How Will COVID Affect College Admissions in 2022?
If you are a student or parent of a student, you might wonder how Covid will affect college admissions in 2022. This article provides an update on what to expect in terms of ACT test policy and how international tuition will affect low-income students and students of color.
ACT test policies for the class of 2022
The ACT is a college entrance examination that has been around for over 30 years. In 2022, over 1.35 million students took the test. However, despite the test’s popularity, it has faced significant headwinds in recent years.
For example, the test has lost nearly two million takers over the past three years. The loss of test takers adds up to millions of dollars in missed revenue for ACT. It has responded to the financial stress by taking cost-cutting measures, such as using voluntary resignations.
The ACT also offers four fee waivers to qualifying students. Students can request a waiver from their high school counselors. Alternatively, they can use the Exceptions Statement Form to order a free alternate format of the ACT practice test.
ACT encourages test takers to report cheating. However, it is important to note that this is not a requirement. This is because ACT has created testing procedures designed to provide honest test takers with equal opportunities.
Moreover, ACT provides information to test coordinators about how to administer the ACT in a fair and accurate manner. For example, if a student has a vision impairment, the test coordinator can submit an Exceptions Statement Form with supporting documentation to ACT.
ACT has also implemented a test security hotline, staffed by professionals who can answer questions about the test. During check-in and other security activities, ACT may collect images of examinees to monitor behavior.
Other features include the automatic calculation of the ACT Superscore for every student. Using this score, applicants in the lower 25th percentile can gain strategic advantages. Ultimately, ACT aims to give honest test takers an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic prowess.
As a reminder, a student should not bring cell phones into the test room. ACT prohibits cell phone use during breaks. These rules are in place to ensure the integrity of the ACT and the scores reported for each examinee.
ACT also has a calculator policy. If an examinee has an approved calculator, it can be used on the mathematics test only. ACT has also created test security procedures to ensure that all students have the same opportunity to show what they have learned.
International tuition is higher than tuition for domestic students
It’s common knowledge that international tuition in college admissions 2022 is significantly higher than for domestic students. While this is true in many cases, it’s also true that it’s possible to pay less than the published price. In other cases, the published price doesn’t reflect the cost of a course after institutional grants and financial aid are applied.
The Institute of International Education’s Spring 2022 Snapshot on International Educational Exchange surveyed 559 US higher education institutions. These institutions included both public and private universities.
The survey results showed that the majority of US colleges are committed to offering on-campus instruction to international students. However, nearly one-third will offer some online courses. Most institutions also intend to provide hybrid instruction in the fall.
Private colleges charge high tuition fees compared to public schools. This is because most of their funding comes from private organizations and government aid. Also, private institutions often enroll more international students than public colleges.
Some private colleges even charge more than $50,000 per year. If you’re interested in attending a private college, it’s important to check the costs of your chosen course and college. You should also check with your prospective institution for any changes to their tuition and fee policies.
Many US colleges suffered steep losses in international student enrolments in 2020 and 2021. However, the recovery is underway. By the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, two-thirds of institutions will have enrolled more than last year.
While the drop in enrollment was largely a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was just a part of a wider trend. Overall, enrollment declined by 9.4%, which equates to 1.4 million students across the US college system.
In addition to this decline, the “Muslim Ban” was also a factor. On January 27, 2017, seven predominantly Muslim countries were banned from sending foreign nationals to the US.
The most popular 20 US institutions hosted nearly 250,000 international students. Of these, four schools enrolled more than 15,000 international students.
Considering that international tuition in college admissions 2020-21 is likely to rise, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for future increases.
Schools recruiting more students from a broader pool of countries
Many people wonder how the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic will affect college admissions in the future. While the effects of the pandemic will continue to be felt for some time to come, universities have already begun retooling their recruitment and admissions strategies to prepare for a new era. Here’s a look at some of the innovations being implemented by colleges and universities across the country.
A new study from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reveals that the enrollment numbers in the spring of 2021 were not nearly as impressive as those of last year. According to the report, undergraduate enrollment declined by 4.7%. The good news is that there was a positive change in student interest as well. Interestingly, the most selective institutions saw the biggest growth, albeit only slightly.
In terms of applications, there was an uptick, which isn’t surprising considering the fact that schools are competing for a limited pool of potential students. Nevertheless, the total number of applications submitted to colleges and universities rose by 21.3 percent between the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 academic years.
The most notable implication of the COVID-19 pandemic is that many institutions have removed or are eliminating standardized test requirements for applicants. This has led to a notable boost in diversity. Several colleges have made it easier for students from underserved backgrounds to apply. Test-optional policies were also introduced, enabling students to decide for themselves whether or not to take a standardized test.
There are two main reasons why this is a trend. First, standardized tests are not always required by colleges, especially for international students. Second, schools can reach a broader population by offering early decision and other incentives. Although some of the most prestigious institutions have been slow to adapt to this trend, many others have already begun to roll out their own standardized tests.
While this may be good news for those hoping to enroll in a college in the near future, it could be bad news for some students, particularly those looking to enroll in a traditional four-year institution. Experts suggest applying early and selecting one extracurricular activity to focus on.
Impact on low-income students and students of color
When the college admissions process starts in the fall, it’s important to consider the impact on low-income students and students of color. These demographics are especially affected by college affordability and the challenges of getting into college. Historically, students from these populations have faced greater challenges, including lower graduation rates, higher cost of education, and tougher academic courses.
However, over the past few decades, there has been an increase in access to college for students of color. This has led to upward socioeconomic mobility for diverse student populations. Despite the increase in access, however, these students continue to face barriers to enrolling in postsecondary institutions, including a lack of financial aid. Fortunately, more colleges are taking steps to address these inequities.
In fact, over the past 20 years, the share of low-income undergraduates has increased from 32.3 percent in 1996 to 43.1 percent in 2016. The increase in poor students has most pronounced at public two-year colleges and community colleges, but has also been seen at open-admission and moderately selective four-year institutions.
While the share of dependent undergraduates from poor families has stayed at one in ten since 1996, the share of independent undergraduates has dramatically increased. They represent nearly twice the percentage of students in poverty as dependent undergraduates.
As a result, the number of low-income students enrolled in postsecondary education has risen over the last 20 years. In addition, the share of near-poor undergraduates has also risen.
Nevertheless, the number of students from higher-income families remains relatively stable. Although the share of poor independent undergraduates has increased, the percentage of dependent undergraduates from poor families has declined.
For the class of 2020, high school graduates had lower college-going rates than in previous years. In particular, students at high-minority high schools had significantly lower college-going numbers.
Among low-income students, the greatest enrollment declines occurred among Black, Hispanic, and Native American students. During the same time period, the official poverty rate for adults 18-64 remained flat. However, this data does not reflect the broader trends in society.
Ultimately, addressing these inequities is critical during this period of crisis. With the help of state and local efforts, these obstacles may be lessened, and more students will be able to attend college.