Fortnightly News Round Up + 'The Rise in Applications Will Ma | Crimson Education Singapore

Fortnightly News Round Up

+ "The Rise in Applications Will Make This Upcoming Admissions Cycle More Competitive Than Ever" - Yahoo News
https://yhoo.it/2VzhBVY

Mike's Analysis: "With test-optional policies still in place at most schools alongside the elimination of SAT Subject Tests this year, authorities in the college admissions space are predicting that the next admissions cycle will only get more competitive. Admissions experts point out that with relaxed testing requirements lowering the barrier to apply to universities, the barrier to get into universities becomes even higher, meaning that next year we could see even lower acceptance rates than the sub-4% stats that shocked the higher education sphere earlier this year. Reflecting on the last admissions cycle, it’s clear to us that test-optional policies had a massive impact on application numbers: in the absence of sky-high test score expectations, admission to top universities became more attainable to many students who may not have even tried to apply if their test scores seemed too low. This proved that admissions officers look far beyond test scores to determine who gets accepted — and with test-optional policies staying in place for at least another year, students will likely face similarly low odds in the 2021-22 application cycle. However, we at Crimson still strongly encourage students to take the SAT or the ACT if they are able to, as these scores will be another data point with which admissions officers can evaluate you with."

+ "Dire COVID-19 data forces colleges to require masks" - University Business
https://bit.ly/3ixD76N

Mike's Analysis: "With the Delta variant of the coronavirus sweeping through the US and causing an uptick in cases around the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its masking guidelines — leading a growing number of US universities to reinstate their mask requirements for indoor spaces around campus. Cornell and Yale were among the first to make the change, though many universities have this week announced that upon returning to campus, students and staff will be required to wear face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status. While it’s unfortunate to see the US reverting back to stricter masking policies after several weeks of what seemed like a return to pre-pandemic normalcy, we see mask requirements as a small price to pay in exchange for returning to campus and in-person living and learning. We know some students may be disappointed by reinstated mask policies, especially those who have done their due diligence to get vaccinated before heading off to campus this fall, but we’re confident that requiring masks for all individuals will help prevent a return to remote learning, which seems like a good compromise to us!"

+ "Common App Launches More Inclusive Application for 2021-2022 School Year" - Common App
https://bit.ly/3AegiLc

Mike's Analysis: "The Common Application, which over 1 million aspiring college students use to apply to US universities each year, launched its 2021-22 application on August 1 with “updated questions and tools designed to both expand access and facilitate a more equitable, inclusive college application process.” Among the changes are the removal of questions about applicants’ school and military discipline records and revisions to questions about applicants’ citizenship, family, geography, sex/gender, and religious preferences. The organization has also added over 60 new schools to the list of those accepting the Common App, bringing the total to more than 950. At Crimson, we always love to hear about positive changes being made to increase diversity, inclusion, and access to higher education for students everywhere. Ultimately, we know that a student’s college candidacy should depend solely on their merit as a student and a member of their community — not on factors they cannot change."