwork within the public health guidelines, and a virtual tour program for prospective students is already in the works, he said.On April 15, the College Board announced its plan to make the SAT available for students who missed their opportunity to take them this spring. According to their website, the College Board is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1900, with a purpose to expand access to higher education and connect students to college opportunities.The announcement states, ìThe College Board will ensure students have opportunities to take the SAT to make up for the lost administrations this spring, giving them opportunities to show their strengths and continue on the path to college.îIn the announcement, the College Board commits to the following:
- Weekend SAT administrations every month through the end of the calendar year, starting in August if it is safe from a public health position
- SAT administrations in schools this fall
- A digital SAT for at-home use if schools do not reopen this fall
