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COLLEGE COUNSELING IN THE TIME OF COVID
Our counselors reflect on how the pandemic has affected college admissions at Pace and beyond
COLLEGE COUNSELING IN THE COVID ERA
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In a March 2021 Wall Street Journal article entitled College Admission Season Is
Crazier Than Ever. That Could Change Who
Gets In, authors Melissa Korn and Douglas
Belkin discuss the impact of highly selective colleges and universities’ decisions to waive standardized test requirements in light of the COVID pandemic’s impact on students. The change resulted in “an unprecedented flood of applications and what may prove the most chaotic selection experiment in American higher education since the end of World War II,” Korn and Belkin write. “The question hanging over higher education… is whether this influx will
permanently change how colleges select students and, ultimately, the makeup of the student population.”
The question of how college application processes would be affected by new testing policies was just one of many challenges that arose for the Pace Academy Office of College Counseling at the height of the pandemic. When Pace transitioned to virtual learning in March 2020, a majority of seniors had made their college choices. “In terms of our operations, the Class of 2020 wasn’t severely impacted,” explains Associate Director of College Counseling BEN WESCOTT. “The Class of 2021, however, is a different story.”
As Pace shuttered its campus in March 2020, so too did colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world. Visiting colleges during the spring and summer of junior year as is typical simply was not possible, so when the Class of 2021 returned to Pace for the start of their senior year, few had solidified their top choices. That sense of indecision and unpredictability characterized the year, reports Director of College Counseling JONATHAN FERRELL.
What was not up for debate was the team’s commitment to supporting Pace students and families. “We had to quickly wrap our minds around what was going on and determine how we were going to walk through this and serve our kids,” Ferrell says. “We didn’t get to shut down. Instead, we adapted, and we adapted well.”
In a normal year, the Office of College Counseling provides student and parent programming for grades nine and 10; the official search process kicks off during junior year when students are assigned a college counselor, take the PSAT, attend college fairs, meet with college representatives visiting Pace, register for and take standardized tests and participate in college tours. Senior year is equally busy—filled with essay and application workshops, family meetings, and additional college fairs and visits.
Associate Director of College Counseling BEN WESCOTT kicks off the 2021–2022 school year with a critical presentation about the college process.
Typically, by spring break, approximately 80% of a given class has determined their college home.
It’s a thoughtful, strategic process, one in which the Office of College Counseling works hand in hand with parents and students to hone college lists and find the perfect post-Pace fit. But in lieu of in-person meetings and workshops, the 110 members of the Class of 2021 and their parents found themselves Zooming into conversations with their counselors and attending virtual college admissions programs.
With guests—including parents—unable to visit the Pace campus throughout the 2020–2021 school year, “it was much like being at a boarding school,” Ferrell says. “There, college counselors interact with students in person, but interactions with parents take place almost exclusively on the phone, via email or via Zoom.”
Ferrell contacted colleagues at boarding schools to gather their best practices and ideas, and the new format worked better than anticipated. “Meeting with parents this past year was actually far easier,” Wescott says, citing many parents’ busy work and travel schedules. “In some cases, we saw more of students’ families than we might have in a normal year.”
The Office of College Counseling’s virtual offerings extended beyond parent meetings; the team partnered with other area independent schools to offer specialized online curriculum covering everything from business and engineering programs to historically black colleges and universities. And when the ACT canceled test dates, Pace offered the test on campus to all juniors and seniors.
Associate Director of College Counseling PAM AMBLER appreciated building relationships with students and parents through new channels. “I would see inside families’ homes when we would Zoom,” she says. “Kids would show me their desks, their rooms. We connected in interesting ways—ways we hadn’t before. It was an unexpected silver lining.”
Ambler and her colleagues found another silver lining in the pace of pandemic life, particularly from March 2020 through the start of school that August. Without the structure and demands imposed by participation in extracurricular activities, travel and the general breakneck speed of adolescence, students were forced to slow down, discover new hobbies, reconnect with family members, get to know their neighbors and pursue genuine interests. “In a way, it was refreshing,” she says. “It allowed our students to be more reflective, and we worked to reposition them so they could effectively share those stories.”
For many students, broader horizons on the home front and virtual access to college admissions teams near and far led to interest in schools they might not have considered in a normal year. In addition, test-optional policies meant that students who may have selected out of an applicant pool instead selected in. They thought, Why not give it a shot?
“When students have unlimited access to a college, they often get hooked on one school, visit multiple times and believe it’s the perfect place. Their search stops there,” says Wescott. “In this situation, that couldn’t happen.”
Across the board, the Pace Class of 2021 submitted more applications per student—an average of 7.1 versus the Class of 2020’s average of 6.68—and fewer were willing to apply “early decision,” a process in which students “make a binding commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll and withdraw all other applications,” according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
Applicants nationwide followed suit. According to the Wall Street Journal, Harvard’s applications increased 42% over the previous year. Yale, Columbia and Stanford were so overwhelmed that they pushed back the date to announce admissions decisions. Common App, which serves more than 900 institutions of higher education, reported that America's colleges averaged an 11% bump in applications. Without in-person interviews or test scores to evaluate applicants, many in the industry wondered how decisions would be made. Needless to say, no one—not college admissions offices, school leaders or college counselors—knew quite how the year would shake out.
“When all was said and done, we had a really great year,” Ferrell reports. The members of the Class of 2021 happily enrolled at 57 colleges in 25 states and the District of Columbia (see page 53 for the full college list).
What was interesting, however, was how the pandemic may have shaped students’ decisions. “At the beginning of the year, so much was unknown and so many students were indecisive—for good reason,” Ferrell says.
Students at Pace and across the country had faced disappointment again and again: plans canceled due to COVID, missed opportunities, illness in their families, increased anxiety and general exhaustion. “This past year, we all just wanted a win,” Ambler says. “Kids wanted the good parts of ‘normal’ to come back.”
And so, when selecting schools, many students in the Pace Class of 2021 were disproportionately drawn to the places they sensed could provide that sense of normalcy and familiarity. In some cases, a large public university that had reopened to visitors during the pandemic won out over a more selective liberal arts school conducting virtual classes. More than in years past, Pace students elected to stay close to home: 16% will attend school in Georgia. Schools in Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama will also welcome large numbers of Pace graduates.
“By and large, our students picked schools that were more accessible to visit,” Wescott reports. “They could visualize themselves having good experiences at those places.” Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, the University of Southern California, George Washington University, Sewanee: University of the South and Rhodes College were among the schools that accepted Pace students, but where students chose not to enroll.
“Logistics aside, COVID might have simplified things,” Ferrell says. “In many ways, this year was a college counselor’s dream. Instead of getting caught up in big names and status, kids chose where they really wanted to go, where they thought they could be happy. That makes me happy.” Much about the college admissions landscape remains to be seen.
At print time, a growing list of colleges and universities required that students, faculty and staff be vaccinated against COVID before returning to campus—a controversial mandate in many states that, for better or worse, will likely impact admissions. The Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia announced that its 26 colleges and universities will require applicants to submit an SAT or ACT score for admission; several Florida
schools followed suit. A longer list of schools such as Harvard University, Amherst College, Tufts University and the University of Virginia declared their intent to remain test optional. Institutions of higher education around the country shared metrics regarding their atypical year while formulating plans for the coming season, which, in many ways, could be just as anomalous. Pace’s Office of College Counseling Administrative Assistant for College Counseling Shakila Williams is in a similar situation. “For the past 18 months, we’ve been building a car and driving it at the same time,” says Ferrell. “This summer, we pulled off at a rest stop to catch our breath and review what worked and what didn’t. Then we got back on the road.” Ferrell is proud of the ways his team adapted to the unprecedented challenges. “We had to evaluate our processes, make changes in real time and then pass that knowledge on to our students and families, who had to readjust as well,” he says. “Ultimately, I think we’ll all look back on the 2020–2021 school year as one that made us more nimble, more thoughtful and more creative. It made us better.” •
Director of College Counseling Jonathan Ferrell
Leaders in
COLLEGE COUNSELING
More than 1,100 college counselors from across the South tuned in to the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling’s (SACAC) 2021 conference in April. Director of College Counseling JONATHAN FERRELL, who served as SACAC president for the 2020–2021 year, oversaw the virtual event, themed Renewing Our Commitment. Ferrell also served as a featured speaker and, with National Association for College Admission Counseling CEO Angel Pérez, addressed the topic of leading through the dual pandemics of COVID and racial injustice.
During the conference, Associate Director of College Counseling PAM AMBLER received the William Starling Award for Mentoring, one of the seven awards SACAC bestows annually on its members. The award, named for the longtime dean of admissions and financial
aid at Wake Forest University, recognizes an individual who sets an example of integrity and shapes the best in people, who sees beyond the day-to-day and inspires rather than demands quality. “Pam continues to provide me and so many others with sage advice and an understanding ear, and always [shows] a willingness to help out,” said SACAC Past-President Jessica Sant. “She has students’ interests at heart while also being able to wonderfully support her colleagues in this profession. She encourages and lifts us up—Pam believes in people and brings out the best in them.” •
Introducing AMY RUFF
This summer, AMY RUFF joined the Office of College Counseling as an associate director. The strategic addition to Pace Academy’s already robust team provides increased services for students and families by lowering the student-tocounselor ratio while allowing the team to expand its work on behalf of the school and its students.
Ruff comes to Pace from the University of Michigan, where she served as regional recruitment coordinator in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions since 2017. In her role, Ruff developed and executed strategic recruitment initiatives across the southeast, collaborating with college counselors from Florida, Texas and Georgia high schools—including Pace. Prior to her time at Michigan, Ruff was associate director of admissions for Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. In addition, she spent nearly four years in multiple roles within Florida State University’s Office of Admissions.
“I've worked in the Atlanta area for years recruiting fantastic students, and there's always been something special when stepping on the Pace campus,” Ruff reports. “The students are engaged and intentional, motivated to think critically and positively contribute to the community around them, while most importantly being themselves. Applying to college can feel complex and overwhelming, and I'm looking forward to developing trusted partnerships with Pace students and families to navigate each step.”
Ruff is a graduate of Assumption College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication. She went on to receive a master’s in strategic communication from Purdue University.
“When it comes to college counseling, our students deserve the best,” says Director of College Counseling JONATHAN FERRELL. “I believe that we have the best team in the business, and adding Amy will make us even better. She has been an amazing advocate for Pace students interested in the University of Michigan, and she's been an invaluable partner to our office over the years.”
Ruff’s hiring brings Pace’s college counseling team to five. In addition to Ferrell, she joins Associate Directors of College Counseling PAM AMBLER and BEN WESCOTT and Administrative Assistant for College Counseling SHAKILA WILLIAMS.
“I'm excited to bring my knowledge and range of experiences in admissions, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to join the Pace community,” Ruff says. •
