As COVID-19 continues to affect the postsecondary landscape, institutions must reevaluate their application and admissions policies. Institutions should consider increased flexibility in application requirements and virtual engagement opportunities for prospective students.

Explore ways institutions can adjust the application and admissions process:

1. Alter admissions and application processes for new students.

• According to recommendations from the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers, admissions offices should consider a number of adjustments to admissions practices, including:

  • Extending deadlines for submitting final transcripts until the end of the fall semester.
  • Providing flexibility in international credentials guidelines.
  • Providing online summer orientation, registration, and advising sessions.
  • Waiving standardized testing admissions requirements.
  • Moving any interview or audition requirements to a virtual platform.
  • Moving to an online course placement testing system or developing a rubric of course placement eligibility based on other data.
  • Creating clear guidelines for how P/F or S/U grades from spring 2020 will be considered in the admissions process.

2. Provide live virtual admissions panels and tours for potential students.

• Virtual admissions panels can be tailored to the specific academic interests or topics of interest for prospective students. Potential admissions panel topics could include:
  • Department-specific panels
  • Student Life (including residence life, fraternities and sororities, professional and service organizations, intramural sports, etc.)
  • Career Services / Life After College
  • Academic Support
  • Financial Aid
  • Admissions FAQs
• Live virtual guided tours are another option that can help prospective students gain a better sense of the campus environment and institutional offerings. Current students can guide prospective students through a tour and answer questions along the way.

Davidson College has a list of live virtual admissions events.

3. Create virtual reality or video tours of campus.

• Many students will be unable to travel to campuses to participate in campus tours in the fall. Virtual tours allow students to explore the campus in a safe format and get a better sense of what the campus community looks like.

Yale University and the University of Virginia have examples of immersive virtual reality tours of campus.

The University of Tampa has also provided examples of campus tour videos.