WELCOME TO WEEK TWO OF THE CORONAVIRUS BLOG!
Thank you to everyone who read the blog last week! As a reminder, or for anyone just joining us, I’ll be sharing college-related updates with you each Thursday while we ride out the waves and impacts of coronavirus. These will include tour and admission information, how schools are staying connected, and news from the home front (me!). If there’s anything specific that you’d like to see featured here, don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll do my best.
NEWS AND UPDATES
Visits and Information Sessions
We know there’s no substitute for an in-person campus visit. Until things return to normal, colleges are working hard to offer virtual campus visits, options for chatting or learning from current students, and online admissions information sessions. The spreadsheet that I shared last week with details about virtual tours and information sessions may be particularly useful right now; if your teen is interested in a particular college that offers online information sessions, there should be a link to take them directly to that site. They may need to register in advance, as many of the sessions are live and interactive and so scheduled at certain times throughout the day/week.
Standardized Tests
NACAC has provided the following updates regarding testing for the spring and summer months. It is still best to check the websites for the organizations administering the tests to find out the most up-to-date information. The College Board, which administers both the SAT and AP tests, is continually updating its website.
SAT Tests — The SAT for May 2 has been canceled. Registered students will receive refunds. Currently, the next SAT is scheduled for the first weekend of June.
ACT Tests — ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the US. All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from ACT informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future national test date. Please check the ACT website for updates.
IB Exams —The International Baccalaureate program’s May 2020 examinations for Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme students will not be held in any country. Please check the IB website for details.
TOEFL —The Education Testing Service (ETS), which administers the TOEFL provides updates on its website. Testing dates have been canceled or postponed in several countries. ETS has, however, arranged a secure TOEFL testing solution that will allow students in some affected areas to take the test from home.
Test Optional for the Fall 2021 Admission Cycle
Many colleges are relaxing or revising certain admissions requirements for fall 2021. One of the measures many of the schools are adopting (either temporarily or permanently) is suspending or making optional the standardized test requirement. The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) posts an online list that includes colleges that are test optional, as well as those that do not use standardized tests as a requirement for admission. Right now, the list is changing often, so you may want to check frequently for updates.
COOL THINGS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES ARE DOING IN THE MEANTIME
Putting Critical Thinking Skills to Use
“A college senior from Versailles put her stir-craziness to good use with a project that will help the deaf and hard of hearing community. ‘I just saw that people were making masks on Facebook for everyone to have instead of the throwaway masks, and I was like, what about the deaf and hard of hearing population?’ explained 21-year-old Ashley Lawrence.” Read the rest of the article here.
Call for Artists: QUARANTINE (an online exhibition)
Have you been in touch with your inner artist while you’ve been stuck at home? Would you like to share your creation(s) with others? If so, check out this developing online exhibition sponsored by the McKeon Center for Creativity at Tulsa Community College. It will be comprised entirely of new work created in the next 30+ days that reflects/responds to the current pandemic. Works in all media will be considered, including 2D and 3D pieces, video, and sound.
Each artist selected for the exhibition will be paid a $100 honorarium. For submission instructions and additional information, please contact Cindy Armstrong at cindy.armstrong@tulsacc.edu.
A Theater “Bakeoff” in Minnesota
“Minutes before the stream even went live, the comment section was buzzing with activity as people from across the globe tuned in for live script readings of the 10 finalists from the ‘Quarantine Playwriting Bakeoff.’ The competition, which went viral almost overnight, was created by a group of students from the University of Minnesota’s theater program, with the help of a student from New York University, as a way for other actors and playwrights to practice their craft amid mass theater closures due to the COVID-19 virus.” Read the full story here.
THE HOME FRONT
No Longer “Empty-Nesters”
My daughter and son have been living with my husband and me for the past three weeks. It’s been a long time since we were all under the same roof for any length of time (and the roof since then has gotten considerably smaller!). Despite the occasional blow-ups, I’m so very glad to have them here with me. The most exciting thing to happen this week: my daughter passed her thesis defense! While it was a bit weird defending via Zoom, she did a great job and heaved a sigh of relief. All that’s left is a thesis edit and comp exams before she earns her Masters in Theatre for Young Audiences!
