raincat—
Aren’t Berklee performance major students still required to take in-person classes / ensembles?
@JeJeJe my son will be a first-year, and I believe you don’t pick a major at Berklee until after first year. So I’m not sure about performance majors in particular.
However, this is a quote from the Back To Berklee FAQ:
“If, for any reason, you are not able to come to campus—or simply prefer not to—we will provide the option for you to conduct your studies entirely remotely.”
In any event, it’s hard to know what will happen in the fall. My son would love to study in-person on campus, but there was an odd mix-up with the housing deposit and they will only have the capacity to house 70% of normal. He is on the waitlist but it doesn’t sound promising according to the housing office.
So it’s seriously messed up for him right now and securing off-campus housing seems like an insurmountable hassle and too risky to sign a lease without knowing how things will be come September.
So I have a kid that will likely be stuck home no matter what, therefore we are not very excited about Berklee’s plan no matter what they do ?
raincat—
Since Berklee (and other private conservatories) has many international students who may end up choosing a gap year / online-only due to visa / travel issues, I think that 70% capacity of normal doesn’t sound that impossible for freshmen who are on the waitlist. Even all first-year students start without selecting major, their “intention of major” should be in their file. If I guess, freshman who “intends to major in performance” may get priority to a dorm. My son’s Berklee “returning” friends are going back to campus (their apartment or they are doing apartment hunting now) because most of them are performance major (could be double major or major+minor).
My son’s college has announced that all single dorm rooms (except a few double rooms) which means 50% or less capacity of normal and mentioned that they are looking into hotels in the area for off-campus dorms. I assume freshmen have on-campus dorm priority and sophomores will be pushed to hotels. We won’t know how far those “hotels” are and what would happen to campus meal plans for hotel-dorm students…Would those students need to walk 15-30 minutes to pick up boxed meals during limited cafeteria hours? But my son isn’t sure if he should pursue an apartment hunting at this moment due to uncertainty. He will get housed by school if he sticks with his school policy and in the worst case of a campus closure again, we will more likely get housing / meal plan refund again like spring semester.
@JeJeJe I hope you’re right! It’s been a difficult week in simultaneously finding out Berklee planned to reopen and that he didn’t have housing!
I definitely agree that performance majors would want to be on campus for ensembles and using the recording studios etc. And maybe they do get some priority, but the official party line from the FAQ and from housing is that if you applied for housing by the May 6 deadline (an email we did not receive at the time) you are guaranteed housing, and if not, you are out of luck unless the waitlist moves. They’ve said nothing about whether more applied than they have room for, or whether any major would have priority.
On the School in the Fall Coronavirus thread, many schools are having trouble with the reduced capacity and perhaps more students wanting housing because of the uncertainty and difficulty of finding off-campus apts during Covid. We’re not the only ones that have had their housing expectations unexpectedly effected. I agree that the solution of schools renting hotels as dorms, as your school might, could be problematic if the hotels are far away.
This is all just a mess. My son was devastated when he discovered he didn’t have housing, but on the other hand he is pessimistic about any of these colleges actually having a full fall semester back on campus. I’m more hopeful, but that still doesn’t mean I would encourage him to look for off-campus housing because he’s a freshman, he is coming from the opposite coast, knows no one and it’s too uncertain.
I hope your son finds out he can keep his preferred housing arrangement.
Okay–I know that I’ve been the self-appointed Covid-alarmist here since the very first inklings we were getting, but now, given the reports I’m reading of the wildfire apparently quickly growing out of control again, I’m wondering if schools that have already decided to re-open can/will re-think that thinking. My son has already made the decision to sit out the fall semester at Berklee and just take some more of their required courses (the ones that can be done relatively successfully without in-person attendance) online, as he would need to live off-campus and we don’t want to get stuck with a lease if the school shuts down again.
Still, I can’t help wondering. Even our little NJ town, which has been pretty much free of new cases and deaths for many weeks, is suddenly seeing a small but disturbing spike. And we’ve had very good and responsible guidance and restrictions here, unlike a lot of the southern and western states that decided to re-open early (or never quite shut down at all).
What are the odds that Berklee and other schools that have committed to re-opening in one way or another un-commit so late in the game?
I hope that Berklee doesn’t un commit. My daughter is planning on going in person 8n the fall. I actually feel that she is much safer up their where people take this seriously than here in Florida where people don’t seem to care.
@Musicmom2two I hear you on that (we lived in north FL for 7 years before moving back north). Some young (maybe 19-20?) woman from FL actually went there and called me one of the “sheep” because I’d posted about how proactive our mayor here has been about proceeding with extreme caution, and how almost all of the participants in our town’s BLM protest had worn masks! Dr. Fauci, she kindly explained, didn’t know what he was talking about, but she did. Oy.
Still, I wonder if they’re having second thoughts. I have to say I feel for the people who have to make those decisions without crystal balls!
@AsMother is your son taking those online classes at Berklee, so he is still enrolled but just not going to campus?.
I assume schools are assuming a certain level of COVID but will pivot if, for instance, hospital capacity is exceeded or a total lockdown is needed.
I think that what is happening now is exactly what everyone expected to happen. Things will loosen up and then get worse, then get strict, then loosen up, and hopefully people will learn along the way. Especially to wear masks.
I don’t think it serves anyone for a lot of young people to get on planes and fly home. It endangers them, the other passengers and the families and towns they return to.
From what I gather some creative work arounds are happening for lessons, rehearsals and performances at many schools. I don’t know specifics for Berklee.
If dorms have singles or small pods and classes have small cohorts, that is helpful too. Not sure about bathrooms.
Has Berklee asked students to sign a waiver/release in case they get sick? Or a waiver saying that room and board won’t be refunded? Some schools are doing this.
There are many apartments in the Boston area right now and it may be possible to get some flexibility on leases, or find a sublet until Dec. 31, for instance, then find another one.
@AsMother are your son’s plans irrevocable?
By the way you are NOT an alarmist, you are way ahead of the curve. Europe isn’t even going to allow US. folks in at this point!
For young people with health conditions, I think the whole picture is different of course.
@compmom , you just reminded me that I haven’t returned your last message! I’m sorry–just scattered.
My son is just going to work virtually from home here in NJ, and at this point I think he’s likely to stick with that decision. As I think I mentioned to you, I think he might also want a bit of a break from campus life and some time to work on some of his own stuff without worrying about anything else before he dives back in to finish up, get his degree, and think about next steps. It will be interesting to see how, if at all, his experience with the (formerly Milan, but now online) film-scoring program in July affects his attitude and sense of direction (he’s really looking forward to it, although he would have definitely preferred actually traveling to Italy), especially as the Chair of Berklee’s film-scoring department is on the faculty. I’ve learned to trust him to know what he needs to do for himself, and when, so I’m not worried. And wondering day-to-day as the Covid nightmare marches to its own drum whether he’d need to come back before the semester is over would just be more than either of us want to deal with after last semester.
But we’re in a better position than, for example, @raincat ‘s son, who has just wanted to get started at college and begin that journey! I know a lot of people are in similar positions, and I feel for them. I know that if I’d been told right before I started college that I’d have to put it off for at least the first semester I would have been devastated.
I don’t know. There are just so many people–not just in FL!!–who are so careless and dismissive of the whole thing, and about their own and others’ health (at that age I might have been as well). Even with a school’s best intentions and plans, the number of “what if” situations could be mind-boggling. Social distancing was the LAST thing I wanted to do when I went off to college…
Makes sense to take a break and reorient. I was just wondering if his classes online are from Berklee.
Tufts is reopening. Just read an article about that.
Noone knows what is going to happen but the surges are to be expected until people “get it.” Your son is fortunate to have a home where he can be comfortable and you are lucky to have him. Mine are so far away!
This is hard for everyone. At every stage of education and beyond.
I hope your son has a fruitful experience with “Milan online” and that the fall goes well too.
Thank you! I know it’s hard for you to have your children so far away. It’s probably not a healthy long-term attitude :), but I do feel better when things are going awry in the world having him close by. And I know it’s hard for everyone, especially when, at the moment, there seems to be no end in sight, and so many people are still being so cavalier about it all. A few nights ago in the yard that’s one away from my own there was a BIG party full of young people in a small area (I have a feeling large quantities of alcohol don’t contribute to people’s tendencies to be careful–another issue with college, if I recall correctly… 
.)
If my son decides at the last minute (well, in time to pay full tuition), he’s welcome to go back to Berklee. I’d be happy to know he was happy there too (and safe).
Recent spikes in South and West may not be a deal breaker for colleges yet but it’s sure alarming possible campus lives in fall. Then a 14-day quarantine order started in NY, NJ, CT… I don’t blame on them… Since my son’s friends (all sophomores) who attend one of instate California universities will most likely stay at parents’ home taking online classes and find a part time job, my son seems having a little bit of mental preparation for the same “online-only” result.
However, he strongly hopes to go back to school 3000 miles away if school is open for some in-person classes. He has been looking for an off-campus apartment to share with his sophomore roommate nearby and found one large enough 2-bedroom / 2-bath unit to lease. It is safer for social distance. With monthly rent (x12) plus food money (x9) to cook (they both like cooking) + allowances (x9), it would be cost saving than living in a dorm with boxed “grab-to-go” meals.
While his school will announce officially with more safety-health protocol / academic / performance class / residential plans next week, we just got little more information. Sophomores are usually required to live in dorm. However, his school has to offer all single rooms on-campus so there will be only 1/3 rooms to house students on-campus in 2020-2021. Off-campus dorm, again all single rooms which will be in hotels within 3 blocks to campus will be available for all “dorm-required” students. It means that they are guaranteeing to house freshmen and sophomore. All on-campus and off-campus hotel-dorm have a flat rate of “double-occupancy” for 2020-2021 even rooms are all single. If sophomore students request an off-campus apartment with / without roommates, their requests will be most likely approved. His school plans to provide / manage an isolation area / building with access to health service for dorm students (both on-campus and off-campus hotel-dorm) whose test result is positive but not for off-campus apartment students. It sounds like a lot of information coming out next week particularly testing / tracing/ quarantine and social distancing rules.
We were about pursuing an apartment lease. However, I am now not sure which one would be better… (A) Off-campus apartment with independence, space, freedom of food ($$$$) VS (B) Off-campus hotel dorm with very limited boxed meal plan but reliable health service access in Covid pandemic ($$$$$). Of course, staying at home taking online classes would be safer and cheaper but an online-only semester just wouldn’t work for music performance major…
I’m pleased about all the precautions Tufts is taking- they will be testing students and providing a mask a day per student, changing the housing and dining hall density and requiring masks when students are outside of their rooms. Students have the option of in person or online- decisions due 6/30.
D has to go in person because of NEC; I’m hoping CA doesn’t become one of the quarantine states because then plans will have to change. We have a proactive governor here, but also plenty of pockets of unreasonable and selfish people. I hope the next week or two sees more cooperation because it’s frustrating and embarrassing to see this non-compliance. A piece of fabric on the face is so easy.
Juilliard announced their fall plans. Online only through October, mostly online November and December and hopefully returning to campus for most classes in January with plans of fully opening by March. Sad for my D who only gets 2 years of her MM there but hopefully her second year will be back to normal.
Biggest challenge is housing. Most of her friends are either returning in September or not at all so she will probably have to start renting Labor Day even if she chooses to continue to work from home in Florida.
@Compgrad1 - this is very interesting news as my student is also attending a school of music in NY state (for MM in performance) and she’s heard that NY state is reviewing all of the plans. I know her school is committed to having “meaningful performance opportunities” - they will absolutely do their best - but she’ll need to decide if it’s the right time.to start a masters degree. Those two years will really fly by.
Compgrad1—
I am very sorry for the disappointment… Is Juilliard going to extend an academic calendar to June as they mentioned before? Can some students choose a gap year / leave-of-absence? I read an article recently that many young people are leaving NYC since Covid hits really hard. Hope, it may be less competitive for your daughter to find an apartment than normal years.
My son’s school town seems doing fine so far with re-opening businesses conservatively. According to his school’s director, jazz program is planning on getting some helps from community resources such as local jazz clubs / spaces. They sound like working on using plexiglass for those non-mask-able musicians (probably for professionals, too). The plan is fluid due to the nature of Covid. It may change in next 2 months. But at least, they are positively planning. We’ll see what they say next week after observing recent Covid spikes.
Thank you for sharing this. I thought I would be done searching for any scrap of info in CC during this past theatre audition season. Now I’m back scouring CC for tidbits and predictions for my D who is halfway through a MM in performance. My only kiddo not causing me heartburn is my engineering major who attends college an hour from home.
@JeJeJe glad to hear you are hearing some concrete actions your son’s school is taking, like plexiglass shields. My son’s school has had Zoom/FB live Q and A sessions, but they have not addressed specific Conservatory issues yet. They keep saying the Conservatory will be communicating soon, but so far nothing. Hopefully we will hear about some concrete actions soon.
I don’t understand how any school could have concrete plans given what is going on. I appreciate all the creative workarounds being thought up, but in the end I think liability may also be a big factor. As long as schools give families choices, perhaps that is avoided.
The fall could look a lot better, or could look disastrous, in terms of COVID. Noone knows, so I don’t know how schools can plan honestly.
Some will fail financially without students on campus so that may also affect plans, but they cannot offer on campus programs if they are dangerous.
Yes, The Juilliard calendar extends into June. They have a very comprehensive plan keeping in mind anything can change. The trickiest part is housing. Dorms will start to open in mid-October with a slow phase in period. The building is totally shut until Oct. 29 with minimal in person activities after that. As sad as this make me I really don’t see any other safe option.