3 Things COVID-19 May Permanently Change

More than three months have passed since the outburst of the global pandemic brought by the novel coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19 and we are continuing to see its impact on all aspects of our lives. From business shutdowns to community lockdowns, the normal flow of our daily routines has definitely shifted. But the education sector is one that’s greatly affected. According to the latest data, almost a quarter of the population is made up of students, and with the nationwide school shutdowns, these students have nothing better to do than browse social media and make Tiktok videos. Fun, but unproductive. However, with the current situation, is there really something better to do?

It may not come as a shock to you that admission testing centers announced the closure of facilities until the end of May. Students who have already registered for Spring (April to July) will be mostly affected, and those who registered for Winter (December to March) could have also been affected. What does that mean? Does it mean that you’ll have more time to study and prepare for it? Yes and no.

Our basic knowledge of supply and demand suggests that the high number of students not being able to take their tests on time is not a good thing. But that’s not the only thing that might happen. For those of you wondering, here’s a list of the things we think might be a permanent impact of COVID-19 to admission tests like ISEE, SAT, and ACT:

1. The delay and postponed test schedules might take longer to return to normal. With the limited resources in both the medical and educational sector, such as emergency room capacity, FDA-approved vaccines, school spaces, and scholarships, it’s going to be hard for school administrations to resume admissions without being transparent on how they prioritize which students can take the tests first and if they can guarantee their safety and well-being.
2. Online classes and tutors will become a necessity. With all the extra time that students are suddenly granted, they can opt to enroll for online classes or tutoring services. Some of the top ISEE prep and ACT/SAT tutoring centers are based in the East Bay area (Alamo, Danville, Lafayette). The quality and efficiency of such classes aren’t hard to verify since most of the top centers have been offering online options even before the pandemic. Make sure to choose a place that’s nearby so it’ll be convenient if you decide to continue your lessons after the lockdown.
3. There will be more and better options for test-takings. Although online tests are being administered for special cases (e.g. foreign students who can’t physically go to test locations), if high volumes of online tests prove to be just as effective as proctored tests, then schools and universities might consider making it the standard. Although the guidelines and restrictions do need major improvements if this is going to be the next thing, but with technology improving every day, this is definitely not a far stretch.
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