The pandemic has impacted the school year, including the admission process for higher education. American International College's Vice President for Admissions Kerry Cole states, “We’ve always done holistic review, which means we look at the entire applicant as a whole," which includes a combination of personal statements, recommendation letters, transcripts and SATs. However, submitting test scores has been optional since 2016. To find out how other local colleges are handling changes to the admission process, go to WesternMassNews.