Boothbay Region High School seniors Katy Nein, Ava Schlosser and Lucas Hardwick are ready for college after enduring two years of pandemic-centric learning and the increasingly volatile college admissions landscape. With colleges and universities focusing less on grade point average and SAT scores, students are now more than ever able to apply on the merits of their character and personal stories.

In fact, many schools are no longer requiring SAT scores, are pushing application deadlines out, and are more willing to accommodate individual circumstances where a student may not meet outlined criteria, said College and Career Access Coordinator Hannah Johnson. As a result, many of the high demand institutions, namely Ivy League and Junior Ivies, are receiving record applications, causing acceptance rates as low as 5%. Students are also prioritizing cost while college searching especially with uncertainty over whether a COVID-19 surge could cause further closures, she said.

“It’s a big price to pay for online college classes and being stuck in a dorm room or your parents' basement trying to stay motivated … Some students are electing to intentionally live at home and take their gen eds online for the first year or two, then transfer into a four-year program once the COVID coast is clear.”

Changes to the admissions process aside, the pandemic opened the floodgates to a more competitive admissions landscape especially with students who put life on pause through the pandemic, said Schlosser.

“The application pool is (greater) because a lot of people took a gap year due to the pandemic, which means a lot of people’s chances of getting into college is lower … Being a senior in the pandemic meant we lost a lot of opportunities to start working on our college applications our junior year because of online classes.”

Hardwick said he considered a gap year when it looked like colleges were going to continue running classes online and attempts to bring his SAT scores up proved beyond frustrating. However, when schools began opening up more and once he learned the engineering programs he was aiming for no longer required test scores, the possibilities opened up.

“The SATs aren't super important if you're a well-rounded student and participate in school activities. I originally thought more prestigious schools would be out of the question (but) I actually didn't report my SAT score to any regardless of the school’s average SAT range.”

Hardwick credited Johnson, the school guidance department, early access to college courses, and advanced placement classes as helping him best prepare for college. The greatest influence throughout the process was his mother Haili Hardwick, who encouraged looking at schools early and doing college tours over last summer, he said. His grandfather Bill Haney is a civil-structural engineer and alumnus of Cornell University, one of 13 schools Hardwick applied to.

Nein applied to eight: University of Maine Orono, UConn, URI, UNH, Emmanuel College, Merrimack College, Salve Regina University and Western New England University.

The BRHS guidance office has given students an edge in planning for life after high school, and the virtual opportunities for college life, which were born out of the pandemic, were a game changer, said the seniors. Nein said the college search process was eye-opening as Johnson helped her explore a variety of psychology programs throughout New England.

“Hands down Mrs. Johnson was the most helpful person within the school involving this college process. She has so much knowledge about the application process, schools all over the country, (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) FAFSA, and she really cared about helping not only me, but all of my other classmates as well.”

Nein said while her freshman and sophomore years were spent without college in sight, she buckled down her junior year, the first year of the pandemic, to bring up her grades and explore harder and more interesting courses. All three students said they took advantage of advanced placement courses to hone their academic skills and earn some credits along the way.

“I was fortunate enough to have been able to take AP Psychology last year as a junior which really sparked my interest … Not only is it extremely fascinating to me, but opens a door to clinical psychology which would allow me to help those in need from a mental standpoint.”

While Nein eventually discovered a passion to pursue, she said not everyone needs to know exactly what they want to do in life before moving on from BRHS; the guidance office will help you find a path forward. Schlosser said while she knew since eighth grade she wanted to go to college, she only recently discovered an interest in exercise science leading into a career in sports physical therapy.

Schlosser said she and Johnson worked together to narrow interests and find the related majors and job opportunities.

“Mrs. Johnson was responsible for so many kids, so many applications, and still made time for me, always … Thinking years in the future about what you will end up doing with your major is an important conversation because a lot of people end up with a degree and not sure what to do after the fact … I have always been very eager to go to college, but I continue with the belief that it’s not for everyone.”

Like Schlosser, Nein said the hardest part of the application process was getting started and Johnson was key in helping draw interests out and narrow things down. “I am relieved to have the hardest part done and in the past few months, it's really just been a waiting game to hear back from schools and organize financial aid packages they offer me. Right now I'm applying to as many scholarships as I can and trying to get myself ready to choose before Decision Day on May 1!”