We are all facing uncertainties regarding the beginning of the new school year. Some of you will be managing your students’ online education, others a hybrid model, and others are weighing the risks of having your teen return to school. Your role this year will be the same as any year.  Help your freshman or sophomore student develop good learning habits and become the best student they can be. Pay attention to the school portal that lets you know whether or not your student is completing their assignments on time. Work with your student to establish a consistent time and place for schoolwork. Emphasize the benefits of working without distraction. Help your student find a balance that includes exploring non-school interests, communication with friends, managing screen time and getting enough sleep. Now is the time to encourage them to learn something new. Can they cook, fix simple things around the house and do their own laundry? Have they always wanted to learn to code, compose music or understand the history of space exploration? The list of new, free, online learning opportunities is endless.

​We are all facing uncertainties regarding the beginning of the new school year. Some of you will be managing your students’ online education, others a hybrid model, and others are weighing the risks of having your teen return to school. The media is ripe with speculation about the impact of these changes on college admissions. First, be reassured that we at Athens Advisors track professional sources and will be on top of any news that will impact our students. Second, colleges evaluate students’ accomplishments in the context of their opportunities. All of the students in this cohort will have had to deal with the changes in their school’s delivery of instruction. Colleges understand that grading policies varied last spring and may also be non-standard this fall. This will be explained in the high school documents that accompany the application. 

This is not going to be the senior year your high school student imagined. He or she will need you to help them stay positive during these uncertain times. Some things we do know. Colleges will make admissions decisions in the context of the opportunities and challenges of each student’s experience. Grades will still count. The role of the SAT and ACT will be different.