Nope, it was well into the semester when we found out it was really bad, but we jumped into action. Because we are close enough, we drove to campus several times per week to help him get through it. We definitely couldn’t do the work (engineering), but just sat with him to help him get through it. He was perfectly fine this last semester thankfully and I’m so happy he’s on coop this semester so he’s not enrolled in classes. Same with DD20 and she’s on coop as well.
He will love it there, don’t worry. My medical lad did too, and still does. Not one single regret choosing the school.
Since it’s UR, I can say that the following quote is why they ended up having to make such a last minute decision. Strong is right across the street from UR and there’s no secret they are very overrun - very, very overrun. Guess where my resident doctor is now? It’s really sad.
FWIW, it’s not just there. My neighbor is an ED nurse and told us today about local and local"ish" hospitals to us here in PA. One had over 70 people in their waiting room and they are already more than full. Hallways, conference rooms, anyplace that can be turned into something has been. Oodles of ED nurses are burned out and are giving up. It isn’t a pretty situation.
I’m hopeful that Omicron is the end of hospitals getting overrun. Time will tell.
But yeah, UR didn’t make this decision lightly and the U does care about its students. by summer, we’re hoping things are back to normal (probably before then, but at least by then).
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I know what it is to feel for your kid, and kids who have been in school during covid have lost a lot for sure.
When schools make these decisions, there are a lot of factors that they consider. One is the impact on the local community. I know one of the reasons that my kid got sent home from college in spring 2020, from a state that had yet to have a case (to one where it was taking off) was that the local Healthcare system could not handle a surge in cases.
Since then, I have been privy to a number of decisions which have differed in outcome because of ability to quarantine kids, care for sick but not in need of hospitalization students, faculty concerns (including unvaccinated kids), degree of isolation the whole school community can maintain, availability of vaccines, etc.
Because you work in healthcare, you know how this has all been a moving target. Every institution has a somewhat different set of realities to consider in a highly uncertain situation.
My observation is that all of the schools have become more nimble in their decision making and execution of responses. This also suggests that next fall will not be the same as it is today. You’ve prepared for the worst, now hope for the best!
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As a faculty member, one thing I think a lot of parents miss is that there are pedagogical reasons for the current short-term moves to remote. At the end of last term, I had so many students quarantining that about half of my class was zooming in, with the other half in person. This is a terrible way to teach and learn. While I prefer in person, if the choice is between virtual and hybrid, without any warning of who will or will not be in the class, I firmly believe (temporary) virtual is a better pedagogical option. At least this way I can prepare materials and activities that fit in a virtual class, instead of finding out thirty minutes before class that half of my students will be trying to participate via zoom. My understanding of schools moving temporarily online is that they are partially trying to spare students the pain of missing classes in the first week or two of the term (hard to catch up from). Because students will come back from break with COVID (or exposed), and they will have to quarantine. The logic, I believe, is that it is better to have a couple weeks virtual and then move fully in person than deal with significant educational disruption by trying to do in person and winding up with half of the students behind, missing the first days, at the Omicron peak.
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And he seems to ignore the fact that while covid may be low risk for the college students, the world doesn’t revolve around them. What about the greater good? The rest of the population that college kids can transmit it to? People living as normal (not masking, not getting vaxxed, not distancing) is why we are still in this thing.
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This is very helpful. Thank you!
Thank you!
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Hmm, my daughter starts classes on Wednesday, they are allowed back on campus starting today, lots of chatter on the parent Facebook page about classes switching to online… There is definitely no crystal ball.
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I think you should call admissions - your specific admissions officer- and give them an earful about this. Although breaking the contract would not be easy, you are going to make your voice heard… they need to hear this from real people.
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I assume this is what OP is trying to avoid:
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I’m sure the person on the other end of the line, who had absolutely no say whatsoever in the decision, would love your suggestion.
It’s always nice to cause stress for innocent employees, no?
Or, folks could choose kindness and make the world a better place with their actions - even if they want to voice a concern.
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As a wish, I hope your entire family recaptures its initial excitement over your son’s acceptance at his first-choice school.
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I’m all about feedback. I didn’t say to, or mean to imply, that he or she should be rude to admissions, but I’m a HUGE believer in feedback and information. So, in this case, the admission officer is the best point of contact. They can gather this type of info and share with the administration.
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So, I think OP is done venting. Many of the succeeding (and preceding) posts are ones that are more appropriate for the general colleges & CV thread. Indeed, many posts are repeats by the same posters on that thread. So I think we’ve reached the logical end to this thread. Closing.
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