It’s a strange time, living under the COVID-19 threat, but not a time without hope. We at Newton  Education Services wish you continuing success moving through and beyond the current days. While some doors are temporarily closing, many paths to international learning remain. 

Waiting on Plans Made?

Well on your way to enter an international university? You know then that with test cancellations, closings, and travel bans, much has become unsettled. The crisis is too new and the start of the next academic year too far away to give many definite answers. However, we are already seeing some signs of increased flexibility and openness:

  • May 1 is the traditional date for U.S. colleges and universities to require new students to make their decision and place a deposit for the fall semester. Many institutions have now pushed that date back to June 1 or beyond. Here is a partial list. Many application deadlines have also been extended.
  • Similarly, we’re seeing more willingness among universities to allow students to delay enrollment for a semester or year, recognizing unusual circumstances and needs. Don’t hesitate to ask if you want such a deferral!
  • Testing agencies are looking for workarounds. TOEFL and GRE are allowing at home testing in some countries (not yet Egypt) with GMAT expected to introduce such testing in mid-April. [UPDATE: TOEFL and GRE are now available at home for candidates in Egypt and most other countries as of April 2, 2020. GMAT at home registration opened April 14.]
  • An increasing number of universities are accepting the nontraditional Duolingo English Test, which can be taken at home worldwide. Others are at least temporarily waiving GRE and GMAT test requirements for students with good grades, and/or going test-optional for SAT.
  • Virtual events are springing up, from videoconferences for newly admitted students to online classes for the enrolled. The U.S. government has for the present waived visa requirements that limited the number of classes international students could take online, while the Coursera for Campus virtual learning platform is available free to struggling institutions over the coming months.

Stay in touch with your institution(s) of choice. Admissions staff and international student advisers can still be reached by phone, e-mail, chat, social media….. They need to know about your issues and questions. Ask about options such as an online appointment to discuss your needs.

Starting Out?

Still deciding on future study plans? Well, a lot of “distractions” are off the table for you right now, whether we’re talking school, work, or social life. So, in some ways it’s a great time for planning. Meditate on best directions. Dig deep into your research. Take advantage of virtual opportunities.

One new virtual opportunity for this new era is the directory of university COVID-19 updates compiled by college search site Cappex. Its links to many online virtual tours make it a good browsing option.  In our next blog post to be posted later this week we will highlight a few of the most central sites for any study abroad search, to keep you moving forward. 

Newton Knows: The Virtual Edition

There’s one more key resource available to you we’d like to mention today—us! How can we help you? We encourage you to take advantage of all our virtual support options. Call us, e-mail us, comment below. Explore our site for  details on opportunities. Coming up soon, is Round Six of the Yousriya Loza-Sawiris Scholarship. 

We will have an online SAT preparation course starting in mid-April, with a GMAT course to follow. You may also want to sign up for individual online advising appointments, available immediately. Take care and look forward to hearing from you!