Freshman year is the most important year in a student’s life. The first year will determine whether a student can handle college life or choose to drop out, which is why colleges need to give them an experience that’ll make them want to stay. With the ongoing pandemic, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds for prospective students. Universities are doing their best to keep the students updated on all the information that they might need. Here’s what some universities are doing to welcome freshmen this year:

• International applicants

The pandemic has led to international applicants struggling to get their student visas because the visa offices are unlikely to open any time soon. The standardized and English proficiency tests are being canceled due to the unavailability of test centers across various countries. International applicants have to necessarily submit these test scores to be considered when applying to universities in countries like the USA. With the tests being canceled, it lowers the percentage of international students that are likely to study abroad. 

Universities are now alternatively considering Duolingo test scores for this academic year and some are in plans to give admissions to students without having to submit standardized test scores.

• Teaching methods

Colleges have adapted to online teaching methods since the pandemic first started and are thinking of ways to make the existing system better. Universities will achieve this by making the students feel inclusive as well as support them with one-on-one student interaction sessions. Freshmen are also considering joining online degrees which will cost far less than residential colleges. The colleges with online degrees have been offering online classes for years as opposed to the rest of the colleges which are still learning to adapt. Parents also feel like it would be the right option because of the money it would save and the quality of education they would offer.

• Orientation programs

For freshmen, the first week of college is the most exciting. They get to explore the campus, make new friends, and sign up for fun programs. Due to the current situation, universities like Harvard are canceling programs like orientation week and student weekends. These programs are being held online so that incoming freshmen can take part in them from the safety of their homes. In addition to these, virtual campus tours are being held to make up for the on-campus tours that happen during the first week.

• Finances

With families struggling to sustain themselves because of massive layoffs, students are forced to change their decisions about college due to the tuition fee that once seemed payable. The number of applicants for scholarships would soar which will only make college less affordable. Keeping this mind, colleges are now extending deadlines for the fee payment as well as the application submissions to make the students and their parents feel at ease.

The situation has thrown prospective students into unchartered waters but this will all change soon. For students who have already taken admission or need help in deciding where to study, you can talk to UniRely’s student mentors who are studying at top universities in the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, and many other countries. You can ask the student mentors what their colleges are doing during the ongoing pandemic and take help in keeping your options open and applying. Sign up at unirely.com.