@homerdog…a few thoughts:
- I would not count on visiting schools in the fall...we will likely get a second wave
- Applying regular decision might be risky for some of the schools your D is considering (it seems WF and UR are possible top choices) because neither is a safety...we really don’t know the impact of full pay, although I have a hunch it will be a boost. But...do we really know for sure?
- I would continue to watch webinars and talk to as many students as possible....and pick an ED school.
- Despite having the money to be full pay, I understand how difficult this is for you. You scrimped and saved to be in this position, and it’s a tremendous amount of money to spend on what might be periods of online learning from your kitchen table.
- Remember that this is the new normal...at least for the next 12-18 months. Your D will likely have at least 3 years on campus...and when that point comes you will be happy to spend the money (well, nobody is happy to spend $75,000 a year, but I think you understand what I mean).
- Look into parent Facebook groups for the schools she is considering. They can be very helpful.
- Lastly, I think your D will fit in nicely at WF and UR, despite any differences between the schools. We visited both...there are differences. Remember...even in optimal times it is often difficult to choose between 2-3 schools, and there can be a period of sadness for the school that was not chosen. When you think about it logically, there are many schools that our kids would probably like if given the opportunity.
Just want to say that I understand your reaction to the info sessions. At this point in a search, you are looking for anything that makes the decision easier.
But remember that even in person, this is only one piece of it. The absolute best info session we attended was at a school where, in spite of a great guide as well well, DS decided not to apply by the time we got in the car. And several other schools climbed to the top of his list and did not wow in this part of the process.
It’s kind of like not buying a car you love because you don’t like their ad campaign. Get the info you need from the session-- try not to give to much weight to the presentation itself.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, but I can’t imagine applying ED to a school without visiting. That seems way to risky for a multitude of reasons. There are so many unknowns right now, so maybe applying sight unseen will become the new reality, but no need to rush a decision to apply ED by June/July. Wait a bit and see where this all plays out
@homerdog. DO NOT (just strong emphasis, not shouting) judge a school based on the information session!!!
OK, now I feel better. You will be making a huge mistake. Some are pros at this and some we did were just blah. Same with the school walking tours. We stopped doing them since “EVERYBODIES” (Now I’m shouting) Chemistry lab was the best but corporate sponsored by some major company. Every school stopped to show us “their” special 3D printers… It got boring fast.
All the talks were pretty much template. Rah, Rah school. They all have looking at squirrel clubs and looking at people looking at squirrel clubs. Yes the first time we heard that we laughed the 2,3rd and 4th time… Not so much.
We did the GT one and it was amazing. If really considering it I will tell you why. But everybody on earth told us we “had” to go see the Emory one. We were not even considering Emory. My son was looking for strong engineering schools. So we went and like 1/2 the same kids there from GT. It was the best school talk we have been to. Hands down! She was informative and hugely funny. Like most had tears in their eyes funny describing the difference between boys and girls essays and what to put in the essays etc.
But it just was not a school we were interested in. The worst for us probably UIUC. But then talking to a specific department. That gave us more insight.
For both my kids at small lacs and at Michigan, both kids had meetings not interviews with people like professors from their departments. These were hugely valuable. I bet you there are lots of bored professors that would love to talk with your child. You can do this as a family just to gain more information. Depending on kid and situation some we did with them and some they did alone. Either way it gave us so much more information then the generic talk would ever. Also a great thing to use in an essay especially now. You really have to go out of your way to show interest in a school. Both kids were able to point to specific professors they spoke to in their applications for those schools. This can be powerful.
Info sessions are highly dependent on the public speaking skills of the presenter. There were a couple schools we visited and did info sessions more than once with 2 different kids. One school in particular had one of the best info sessions the first time around and one of the worst the second time around. Difference was the ad com doing the show.
@Knowsstuff yeah yeah I know not to judge an info session. For a smaller school, though, I think it’s more telling than for a big school. Agree that D could reach out and talk to pretty much anyone on a campus at this point as I’m sure they have time. For her, though, she thinks any of the schools on her list will work for academics and we’ve done a lot of work on the extracurricular dance part so it’s really just fit. Hard to access without being on campus. I also understand that being at the point where fit is the biggest issue is a not the biggest problem in the world and both of us are starting to care a little less. I mean, really, with everything that’s going on, it’s hard to care much about whether any one school is a marginally better fit than another.
We won’t pull the trigger on an ED app to Wake in June. It’s too early. Seems like we might know here pretty soon if campuses will be opening in the fall.
In the webinar I heard last night, the CB rep said we should know if the June SAT is going to happen by mid-April. D hasn’t been studying at all. I think the break has been just fine. If we think the June SAT will happen, she’ll will gradually start studying again to be ready by that date…but I am highly doubting that June test will happen. Seems like it would be easy enough for CB to move to a July option or push everyone to August. That virus curve doesn’t look complete until July 1 and who the heck knows what that means for social distancing.
If I recall correctly, a few days ago I read that the GRE (graduate record exam) was allowing testers to take the exam at home.
Must use the computer camera to scan the room before the protored test.
Cannot wear head coverings or any other obstruction to one’s identity.
I do not know whether or not other tests will be permitted in this fashion.
Testing companies losing business.
Much easier for colleges & universities to go test optional.
Obviously, this puts more weight on applicants’ grades (GPA), class rank, recommendations, ECs, and interests.
OP: Your daughter is in a good place right now with respect to college admissions as a full pay applicant.
Although there may be massive deferments leading to fewer available spaces next admissions cycle, demand may lessen due to fears & experiences with communicable diseases in close quarters.
Expect incentives for online options ??? Already, many have demanded refunds for shortened on-campus terms.
For the record @homerdog post didn’t indicate that one should choose a school based on the presentation. To me it was sharing an observation and feeling.
If colleges look at everything holistically, so can we.
The presentations are part of the mosaic.
By the way would you choose an investment advisor, huge vendor contract, builder or other important service at least in part based on the quality of the presentation?
Of course it’s not definitive. It’s probably not even top five or ten. But we are human and it can color an impression.
Also if anyone went to a presentation where they sounded elitist and/or too full of themselves. It went way down on our list.
@twogirls thanks for all of your thoughts. Super helpful. And, omg, if D21 only gets three years on campus, that means S19 is out for two years? I really doubt both the 2020-2021 and the 2021-2022 school years will be affected. Kids had better be back to college by the fall of 2021!
Yes, there should be a vaccine by then. If not, herd immunity would have kicked in for anyone still standing (or else, college admissions would be the least of our worries).
@inthegarden: I agree, but rushing a vaccine to market without proper testing can be risky, although necessary.
We should learn relatively soon if once you get COVID you are immune or at least mostly protected. The UK has a test coming soon (and I’m sure others will too) to identify if you have COVID antibodies.
Also certainly by this summer there should be more access to COVID tests, right? Then we can start the South Korean model of testing many many people and contact tracing.
Combined, these should help start things work and school to open up again, right?
But, b/c we won’t see a vaccine until at least Jan (I think – would love to be wrong) I’m just worried about it all coming together in time for colleges to have enough time to feel okay about Fall in-person classes. I’m sure they feel like they have to make a decision in June, right?
Maybe they’ll hold out option of a late start – like Oct? I really really really hope they don’t just write off a whole semester of residential college this Fall.
Fun times. As far as dance do any schools have recorded sessions that you can view the instruction? This “might” be helpful.
I think we will have a vaccine in 12-18 months (hopefully sooner). That means we will not have one for 20-21 (the OP will have a HS senior) and possibly…possibly…the early part of 21-22. I think we will have treatments before a vaccine. How will colleges deal with that? We don’t know.
If I am doing my calculations correctly @homerdog …your D will have at least 3 years on campus (hopefully more). She will be a freshman in the fall of 2021. We should have a vaccine by then…and it’s possible she will not see much of a disruption at all. Her biggest disruption would be now…when she is trying to pick a school.
In my opinion (fwiw) schools will not be running normally in the fall of 2020. I believe there will be some type of disruption…but we don’t know what it will be. This means your son should have at least 2 more normal years on campus…hopefully more (fingers crossed).
I work in a school located in a hot zone. I just don’t see things returning to normal in September. I anticipate some type of disruption.
@twogirls: “Hot zones” are fluid & changing rapidly. Everyone & everywhere will ultimately be affected.
@Publisher…I agree. That is why it is really impossible to figure out anything right now. Many “hot zones” are popping up as others hopefully go down.
Dr. Fauci stated that a second wave is anticipated in the fall. That is why I don’t believe we will have a normal return to school. What does that mean, exactly, given there is no vaccine (hopefully we will have treatments)? I have no idea TBH.
@Knowsstuff Hm. Good question. I doubt that dance classes online would be available to a prospective student. Those classes are having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to Zoom a live class to kids at home dancing in their kitchens. I’ll dig around though!
@homerdog Look into how your DD’s top choices are handling matters during this time, including refunds. Richmond has been great, S18 has a full load of work (and the choice of receiving a grade (which he needs!) or receiving C/NC, and we already received our refund covering room/board for approximately 1/2 the semester. Also, students with jobs on campus will be paid through the end of the semester. This may have already happened at most schools, I don’t know, but I’ve been impressed.
@homerdog. I treat a lot of dancers. Many schools out stuff online to attract students.
@havenoidea thanks for checking in with that info. 
I have indeed been watching each of the schools and read all updates sent to students and parents (and faculty if I can find them). Richmond is doing an awesome job for sure.