To gain entry into a college, individuals must submit college applications to any college of his or her choosing. Most applications are different depending on what college or university you want to attend. They generally focus on the basic background of the applicant, such as family background, academic or qualifying exam details, GPA, extracurriculars, and standard testing scores.

Most colleges and universities have certain requirements set for a college application. The most common qualifications for the application is the applicant’s standardized test scores: their ACT or SAT scores. However, due to COVID, this year, the UC colleges are making the ACT and SAT optional, meaning students do not have to submit their test scores. 

Students also need to submit their high school transcripts and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or other qualified adult. 

“Common Application” is a popular requested online application used by many universities and colleges. College bound students receive assistance on their application and advice from their high school counselors. Due to the pandemic, meetings scheduled online are a must for communication. But because of the virtual gap, certain resources may be difficult to obtain and can be stressful for counselors who have so many students to assist.

“No one is helping at all at school and I’m stressed… [the counselors] are kind of busy, mine had made time for me but sometimes they don’t even respond to emails so it’s hard to get help.Since students and staff can’t be in person to get the help we need, it can be much more challenging working from home. Unfortunately, there isn’t much help to get us through the process of completing our college applications,” Michelle Roldannett, a Segerstrom student, says.

Although many high schoolers are facing uncertain times, there are more resources that students have access to besides counseling. One of these includes the Late Night Higher Education, where staff from the Higher Education Center can help students one-on-one and can answer any questions or concerns students may have during the process. 

“It made it a lot easier to get in contact with someone who knows what to do,” Roldannett says.  

Students are encouraged to take charge and find other resources to help them. The Higher Education Center staff and counselors can help students individually and check their applications. Students that need help can always look at their school website to see if any meetings regarding their concerns about college applications are available for them.