2021 – Yet another challenging year goes in the books!
2021 was one more difficult year with the continued turmoil. With all the fluctuations of vaccine availability and new virus variants being discovered, if anything, we now know how to navigate through the ups and downs of life.
In the education system, some macro trends from 2020 continued. In K-12, flight to private schools as well as homeschooling was one of them.
Additionally, the movement away from standardized tests towards a more holistic review has gained tremendous attention. Two-thirds of colleges have SAT/ACT optional for the Fall 22 class, and some even beyond. Fiske Guide Colleges is dropping SAT/ACT test scores from its ranking for the first time with its 2022 edition, giving hope of an equitable admission process.
At Cirkled In, in spite of COVID, we continued to be the storytelling platform for the students and a go-to recruitment platform for colleges.
Supporting Our Students:
We continued our research and surveys and shared our insights and findings with the industry. We amplified voices of the students.
We published a survey report capturing the experiences of more than 1,400 high school seniors during the fall 2021 college admissions process. Many students were at risk of being overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our insights were also featured in the Puget Sound Business Journal, where we discussed how classroom closures are affecting children’s mental health. In addition, we participated in panel discussions and keynote sessions to share our perspective and experience in the education space.
Our contribution and potential were recognized by inclusion of Cirkled In in EdTech 200 North America by HolonIQ, just this month. These honors are good reminders that we are on the right track.
Cirkled In as the Matchmaker:
Cirkled In continued closing the information gap in the education ecosystem, making the best-fit match between talent and opportunities. It empowers Gen-Z students to showcase their holistic accomplishments, beyond academics and connects them to the best-fit opportunities in education and employment.
We are thrilled to see how Cirkled In is closing the opportunity gap by discovering students who otherwise were not visible to colleges. With that, we are discovering hidden talent.
This year, we were blown away by our new one-day new user sign-up record – 3,067! We were thrilled to launch Cirkled In at the whole high school level. It’s a true testament to their affinity to the product when your customer goes through a massive year-long process to get the product approved by the state government.
Enhancing for Students’ Future:
We launched a brand-new student portal enabling enhancements, making Cirkled In a de-facto platform for all students’ recruitment and enrollment. This enhancement enables us to add jobs and internships to the platform.
We also enhanced the college search portal with a comparison feature along with a “Share” and “Recommendation”. Students can share any college with their friends right from the Cirkled In website.
Being among the Best!
We are thrilled and humbled to be inducted into Forbes NEXT1000, a recognition that celebrates inspiring entrepreneurs.
This achievement was also featured in both the print and online editions of our local magazine, highlighting how Cirkled In is helping make college enrollment less stressful.
During National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2021, which aligns closely with our mission, we connected with several education change-makers. Among them were leaders such as Andre Benin, the CEO of NACAC, and bestselling author Jeff Selingo, who specializes in college admissions. Additionally, we appeared on the NACAC TV channel to share our vision and work.
As we wrap up the year and look to the future, which will look quite different, we take ownership to empower students to showcase themselves holistically and authentically. With that, we close the information gap between colleges, educators, and students, making our education system more effective, efficient, and equitable.
