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Test-Optional Admissions Bring Holistic Reviews to Center Stage

Many rising high school seniors are going to find a silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic when they apply to college this fall: an increased emphasis on holistic admissions. This is a result of the growing movement by colleges of all competitive levels — yes, even the entire Ivy League — to incorporate a test-optional policy with their admission requirements.
Dropping their stipulations that applicants submit standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT means that now students who choose to eschew them will be evaluated on their overall demonstrated academic and extracurricular performance alone. Standardized tests have grown increasingly controversial over the years, alleged to be biased against certain demographic minorities, plus recent scoring issues and pandemic-related administration snafus have cast further shade upon them.
Referring to applicants’ “demonstrated performance,” former university president Michael T. Nietzel comments on the momentum:
… These decisions show that the test-optional movement continues to pick up steam, as had been predicted after the role fraudulent standardized testing was proven to play in last year’s college admissions cheating scandal.
That scandal reignited the test-optional fire by revealing the outsized role of standardized tests in competitive admissions and by revisiting data that question the added predictive validity provided by such tests compared to student’s high school performance.
More Colleges Adopt Test-Optional Policies
The test-optional trend is sweeping the nation. Fairtest.org reports that currently, almost 1,300 colleges and universities no longer require the SAT or ACT as part of their application process. Thus, that silver lining shines on those pending college applicants who are otherwise superb college candidates but not world-class standardized test takers. These students will be the beneficiaries of holistic evaluation during their admission processes.
Quoted in Spreading the Word on Test Optional, Holistic Admissions, Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Kristin Tichenor commented on the benefits of allowing high school students to decide whether to include SAT and ACT scores in college applications. She noted how WPI’s faculty made the bold decision to support a test-optional admissions policy after three years of intensive study and data analysis. WPI then became the first nationally ranked science and engineering school to make SAT and ACT scores optional. This decision greatly enhanced the value of holistic assessment.
… Tichenor explained that admissions professionals at WPI and other universities consider a student’s success in high school, the rigor of their course of study, their extracurricular accomplishments, their recommendations, and their personal statement. She said WPI admissions officials look at the qualitative elements of an application before looking at the quantitative elements like test scores so the scores do not bias their review. “This is what is referred to as holistic admissions,” she explained …
One of the better-kept secrets in higher education was the high degree of influence standardized test scores had on admission decisions. Before the test-optional era, admission staffers meeting with students and parents at the end of campus tours would proudly tout their “overall” approach to evaluating applications when, in fact, their “overall” (a.k.a. holistic) approach was much more skewed toward test scores than they would admit. How things have changed.
The Basics of Holistic Admissions
For the benefit of rising seniors who will be entering this fall’s college admissions arena, let’s take a closer look at what a holistic evaluation process involves. Google defines the term “holistic” as being characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole. Merriam-Webster more clearly explains it as relating to or concerned with complete systems rather than with individual parts.
As it applies to college admissions, then, “holistic” means that admission committees look at the overall applicant, not just their individual components (GPA, class rank, test scores, high school schedule, etc.). It’s a kind of big-picture assessment of what an applicant might bring to a college’s student body.
In an op-ed piece from the Los Angeles Times, former admissions officer Sara Harberson tells “The truth about ‘holistic’ college admissions,” which could possibly diminish the brightness of that silver lining:
” … has holistic admissions become a guise for allowing cultural and even racial biases to dictate the admissions process?” Plus:
“Without more transparency, holistic admissions can become an excuse for cultural bias to dictate a process that is supposed to open doors.”
While perhaps somewhat provocative, Harberson’s contentions are still fair, in my view, especially in light of the court battles and strong debates happening today regarding affirmative action and diversity. While the holistic approach to admission offers definite advantages to a large segment of applicant pools, it does, like almost every enterprise, have a potential for corruption. Think Varsity Blues, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.
In the realm of holistic admissions, probably the boldest example comes from Bennington College with its Dimensional Application, which represents a new realm of flexibility for students. It has no required documents. Instead, it asks applicants to build a portfolio that demonstrates their academic achievement, including their creation and revision processes, classroom and community involvement, and writing skills
Here are some excerpts from the booklet Bennington applicants use to guide them through the creation of their portfolios:
… We invite you to share with us a collection of your work that reflects your capacities and creates a portrait of what you might bring to the Bennington community. We invite you to be deeply thoughtful. We invite you to be bold. We invite you to bring your own dimension to the college application. And we look forward to receiving it.
A DIMENSIONAL APPLICATION demonstrates your readiness to meet the demands of a Bennington education, including:
The capacity to design an inquiry, to perform research, to create and revise work, to engage with others, and to communicate your work to the world.
Intrinsic motivation: The wherewithal to continue when things are hard. A tolerance for ambiguity and a facility for collaboration. Aesthetic sensibility and cultural sensitivity.
– SELF-DIRECTION
– SELF-REFLECTION
– SELF-RESTRAINT
TELL US WHAT MATTERS
Consider how you wish to demonstrate your academic achievement over time, your writing ability, your contribution to your classrooms and your community, and your capacity to make and revise work. Portfolios, research you designed or experiments you engineered, reflective and analytical writing, transcripts, letters of recommendation — all and more are welcome …
… Bennington’s Dimensional Application is for students who want to do more than respond to a set of given prompts. It is an opportunity for you to individually curate an application for Bennington, to create a compelling portrait of your academic achievement, and to demonstrate, in your own way, your potential to enrich, and be enriched by, the Bennington community.
Applications should demonstrate your academic achievement, writing ability, contributions to the classroom and community, and your capacity to make and revise work. While students may choose to do this in very different ways, standard elements of a college application — portfolios, original research, reflective and analytical writing, transcripts, letters of recommendation — are all acceptable and welcome …
How I wish that I’d had the chance to apply to college like this. The Dimensional Application may be the ultimate holistic approach to college admissions. Even the Common Application lends itself to holistic review, thanks to the test-optional status, which is a true advantage for applicants.
——————
By: Dave Berry
Title: Test-Optional Admissions Bring Holistic Reviews to Center Stage
Sourced From: insights.collegeconfidential.com/test-optional-colleges-mean-holistic-admissions
Published Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:40:52 +0000
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Apply Online For Student Loans

Apply Online For Student Loans
Applying online for student loans is a convenient and efficient way to secure funding for your education. Whether you are facing financial difficulties or simply want to keep your debts to a minimum, student loans can help alleviate the financial burden while you focus on your studies.
One of the main advantages of student loans is that they typically offer lower interest rates compared to other types of loans. Additionally, repayment is often deferred until after you graduate, giving you time to establish your career and increase your income potential.
By applying online, you have access to a wider range of lenders, allowing you to compare different loan offers and choose the one that best suits your needs. Look for lenders offering competitive interest rates, flexible repayment terms, and any additional incentives that may be available.
Student loans can be used to cover various expenses related to your education, including tuition fees, housing, course materials, and living expenses. While your personal bank may be willing to provide a student loan, applying online gives you more options and potentially better terms.
However, it’s important to remember that student loans are still loans, and you should borrow responsibly. It’s advisable to budget regularly and avoid unnecessary purchases or luxuries to ensure you can manage your loan repayments in the future.
Before applying for student loans, explore other options such as scholarships, grants, or parental funding. These resources can help reduce the amount you need to borrow and minimize your financial obligations.
Lastly, it’s crucial to have confidence in your ability to secure a salary that will enable you to meet your loan repayments after graduation. Work hard to achieve the grades and qualifications necessary for your desired career, as this will increase your chances of finding a well-paying job.
In conclusion, applying online for student loans can provide you with the financial support needed to pursue your education. However, it’s important to borrow responsibly, explore other funding options, and plan for a successful career to ensure you can manage your loan repayments effectively.
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Webinar Recap: How COVID-19 is Affecting Financial Aid

Many families are facing new financial challenges in light of the coronavirus emergency, and College Confidential has fielded dozens of questions on this topic recently. To address those queries, we hosted a webinar on April 9 entitled “Paying for College Amid Changes Due to the Impact of COVID-19.”
During the event, moderated by Aaron Murphy, manager of learning and development with Inside Track, the following panelists offered their perspectives on the issue:
- Denise Trusty, director of financial aid with Morehead State University
- Laura Reisert Kalinkewicz, associate vice president of college partnerships with RaiseMe
- Amy Nelson, director of sales at International Scholarship and Tuition Services
- Charlie Javice, founder and CEO of Frank.
Check out the following topics that the panelists discussed, along with their views of how things may unfold amid the financial challenges brought on by the coronavirus outbreak.
Family Finances Changed? Contact Your Schools
If you plan to start college in the fall as a freshman — or return to school as an existing student — and your financial situation has changed since you applied for financial aid, you should contact the colleges on your list immediately. Financial aid departments can consider appeals for more money, but must base these decisions on each individual student’s situation, Trusty said.
“I know with Morehead State, where I work, we will be doing professional judgement calls on all students who say they’ve been affected,” she noted. “We will reach out to those students to see what we can do to help them maybe obtain additional funding, additional grants, scholarships, whatever they would be eligible for. We do professional judgment all the time for our students, because things happen all the time. This year will be an especially large amount of those, I’m sure, but those are up to individual schools to make that call for their students.”
In addition, she added, the Department of Education has set aside over $6 billion for additional grants and scholarships that the universities will be able to use. “Currently, I don’t know how that’s all going to play into this,” Trusty said. “So that will be up to each individual university on how they lay those out. I know it will be beneficial, I just don’t know how available that will be to each student.”
Keep in mind that schools are accustomed to reviewing financial aid appeals, and they all have processes in place for to do so. “It is really, really important to know that schools typically leave a budget from 10 percent to 20 percent or so of their financial aid dollars for what would be called a professional judgment bucket,”Javice said. “Therefore, there is additional money to be had, and it’s up to you to request it. You should approach your school as soon as you know you might need more money, and be prepared to show supporting documentation demonstrating how your finances are different from when you filed your FAFSA initially. This might require proof of a job loss, medical bills, a cut in pay or another such issue, Javice said.
In addition, if another school gave you a better financial offer, you can petition the school that gave you the lower offer for more money, Javice noted. “This typically works better for private institutions versus public state schools, given the fact that they have a little bit more discrepancy and more dollars to put to work in terms of a tuition discount,” she added. “This is solely up to the school on a case by case basis.” In some cases, the money is distributed on a first come, first serve timeline, so don’t wait if you know you need more aid.
Although financial aid can be a stressful topic, try not to be emotional when you request more money, Javice added. You’ll get a lot further by having organized documentation to present than you would by getting angry or upset, she noted.
Consider Outside Scholarships
The coronavirus situation has changed plans not only for incoming freshmen, but also for current college students, Nelson said. “Organizations are stepping up and trying to find ways to provide additional scholarship opportunities this year,” she noted. Students should be proactive in seeking those options.
Raise Me is offering new micro-scholarships for students who are seeking additional funding sources, Kalinkewicz said. In addition, she encourages students to ask colleges for more time to make decisions, even if the school hasn’t extended its deposit process. You can always try and request additional time to get your financial aid package right, she noted.
Finding more money is not relegated to younger students, Javice added. “Adult learners comprise the biggest group of people actually going to college today,” she noted. It’s very common for people to be seeking new types of skills and going back to college to gain additional degrees. Financial aid is available to adult learners, and they may even get aid to pay such costs as rent, she added. In addition, they can seek outside scholarships or employer-matching funds to pay for their educations.
Not Necessarily Too Late to File FAFSA
Students who didn’t file a FAFSA already should do that as soon as possible so you can get access to financial aid funds, Javice said. Federal FAFSA deadlines are usually in June, but states make their own deadlines for state aid. Some states, such as New Jersey, have moved their deadlines back for this year, so check to make sure you stay on top of your deadlines.
And if you file for financial aid and you decide you don’t want it, you can always decline the financial offer or portions of that offer, Nelson said. Your best bet is to apply so you can take what you need and decline any amounts you don’t need. Even if you don’t think you qualify for financial aid, you should apply anyway because you could be surprised at what you’re offered. “You really need to complete that [FAFSA] process every year,” Nelson said. “The process is very easy, and jobs can come and go. It’s your safety net and you want to make sure you’ve completed it. It makes it a whole lot easier when situations like this arise.”
Some colleges also have supplemental applications to fill out for particular types of aid, so always reach out to your financial aid office for information on which documentation you should be completing, Kalinkewicz said.
Could Families — Not Schools — Be in the Driver’s Seat?
Because many merit scholarships are based on test scores and GPAs, some high school juniors are concerned that they won’t have access to those in the coming year. With test dates being canceled and grades moving to pass/fail, they fear they won’t meet the criteria to earn such scholarships.
“It’s clear to me that colleges and universities know the extraordinary circumstances we’re under,” Nelson said. “All schools are leaning forward and considering all options as the situation develops. I would continue to encourage juniors to stay engaged and stay informed.” You should also watch to see what happens with test dates, she said. The ACT and SAT dates could change, and some schools may forego the need for a test score altogether, she added.
In addition, some merit scholarships that have traditionally been based on test scores may become test optional, Kalinkewicz noted.
Keep in mind that in many cases, families are in the driver’s seat rather than having the colleges be in charge, Javice said. Some schools have lost revenue and are very eager for students right now, “so if you are scared because you thought you could never get into a specific school from an admission criteria standpoint, this is your year to stretch, this is your year to think about the schools that are your reach category and go for it, because schools need the money and need the students. So the power that used to be in an admissions office is in you, the student or the family’s hands,” she said.
She also advises juniors to request application waivers from schools to save the $50 to $100 or so per application that they would normally pay. The schools may say no, but it won’t hurt to ask, she advised. “Persistence is key when dealing with schools,” Javice noted.
Federal Student Loans Payment Suspended
As many families are aware, payments on federal student loans are automatically suspended from March 13 through September 30, 2020 thanks to the government’s CARES Act. This is essential to keep in mind, particularly for families that have multiple children in various stages of the college process.
“You will stop paying your loans and you will have zero interest from now until September 30, and that’s important for parents to know,” Nelson said regarding existing federal student loans. “If you had an auto draft, the auto draft has been shut off and will not continue. You can, however, continue to make those payments if you’d like, and any interest you had before March 13, once that interest is paid up, all your payments will go directly toward your principal.” She advises families with federally-backed loans to check with their loan servicing agents, because they have a lot of information for both parent and student borrowers on how the CARES Act will impact payments for the next six months.
Student Job Gone? Colleges Might Help
For students who expect to earn money via part-time or full-time work to pay for college, but can’t do so due to the coronavirus, colleges may have resources to help. “There are many colleges and universities that have put together emergency grants for students to cover expenses that they were maybe not expecting because of COVID-19,” Nelson said. “They are making accommodations to try and make up for that lost income for students.”
Trusty said Morehead State is continuing to pay students who were on federal work-study. “If they had a job, we are still paying them right now as if they were working, although they are not. In the summer, those funds will be flipped over to emergency grant funds. So we will make sure that our students are covered and can live as if they were employed with the work-study position.”
Some colleges have even made remote work available to students, Kalinkewicz added. Therefore, contact your financial aid office to determine if any accommodations are available to make up for lost student income whenever possible.
Consider Other Options to Save
If you are seeking ways to save money on college, you should also consider other resources, whether that means less expensive colleges, in-state options or potentially transferring down the road, Janice said. You can also save money by taking classes at a community college to pay a lower cost for your credits that can be transferred to a four-year college later.
“If you have that target institution in mind — maybe you’ve already been admitted there but your family has determined a year of community college will really help stretch things further — work on articulation agreements or a plan so you are taking the right classes that actually have the ability to transfer toward the degree you want at your target institution, not necessarily just as credit,” Kalinkewicz said.
In addition, many colleges offer merit aid for transfer students, she added. So always look for every potential financial aid and scholarship resource to best maximize your package and allow your dollars to stretch as far as possible.
Resource: To review the entire hour-long webinar, you can watch the replay here.
Share Your Thoughts
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Check out our forum to contribute to the conversation!
By: Torrey Kim
Title: Webinar Recap: How COVID-19 is Affecting Financial Aid
Sourced From: insights.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-amid-covid-19
Published Date: Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:22:20 +0000
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