In an abnormal year for college admissions, employees supply resources for recently-admitted students
With the May 1 college decision deadline rapidly approaching for many incoming students, applicants must be prepared to utilize online resources such as attending virtual admitted-student days in order to make their decisions. COVID-19 has not only impacted the format for college tours and admissions resources, but also the application process in general.
Across the country, colleges and universities have received a record-breaking quantity of applications due to test-optional opportunities during the pandemic. Brenda Fudge Jensen, the associate director of public advising and admissions advising at UC Davis, affirmed that this nationwide trend of increased applications was also evident across the UC system. The UC received 203,700 freshman applications from students who applied to at least one campus, with UC Davis receiving 105,850 applications.
As this unprecedented admissions process comes to a close, Ebony Lewis, the executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at UC Davis, advised students to read UC Davis’ online blog, which has articles that outline the factors that students should consider when contemplating their decision.
In terms of UC Davis decisions, Lewis recommended that students look through the Admitted Freshman page which highlights essential information regarding financial aid and housing. Following this initial step, both Lewis and Jensen recommended that students explore the Undergraduate Admissions Events for a more immersive and interactive way to get a sense of what attending UC Davis might be like.
“We have a wealth of other activities, live virtual tours and many ways to learn more about joining the Aggie family,” Lewis said.
The events outlined allow for intimate chats between newly-admitted students and current Aggies, informative presentations with current students and a virtual tour that transports viewers to the UC Davis campus from anywhere around the world.
To make a decision regarding one’s options and acceptances, Jensen recommended examining each university and the resources they provide.
For questions and information regarding financial aid packages, Jensen noted the need to reach out to the financial aid office for more information.
“Contact the financial aid office and make sure your package is correct,” Jensen said.
For transfer students and waitlists, Jensen referenced UC Davis’ freshman waitlist and transfer pages to gain more specific information regarding next steps, advice and answers to frequently asked questions.
Throughout this process, Lewis emphasized the importance of tracking dates and remaining attentive to deadlines while also using MyAdmissions to learn more about UC Davis or to commit to UC Davis. For additional help, he encouraged students to contact the admissions office as they learn more about the UC Davis campus and decide whether to enroll. Lewis said that assistance can be done over the phone or through Ask an Advisor.
“Be sure to keep grades up [and] contact our office as soon as possible if there are any changes to [your UC Davis] application,” Lewis said. “Take a deep breath and know it will all work out and we are here to support.”
Written by: Farrah Ballou — features@theaggie.org
