March 24, 2020 (Norfolk, Va.) – Most Hampton Roads residents will return to their normal lives and careers when the COVID-19 pandemic passes.
But not the thousands of high school seniors in the area who will be in college next fall, some far from home. The months between now and then are critical, particularly regarding where they are accepted, choose to attend, and how they will pay for their higher education.
In 33 high schools in nine localities from Virginia Beach to Surry County and from Chesapeake to Northampton County, they previously had ready, in-person, availability to their advisors from the ACCESS College Foundation. With deadlines looming and decisions waiting, ACCESS is not letting the closing of schools, which will extend through June, curtail its efforts.
Through Skype, FaceTime, phone, and email, advisors are working from home, assisting ACCESS scholars by:
• managing SAT/ACT cancellations,
• submitting FAFSAs,
• reviewing financial aid packages,
• assisting in verifications,
• communicating with high school counselors to obtain official transcripts with colleges and universities around the Commonwealth for up-to-date information.
“Completing final details associated with admission and financial aid is going to be very different, and in many cases difficult, depending on what is missing from the file the college has on the student,” says President and CEO, Bonnie Sutton. “There are school platforms like Remind and GroupMe, but we are also reaching out to parents and students, and they tell us they are grateful for the help.” Already this week Apollos Hall, ACCESS Advisor at Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake, has had a group meeting with his seniors via Zoom.
ACCESS has placed a number of FAQs online at www.accesscollege.org/covid-19-updates that include the following advice.
• If a college has selected a student for verification, all completed documents must be submitted to the school’s financial aid office by the school’s deadline to receive aid. These students should contact their ACCESS Advisor immediately.
• If their financial aid is settled, students should accept their financial award by the deadline. If they don’t, the money will likely go to another student.
• Currently, colleges and universities are establishing new deadlines for many actions, including submissions of final transcripts and the date a student must state if he or she will attend that school in the fall.
• Currently, colleges still expect students to pay tuition and housing deposits by May 1 in most cases. Students can contact their ACCESS Advisor to see if they qualify to have those deposits waived.
• ACCESS scholarship applications are due May 4 and can be completed online at www.accesscollege.org/apply-now.
Students and parents can find their school’s advisor contact information here: www.accesscollege.org/high-school-advisors.
ACCESS leadership is available to answer media questions via Skype or Facetime. Please contact Jessica Davenport at 757-773-8585 or jessica@rubincommunications for more information.
