Colleges and Universities Offering On-Campus Tours for the Class of 2026

As Covid cases are declining and more people receive vaccinations, national universities and liberal arts colleges are beginning to offer on-campus tours. With the return of on-campus tours, campuses are taking necessary precautions to ensure safe visits. It is essential to note all the regulations before visiting campus, most schools limit families per visit.

College Kickstart has recorded over 500 schools returning to on-campus tours this summer. To view the ongoing list of the top national universities and liberal arts colleges and to schedule a tour, click the link below:

https://www.collegekickstart.com/blog/item/top-colleges-offering-on-campus-visits-class-of-2026

What Your College Thinks You Should Read Before Your Freshman Year

Every year, students are given a reading list before heading to campus; books vary by college. The Chronicle of Higher Education analyzed common reads across 700 institutions, 1,000 titles over four academic years. 

The Chronicle discovered personal narratives were popular among the reading lists — topics of politics, history, technology, education, and psychology. In addition to personal narratives — poems, podcasts, TedTalks, films, and Netflix series were also popular. 

See below for the top common reads across college campuses:

• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

• Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover 

• What the Eyes Don’t See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

• The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

• Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capó Crucet

• Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood

• Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work by David Isay

• There There by Tommy Orange 

• Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream by Joshua Davis 

To learn more, click the link below:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/these-are-the-books-that-colleges-think-every-freshman-should-read?utm_source=pocket_discover

Admission Trends for the University of California for the Fall of 2021

Please see below for Kickstart’s summarization of the University of California’s Fall 2021 admissions data:

Key Findings:

• Across the UC System, applications increased by 18%, while admission rates fell due to the pandemic and the implementation of test-blind admissions. California resident admission rates fell from 71% to 66%, out-of-state rates fell from 63% to 61%, and international rates went from 71% to 68%.

• The most selective schools in order are UCLA, Berkeley, Irvine, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Davis, Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Merced.

• California admittances went up by 5%, setting a record with over 82,400 admittances.

• Out-of-state applications are continuing to rise with an increase of 40% from last year.

• The expansion of out-of-state and international admittances increased by 3% last year from 33% to 36%.

Systemwide, application interest and admissions selectivity is expected to continue to increase for the Fall of 2022. Non-residents and international students interested in receiving a UC education will have more opportunities at select schools. The UC schools hope to increase diversity and offset expenses with full tuition with out-of-state students. Admission rate advantages are prominent for out-of-state and international students at Davis, Irvine, and Santa Cruz. Out-of-state residents have an admission advantage at San Diego.

To see a more detailed report regarding the Fall 2021 admissions data and specific highlights by the school, please refer to the link below:

https://www.collegekickstart.com/blog/item/university-of-california-fall-2021-admission-trends?utm_source=newsletter_768&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert-fall-2021-university-of-california-admission-trends

The University of California Announces New Tuition Stability Plan

The Board of Regents approved a multi-year plan to stabilize tuition prices at the University of California. Beginning in the fall of 2022, incoming freshmen and transfer students can anticipate their base tuition, student services fee, and nonresident supplemental tuition levels to stay the same up until they graduate; the new plan will not impact 2021- 2022 incoming students. Overall, the tuition plan will stabilize the cost of tuition, allowing for families and their students to plan for the cost of their education. The plan hopes to ease anxiety, stress, and uncertainty surrounding tuition, specifically for lower and middle-income families. Additionally, the program will create more financial aid opportunities. 

As the new Tuition Stability Plan goes into effect in the fall of 2022, the plan will be up for reauthorization by the Board of Regents in five years. If you are interested in learning more about the Tuition Stability Plan, please review the UC’s frequently asked questions:

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/content/tuition-stability-plan-faq?mc_cid=58e545ef14&mc_eid=1dd2555279

New Budget Deal To Help with Enrollment and Financial Aid Expansion at California Colleges and Universities

A new California budget approved at the beginning of the month will provide a range of investments to the state’s public colleges and universities. The budget will expand enrollment, increase financial aid opportunities, and assist students’ basic needs. Additionally, it will reinstate $299 million in funding cuts implemented at the peak of the pandemic and increase $185.9 million in general funding. The 23-campus California State University, which enrolls 486,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year, will receive $81 million to help reach its goal of 9,434 new students in 2022-2023. Lastly, the system will receive a one-time amount of $325 million for maintenance and projects deferred during the pandemic to help improve energy efficiency. 

For more information on California’s new budget for public colleges and universities, refer to the link below: 

https://edsource.org/2021/budget-deal-invests-in-financial-aid-enrollment-growth-at-californias-colleges-and-universities/657100

As a Result of the Pandemic, Most Colleges Now Offer Virtual Tours

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, by the time the pandemic hit campuses in the Spring of 2020, most high school seniors had already visited their top schools. However, this past year, students turned to online shopping to help make their college decisions. The spike in virtual tours was a direct result of the pandemic. Although this process is far from perfect, many colleges now offer virtual programming to help students make informed decisions. These virtual tours provide eye-level cameras to make you feel like you are on campus and the ability to sit in on classes virtually. These accommodations allowed families who couldn’t travel accessibility without leaving the comfort of their homes.

To learn more, refer to the link below:

https://www.ajc.com/education/covid-19-more-high-school-seniors-must-pick-a-college-without-visiting/R2LOI3ZILNGNPLKB22WXFCWDMQ/

This Upcoming Year 60 Percent of Four-Year Colleges Will Not Require the SAT or ACT

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing reports during the pandemic, several colleges went test blind or test-optional for the ACT and SAT. Moving forward, 60 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges, which is around 1,400, will not require testing for this upcoming year. This policy extension is a direct result of more applications, improved academics, and increased diversity. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2021/04/29/1400-4-year-colleges-wont-require-sat-or-act-next-year

California Bill Would Require Similar Community College Courses to Carry the Same Number

According to Education Source, courses covering similar material and fulfilling the same requirements for majors and transfer credits have different number assignments throughout California's Community Colleges. A new process is underway to create a numbering system that is transparent for students and colleges. Additionally, this will add coverage for more courses. Ultimately, this would ensure alignment of similar courses between California Community Colleges and California State University, and the University of California Systems. A bill in the California state Legislature, AB 1111, will require California's 116 community colleges to create and comply with a shared number system, allowing general education and transfer credits to be more accessible.

Additionally, the Los Angeles Times reported that taking this step should improve low transfer rates. Typically only 19 percent of community college students that plan to transfer within four years do. On the other hand, faculty organizations are against moving forward with the changes. Their opposition comes from believing that this will take time and money away from more pressing issues—for example, financial aid benefits or student pass rate. The professors criticizing the catalog number reform believe it will take authority away from the 73 districts in charge of running the community colleges. 

For more information, please refer to the articles below:

https://edsource.org/2021/whats-in-a-college-course-number-lots-of-confusion/653675

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-30/colleges-try-to-devise-a-common-course-numbering-system

University of California's Record Application Year Explained

The University of California system has gotten more applications this year than ever. The UCs saw a 16% increase in applications just in 2021, showing universities across California that more and more high schoolers are hoping to pursue higher education. While this is great news for universities, many parents and students across the state feel differently. More applications mean more rejections as the University of California has a limited number of slots open each year, and thousands of students were met with disappointment after receiving rejection letters.

The issue at large is two-fold. On the one hand, an increase in college applications may be a result of the university's suspension of ACT or SAT test scores, making the college application process more accessible to students than ever. On the other hand, parents of rejected students are feeling upset that their tax money has been going to fund a state school that their children were not granted an offer of admission. This is leaving parents wondering if earning top grades, being a competitive athlete, and community service are even enough to be admitted into the University of California system.

What to Known About Financial Aid for the University of California

While borrowing $21,000 to complete your degree at a UC may seem like a hefty price, student loans are a long-term financial investment into your future. Here is why the University of California believes student loans are a great investment in your future. 

1. UC students borrow for student loans, on average, $7,350 less than the national average. 

2. Loan payments at the UCs are structured around a 6% return of post-graduate earnings to pay off any student loans. 

3. Graduating from college means that you will earn more money over your lifetime. The Social Security Administration found that those who graduate with a bachelor’s degree will earn $630,000 to $900,000, more than those who only have a high school degree. 

4. College undergraduates have lower unemployment rates. 

If you want to read more about what alumni from the UCs do after graduation, click below to read the Alumni Economic Mobility page: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter#alumni-economic-mobility

Information for University of California Waitlist

Check your mailbox if you haven’t already! The University of California has sent out waitlist offers to Fall-term freshman applicants! If you were waitlisted, the deadline to “opt-in” will be April 15th, so make sure you don’t forget. After April, The University of California will be notifying students of their status on the waitlist until June 1st.

Another important part of the waitlisting process is that while it is OKAY to accept a waitlist offer from multiple campuses, you can only accept ONE offer of admissions in June.

Your last and final note about waitlists is to not forget to submit a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). Once you accept a waitlist offer from a UC campus, you MUST send in a SIR to ensure that there will be a place for you on campus that fall!

https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/after-you-apply/admissions-decisions.html?mc_cid=4b6fdd2c27&mc_eid=1dd2555279

UC San Diego Set to Reopen at Full Capacity In Fall

Los Angeles Times Reported last week that higher-education institutions have made plans to resume operating at full capacity when the fall quarter starts in September. As vaccine rollouts improve and the end of the pandemic is in sight, schools feel comfortable planning for in-person classes and on-campus living at almost 100% capacity. For more information on UC San Diego’s re-opening, read the article below. 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-08/uc-san-diego-fall-return

Statement in Solidarity With AAPI Community

First and foremost, I, along with the entire team at My Best College Plan, condemn racism in all forms. In the wake of the mass shooting in Atlanta, I would like to offer my support to the AAPI community. The growing incidents of violence against Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander across the United States is a product of racism and prejudice, exacerbated by the pandemic. My Best College Plan is dedicated to fostering an inclusive community that stands in solidarity against such egregious acts of violence. As many of you know, what took place in Atlanta on March 16th was a racially-motivated hate crime targeting low-income, Asian women. Though this incident was a tragedy, it is only one of thousands of racially motivated crimes against the AAPI community just this year. The Anti-Asian Violence Resources found that more than 3,795 racist incidents against Asian Americans were reported between March 2020 and February 2021. This number is staggering, especially when considering most hate crimes, specifically among the AAPI community, go unreported. 

The Anti-Asian Violence Resources page, linked above, is a great resource to educate yourself and others, learn how to take action, and re-distribute resources. I encourage you all to take a look, if time permits! Below, I will link some of the resources to read about and places to donate. 

Resources to Educate 

1. AAAJ: Bystander Intervention Trainings 

2. Forbes: Call for Action 

3. National Geographic: US’s History of Scapegoating AAPIS 

4. Human Rights Watch: Covid AAPI Racism

Resources for Allyship 

1. Guide to Bystander Intervention 

2. AAAJ: Free Bystander Intervention Trainings  

3. ABC: Stand Up With AAPI Communities 

4. Address Anti-Asian Hate Crimes 

5. Why Ignoring Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Is Another Form of Violence 

Donate 

1. Asian Women Alliance 

2. Hate Is A Virus 

3. Welcome to Chinatown NYC 

4. Asian-Americans Advancing Justice 

As always, please feel free to reach out with questions about the resources shared, and let us know if there is any support you may need. 

Colleges Announcing Fall Plans Just in Time for Admissions Decisions

As more and more Americans become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, colleges and universities have begun announcing plans to brings their students back to campus for an in-person fall semester. With applications at an all-time low, colleges have been struggling to keep themselves afloat, so news of increased vaccination rates comes as a relief. The chief education and policy officer for the National Association of College Admission Counseling said that “after being in quarantine for the better part of a year, if not a year, many people-- and that includes students-- are anxious to get back to some semblance of normal.”

Colleges are hoping to restore this sense of normalcy by moving students back to campus to live in residential halls and filling up classrooms without capacity limits. Unfortunately, not all colleges have felt so confident to promise an in-person spring semester due to the ever-changing nature of COVID-19. Many community colleges in California, a state that has been particularly impacted by COVID-19, will continue teaching online with an option for hybrid classes.

Though many colleges and universities are making sweeping promises for a “normal” fall semester, many experts warn against institutions making decisions based on admissions prospects. Colleges and Universities that have announced in-person fall semesters may be hoping that this will give them an advantage in the admissions process as more students will accept their offer.

For more information, read the full article posted by Higher Ed here,

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/03/12/why-colleges-are-racing-tell-students-they%E2%80%99ll-be-open-person-fall.

Update on New Common Application Prompt!

The Common App added ONE NEW ESSAY prompt to choose from this year, 

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you? 

The Common App believes that this prompt, inspired by scientific research on gratitude and kindness, will encourage students to think about something positive and heartfelt in their lives. Though the essay will not erase the loss and anxiety of the past year, it will begin to generate stories that students are excited to write and colleges want to read! 

If this prompt doesn’t seem to be for you, there are six other options along with the optional COVID-19 question to tell a college a little bit about who you are! 

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

For more info read the full article below: 

https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2021-2022-common-app-essay-prompts

Take a Personalized Campus Tour Without Ever Leaving Your Couch

The pandemic has impacted the college admissions process in every which way, leaving schools worried for their future. On-campus tours are an essential part of showing prospective students what their school represents, but due to fear of spreading COVID-19 and social distancing, they are not possible anymore. While virtual tours through Zoom have been a suitable place-holder until in-person tours can resume, they lack the personal touch that student tour guides provide. 

Hamilton College decided to send their student tour guides off to give personal tours using cameras and their phone to take live shots. They are there to answer questions for students on these tours about daily life on campus. These tours include sneak peeks into residence halls, dining halls, and other smaller spaces that groups would not be allowed to see under current restrictions. 

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/02/22/hamilton-college-lets-tours-be-personalized-even-if-home?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=e88a1cfd20-AdmissionsInsider_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-e88a1cfd20-234542353&mc_cid=e88a1cfd20&mc_eid=ba4204546a

Coping with College Rejection Letters and Wait Lists

Don’t panic if you have been rejected or waitlisted by the college of your dreams. Follow the steps below to find out how you can move forward! 

Let yourself grieve the loss of your dream school. 

While getting rejected from college is not the end of the world, it still hurts. Rejection is hard no matter what. Make sure to give yourself some time to grieve what you have lost! Remember that rejection is a part of life, and this is a great time to practice bouncing back from it. Take some time to take care of yourself by watching a funny movie, going for a walk, having a good cry, or doing whatever you need to do to make yourself feel good!

Prepare yourself, in some small way, for rejection.

While you don’t want to go into the application process believing that you aren’t going to get into the schools you are applying to, it is important to identify schools that you feel confident you will get into versus schools that may be more of a reach. It is great to divide your college list based on reach schools, target schools, and safety schools. 

Reach schools are colleges that might be “out of reach” for you academically and financially, but you still want to apply to. You should have about one or two schools that are top-tier universities with competitive acceptance rates. These may be the schools of your dream but are harder to get into. 

Target schools are colleges that you feel reasonably confident you will get into based on your academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and test scores. These can also be schools that you think are financially a good fit. You should apply to about three to five target schools. 

Safety schools are schools that you are absolutely confident that you will get into. Maybe these schools have a 99% acceptance rate. Maybe they have a 50% acceptance rate. Whatever the acceptance rate is, you want to feel confident that the college will accept you! 

Know that you aren’t alone. 

Getting rejected from college happens to everyone. Barack Obama was rejected from Swarthmore college, Steven Spielberg was rejected from UCLA and USC, and Tina Fey from Princeton University. It is important to know that you are not alone in this! While friends and classmates may not admit to getting rejection letters, they may have one or two in the mail as well. 

How to move forward with being waitlisted.

If you get waitlisted at your top choice, you can put your name on the waitlist to let the school know you are still interested if they offer you a spot later in the year. At the same time, you should still put in a deposit to attend your second choice school. 

When you put yourself on the waitlist, don’t forget about updating the college if your GPA increases or you get a better score on the ACT. Any positive information about academic growth or accomplishments will help later! 

Keep moving forward, even after rejection. 

College admissions is a complicated and arduous process, but in the end, everything happens for a reason. While you may not end up at the school you always imagined yourself at, you are going to find yourself in the place that you were meant to be. 

For more helpful information on how to move forward after rejection, read the full version of the article by Kathryn Randolph here.

https://www.fastweb.com/college-search/articles/college-rejection-letters-and-wait-lists-moving-forward?utm_source=nlet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210216&utm_content=main_CTA

Colleges at Risk of Losing $183 Billion During Pandemic

A public higher education consultant for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Paul Friga, calculated that U.S. colleges and universities might lose up to $183 billion due to the financial impact of the pandemic. 

Friga studied the budget estimates of 107 colleges and universities for 2020 and 2021. He found that higher education revenue losses were caused by fewer students enrolling, schools discounting tuition, fewer international students applying, and athletic programs being suspended. 

Not only do colleges and universities need to be worried about a dwindling revenue from students, but also from the states’ higher education funding and pandemic-related expenses. As a result of this financial strain, institutions have begun hiring freezes, layoffs, and budget cuts to programs. 

While federal assistance from the Biden administration will provide some financial relief, colleges and universities face a loss of $146 billion. 

https://www.fastweb.com/college-search/articles/college-rejection-letters-and-wait-lists-moving-forward?utm_source=nlet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210216&utm_content=main_CTA

Changes to FAFSA

In late December, Congress released a newer version of the FAFSA or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The updated FAFSA is much shorter in length so that it might be “less daunting” to students and parents. What was once eight pages and more than 100 questions is now only two pages with thirty-six questions. 

The FAFSA is used to give grants, loans, and other financial help to students pursuing higher education and bases any allocated aid on the details of parent and student finances. Before the legislative changes, the FAFSA allocated its support based on the “expected family contribution” which was calculated from how much a parent or guardian or student could pay for post-secondary education per year. Now, the FAFSA is using a less confusing method called the “student aid index” which means that the less a student can pay for college the more aid they will receive. 

This change, supported by student aid advocates, increases aid eligibility for lower-income families with multiple kids in college. While families who need the most financial support will get more than they used to, middle- and upper-income families with more than one student in college will receive half the amount of aid than before. To find out more about specific numbers, refer to the New York Times article below. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/your-money/fafsa-changes-college-aid.html?campaign_id=12&emc=edit_my_20210201&instance_id=26639&nl=your-money&regi_id=71861101&segment_id=50771&te=1&user_id=980589aed85c4c3a5b8108ec29fd0715

This change in the FAFSA will be for the 2023-24 academic year, so anyone applying to college after Oct. 1, 2022, will be required to fill out the newer form. 

While Top Universities Get More Applications Than Ever, First Generation and Low-Income Students can’t Afford to Apply

The disparity in the college application process is more prevalent than ever. Inside Higher Ed reported that large colleges and universities with competitive acceptance rates are getting more applicants than ever, while smaller schools with higher acceptance rates aren’t getting enough. Data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling showed that students who are first-generation or low-income aren’t applying to colleges at the same rates as they used to. They believe that the Common App is not doing enough to narrow the gap between students who can afford to apply for college versus those who can’t.

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2021/01/26/common-apps-new-data-show-overall-gains-applications-not-first