News for Juniors

As the global pandemic closes high schools and college campuses, juniors wonder how it will affect their college search process. I am on the mailing list for hundreds of colleges, and I receive updates daily. A recurring theme is captured in this reassuring message from the University of Virginia: "Please know that students will not be at a disadvantage in the admission process as a result of school closures and cancellations associated with standardized testing. Students are not responsible for things they cannot control." This is uncharted territory, but don't worry because everyone is in this together. 

While spring break is often a time for juniors to begin visiting campuses, the cancellation of in-person tours just means we look at alternatives. Our College Info page (under the Student Resources menu at upper right) links to three sites that offer free virtual campus tours (note: you do not need to create an account to use these). Many admissions offices create their own campus tour videos, such as this example I received this morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cj6RiYI6TY Another brand new development is the announcement of Virtual College Exploration Week coming in April. I will post updates about this.

This is also the time of year for juniors to begin making summer plans. Our Summer Opportunities page links you to every local program that we know about. These programs are currently available, but as is the new normal, everything is subject to change on short notice.

Even when schools are closed, your school counselor can still help you. We always have referral resources available at http://www.wnyschoolcounselor.org/referrals Please Email your school counselor if you have any questions.