COVID-19 response FAQs related to Admissions and IB Diploma Programme exams

Will the cancelation of IB exams affect college acceptances?

It should not. Offers of admission to US universities should remain the same. If you received a conditional offer based on your IB score, know that these universities are working to figure out how to best assess your work. Per the UCAS system: “We want to reassure you that we remain focused on making sure no applicant is disadvantaged during this time of uncertainty, and will continue to be on hand to support you and your students each step of the way.” Canadian , like UBC, have not provided specific information on how they will move forward without IB scores, but they have repeatedly reassured students that they will not be disadvantaged because of COVID-19 related circumstances.

Do students still need to commit to a college by May 1?

Many colleges have formally extended the May 1 deadline to commit. If you need more time, do not hesitate to ask for an extension. Some colleges, especially colleges with competitive admissions, are not advertising extensions but are offering them on a case- by-case basis.

What should a student do if their family’s financial situation has changed?

Call the financial aid office. The COVID-19 situation has created an unprecedented level of uncertainty. You may be able to negotiate regarding your aid offer.

Are colleges still offering credit for IB courses?

Colleges are in the process of deciding how they will award IB credit in the absence of exams. There is some indication that schools may offer credit based on predicted scores.

Updated 3/30/20

For now, it’s safe to assume that colleges that offer credit will continue to do so. We will likely have more clear answers in coming weeks. Again, you may not have to make a commitment by May 1. Ask for extensions if the college cannot provide you with specific information regarding IB credit.

How can students decide which school to attend if they can’t visit?

Colleges are offering a wide range of virtual events for admitted students. We highly encourage parents and students to take advantage of these! Riverstone alumni are also an excellent resource and we are happy to connect students and alumni to help admitted students learn more.

The SAT and ACT tests for this spring have been canceled. How will this affect the class of 2021?

COVID-19 is forcing colleges to redesign the admissions process. Testing requirements have been changing a lot over the past several years, and more schools offer “ optional” application options with each application cycle. Many colleges have recently decided to go test optional, notably the University of Oregon and Oregon State, for the class of 2021, and many schools have released statements indicating that they will not weigh tests as heavily as they have in the past. We are optimistic about these developments; more colleges are being forced to evaluate students in a more holistic manner. We encourage the class of 2021 to sign up for future testing dates this spring, summer, and/or fall as needed, but understand that the situation can change rapidly.

Here is the SAT’s response as of March 27th:

College Board will provide future additional SAT testing opportunities for students as soon as possible in place of canceled administrations. We’ll be as flexible as possible to give students the best chance to show their skills and stay on the path to college.

We have not yet canceled the June 6, 2020 SAT and SAT Subject Test administration and will continue to assess its status, with the health and safety of students and educators as

Updated 3/30/20

our top priority. We are also exploring the possibility of adding an international SAT administration later this school year.

The IB Diploma Programme exams for this spring have also been cancelled. What does this mean for students?

Despite the cancellation of exams originally scheduled in May 2020, the IB has decided to move forward with the award of certificates and diplomas.

Students will submit all Internal Assessments as originally planned. Teachers will provide student work to the IB no later than April 20. Students will complete Language orals, Global Politics extension activities, and a Visual Arts Exhibition when applicable in a virtual setting. Teachers will provide detailed instructions to students regarding how to proceed with these assessments. Students will receive more information soon.

The IB states that they would like to award Certificates and Diplomas by the originally scheduled date of July 6. Though the level of specificity provided by the IB is currently ambiguous, their current stated plan to award grades is to use a combination of historical data, teacher’s predicted grades, and student coursework to award certificates and diplomas.

For more detail on the IB's response to the coronavirus, check out the FAQs on their website: https://www.ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/covid-19-coronavirus-updates/

Questions about College Counseling? Contact Gretchen Arguedas, [email protected]

Questions about the IB exams? Contact Jami Whitmer, [email protected]

Updated 3/30/20