The online versions of classes given this past semester were done on an emergency basis. I hope young people and parents will give them a chance. Many faculty are learning more about the potential, taking workshops and doing serious planning for online classes this fall.
Some schools will not survive if a lot of students don’t come. Money (and liability) are big motivators in all this, obviously. Columbia, on the other hand, will do okay.
If a family’s finances have suffered enough for it to be impossible to pay, I think that is a reason not to attend, though letting the financial aid office know about special circumstances can help.