The novel coronavirus is still spreading across the US, and information is changing rapidly. Life as we knew it has changed dramatically since the US government has encouraged Americans to practice social distancing by staying home as much as possible and avoiding crowds in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
We know this is a scary, confusing, and unprecedented situation. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself, remain calm, and use your time at home productively.
We’ve gathered all the best info to help students get through these uncertain times. You can use this index to find the most accurate information and recommendations to stay safe and healthy; the latest stories from CX you need to know about; resources to help you keep up with your schoolwork and the college and scholarship search; and ways to entertain yourself while you’re stuck at home.
The most accurate COVID-19 info
These are the best resources for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares what you need to know concerning symptoms, prevention measures and how to protect yourself, community resources, and other important updates and recommendations.
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak | WHO: The World Health Organization offers situation updates, research and development, travel advice, myths vs. facts, and much more.
- Local Public Health Departments | NACCHO: Use this tool from the National Association of County and City Health Officials to search for local health departments in your area and find contact information by state or ZIP code.
What you should know from CX
Here's all the news we're sharing on the situation. Check back regularly for updates!
- What Are Schools Doing About COVID-19?: Many schools and colleges are closing because of the coronavirus pandemic. Find out how they are taking action and how you can stay safe and healthy.
- COVID-19 and Deposit Deadlines: Many colleges and universities are extending their enrollment deposit deadlines because of coronavirus. Is yours one of them? Find out here.
- How COVID-19 Is Affecting Standardized Tests: The coronavirus seems to be affecting just about everything related to the college search, including this spring's SAT and ACT test dates.
- The Effects of COVID-19 on Study Abroad: The COVID-19 pandemic has majorly affected future and current study abroad students. Learn what you should do if you're either one!
- Moving Out and Moving Online Amid a Pandemic: Many college students are being forced to leave their dorms as campuses close down for the semester. Here's what you should know if you have to move out quickly and transition to online classes at home.
- COVID-19: Why Is Social Distancing Important?: You’re young and healthy, so why should YOU have to take part in “social distancing”? Find out why we all play a crucial role in stopping the spread of coronavirus.
- COVID-19: How to Cope With Anxiety: Coronavirus has a lot of us feeling anxious and worried: for our health, for our education, for our family and friends. Here's how you can deal with it.
- COVID-19: Look for the Helpers: Need a break from all the frightening news lately? Read about these heartwarming acts of love, bravery, and kindness in the midst of the COVID-10 outbreak.
Researching colleges online
Just about everything has been cancelled these days, but your college plans don’t have to be! Think about the future and use these tools to keep your college search on track.
- CollegeXpress College Search Tool: Search for schools by keyword, major, location, interest, and much more; compare your favorites; and connect with hundreds of different colleges in one click!
- 5 Easy Things to Do in Your College Search Today: This pandemic has shifted the way we conduct our lives, including the college search. Here are five simple tasks you can do today to keep your research going.
- Connecting With Colleges During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Going on campus visits may not be a possibility right now, but there are still plenty of ways to connect with colleges online. Find out more here.
- Expert Advice for Your Current College Search: You may be losing motivation in your college search amid the coronavirus pandemic, but we've got expert counselor advice on why it's important to keep going!
- College Search Websites and Resources Students Should Know About: These websites are great resources for students during the college search (when you're done browsing CollegeXpress, of course).
- The Best College Search Websites, Books, and Apps: Searching for colleges requires a lot of research, and it can be difficult without the right tools. Here are the top resources that make searching for colleges easier.
- 5 Free College Search Apps You Need to Try: We do everything on our phones these days—why not search for colleges too? Check out these five free apps that can help you find your perfect college.
- How to Organize Your College Search: Sorting through all those colleges can be daunting. Follow these tips to organize your college search and keep your sanity.
- College Search Spreadsheet Template: A college search spreadsheet lets you keep track of all your online research and compare it easily. Make your own using this handy template!
- Possible Majors for Pandemic-Essential Jobs: Thinking about your future college major? Consider these career paths and degree options if you really want to make an impact on people and communities at large during times of crisis.
Searching and applying for scholarships
We think anytime is a good time to search for scholarships—and now you have even more time at home to do so. Learn how to search smarter and win more free money for college with these helpful tips.
- CollegeXpress Scholarship Search Tool: Find over $7 billion in awards to apply to by keyword or category. We also have our own easy scholarship opportunities, like our annual $10,000 scholarship drawing and a monthly $500 Refer-a-Friend contest!
- The Ultimate Guide to Scholarships: How Scholarships Work, Searching for Scholarships and How to Apply and Win: This series will help answer all your scholarship search and application questions.
- The Ultimate List of Easy Scholarships: No long essays. No recommendation letters. Just lots of scholarships that are easy to apply to and practically anyone can win. (Updated for 2020)
- Easy No-Essay Scholarships You Need to Know About: Even more easy scholarship opportunities that don’t require a lot of writing!
- Secrets to Writing an Amazing Scholarship Essay: A lot of awards do have some sort of writing requirement. Pass the time at home by writing, proofing, and perfecting your essays to win more scholarships!
Campus visit alternatives
Bummed that your campus visits and open houses have been canceled? You can still get a good feel for a college without physically visiting. Here’s how.
- 3 Alternatives for Canceled Campus Tours: Your college search doesn't have to be on hold because campus tours have been canceled by COVID-19. Here are three ways to still learn about your top schools!
- COVID-19 and Virtual Campus Tours: Is the COVID-19 outbreak causing you to cancel your campus visit? Virtual tours are the answer to coronavirus cancellations.
- What to Do When You Can’t Visit Campus: Just because you can’t make the trip doesn't mean you should rule out a college on your list. Here's what to do when you can't visit a campus in person.
- Virtual Reality: The Future of Campus Tours: While nothing can replace the old-fashioned, in-person college tour, virtual reality tours can at least help you narrow down which colleges are worth visiting in person when campuses open back up.
E-learning
Many schools and campuses have shut their doors and are finishing up the semester online. Here are a few different e-learning resources to help you navigate this new classroom format.
- 6 Tips to Transition to Online Learning: E-learning isn't for everyone, but sometimes it's necessary in times like these. These six tips can help you adjust to going to school online.
- 4 Ways to Avoid Isolation as an Online Student: Feeling lonely as a new online student? Here's what you can do to stay connected and plan for when campuses open back up again after the coronavirus pandemic.
- 5 Myths and Realities of Virtual Schooling: Wondering what e-learning is like? A student who attended a virtual high school clears up some misconceptions.
- How to Manage Your Time as a Student: Managing your time was already difficult, but it just got even more challenging as we adjust to our new routines. Get more organized and productive with these tips!
- Spend Your Summer Learning With MOOCs: Now might be the perfect time to try out a massive open online course (MOOC). See what you could learn from the comfort of your couch!
- 5 Tips for Sudden Homeschool Students and Parents: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some parents are learning how to homeschool their kids for the first time. If you're one of them, here are some tips to help get you through.
Keeping busy at home
Be sure to relax and enjoy some quality time with your family while you’re stuck at home. When you finally get sick of them, however, give these options a try.
- COVID-19: How to Stay Productive: We're all cooped up at home right now, but that doesn't mean we can't be productive. Get tips on staying busy and getting stuff done now.
- Video: 5 Things to Do While Social Distancing: Feeling bored, isolated, or stressed? Student vlogger Janna shares five of her favorite things to do at home.
- How to Beat Cabin Fever: Social distancing may be a scary (or boring) prospect for students, but these options can help you make the most of your time at home and avoid getting cabin fever.
- 15 Ideas for a Fun Night Off (Without Having to Leave Your Dorm!): (Or house)…Since we’re all practicing social distancing (right?), here are some things you can do to relax and have fun in the comfort of your home.
- Quiz: Would You Survive a Zombie Attack on Campus?: Find out your fate with this silly quiz. (We also have tests to find out which fictional college you should go to, or which college mascot you are.)
- 10 Fiction Picks for College Bookworms: These are great choices for college students who want to relax with a good book or just read something without having to analyze it. Download an audio book app and start listening!
- Can You Make Studying More Fun?: You still have schoolwork to do, so you might as well make it as fun as possible. Here’s how.
- Should You Write Your College Essay Now?: You have a lot of time on your hands now; should you be focusing on your college essay? Before you start, ask yourself these questions.
- 4 Easy Networking Strategies for Online Students: Networking as an online student takes a little extra effort than if you were on campus. Here are some simple ways to start connecting with peers and professors.
- Video: How to Make Breakfast Bars in the Microwave: Cooking is a fun way to pass the time and learn new skills at home while you're social distancing. Find even more College Cooking videos on our YouTube channel!
- 10 of the Best Quarantine Memes (So Far): COVID-19 is not funny, but the quarantine memes are really, really funny. Check out our team's favorites here if you need a laugh.
- National Student-Athlete Day: Quarantine Workout: We're all getting stir-crazy, and for athletes, it's likely worse. Here's a fun at-home workout challenge for National Student-Athlete Day based on your favorite memes, shows, and more.
Free virtual stuff to do
There are so many free online resources for learning, fun, and relaxation, from museum and park tours to ways to exercise and stand together during this crazy time.
- Yellowstone National Park Virtual Tour: You may not be able to travel to this national landmark anytime soon, but you can explore it through their website and make plans to visit in person when things get back to normal.
- Farm Food 360 Virtual Tours: Learn everything about cheese and milk processing, apple orchards, and other farm operations—or just watch all the cute animal videos.
- Louvre Online Tours: Visit the famed Paris art museum virtually and see Egyptian antiquities, remains of the Louvre’s moat, and more.
- DoYogaWithMe: Clear your mind and relieve some stress with hundreds of streaming instructional yoga videos for all levels.
- Jimmy Fallon’s Cowbell Challenge: The Tonight Show host encouraged everyone to open their windows at 3:00 pm ET on Friday, March 20 and bang a cowbell (or a pot or pan) to make some noise in support of first responders and each other. Everyone could use a little more cowbell right now!
Have questions or concerns, or just need a friend right now? Feel free to email us. We're all in this together!
