My D20 is resigned to the fact that classes will likely be online in the fall. Not a huge problem as she is already used to online classes, but disappointing. Hopefully, the spring will have all our 2020 grads on their respective college campuses. I’m a little more worried about what issues this crisis may create for my D21.
trippfolsom: “To bring a glimmer of hope on this thread, current students were allowed to register for in person fall classes…”
Question: how do you/they know its for “in-person” fall classes? If students are registering for a class in the fall, how does anyone know if it’s on-campus or off-campus?
I hate to be a pessimist, but if you assume that a college is big business, they have a vested interest to have students enroll, register, and PAY for classes as soon as possible regardless on how the instruction will be taught in the fall.
I agree with @homerdog that colleges that are transparent and honest about the realities of the 2020/2021 school year is an important consideration for students still deciding which college to attend in the fall.
Call me a pessimist, too (my husband likes the definition of a pessimist = well-informed optimist, though in this case I am guessing like everyone else), but I have a feeling that while the other sectors of the economy may be up and running by the fall, colleges may choose to stay online “for the abundance of caution”, that is, to limit their liability exposure. D is dead set on having a normal campus experience, and I agree with her. Our friends are calling DH and me crazy for letting our daughter proceed with the gap year plans to study abroad for a gap year (non-credit intensive language program), but I have a feeling in that country universities will be operating normally in a couple of months.
On another note, D’s school is offering refunds for AP tests, she confirmed with her AO it would be ok to cancel, and now has even fewer things to worry about in May.
ohhh. that makes me shutter. Do you guys really not think colleges will open in the fall at all? All over the U.S.? just in certain parts? that makes me so so so nervous.
@nyc2018nyc It’s in the UK.
Part of the problem is that kids will be traveling from all over the world to these campuses. They can’t say “We are only open for in person classes to those that are within our state or county borders. The rest of you will take online classes.”
For summer, UC Davis has stated that they will be virtual however if you log on in order to register for a class, it gives you a physical room assignment for where the class will be held. That doesn’t mean that the class is going to take place on campus or in the classroom. Registration looks the same for fall courses - each class has a classroom assigned to it as if it were a regular, in person course. Doesn’t mean it is going to happen.
Well, my dd just received an email saying that they aren’t planning on canceling in-person orientation the 2nd week in June. (Is it any wonder the country is confused? So many mixed messages.)
@Mom2aphysicsgeek what school is she receiving that from?
@bgbg4us I think its more unlikely than likely at this point. I am sure there will be some outliers that open no matter what. Schools with their own agenda or schools on the cusp of bankruptcy that will take the gamble but T20s and more big state schools? I can’t see it for the fall semester.
I would love to be proven wrong and for those to be fixed quickly but I don’t see that in the cards.
The school she will be attending in the fall. (I haven’t shared where bc I have posted that she will be a commuter student.) She emailed them today and asked if there was any possibility that they would be canceling in-person orientation and they emailed back and told her that they are planning on continuing in person as planned.
Here’s the problem with opening in person:
You have to assume outbreaks will occur, particularly if you are a large institution, located in a hot spot, or draw students from around the globe.
Let’s say you want to take a “test and trace” approach to the virus. You would need a huge amount testing/surveillance to identify and isolate sick members of the community, as well as a symptomatic members who test positive for the virus. This not only requires access to thousands of rapid tests, but it also requires staff to administer the tests and do the contact tracing. Plus, additional personnel to check on the Covid-positive person’s well being and continued compliance with isolation rules.
This would be doubly true of professors and administrators, as well as grad students and adjunct faculty.
You then need the IT capacity to allow students and professors to move easily between in-person and online teaching. For example, if I (a professor) test positive but otherwise feel well, you’d want me to continue teaching classes but you’d also need me to isolate and convert my class to an online one. And if I do get really sick, the university needs a back-up teacher to step in.
The framework I just described is not only complex, but costly. It requires surveillance tools (rapid/easy testing for potentially thousands of people) that no institution currently possesses. It also requires the ability to move between online and in person teaching modalities.
At some point, schools may have no choice but to develop alternatives to pure online teaching, but I’m skeptical that most schools will take a chance with in-person teaching in August/September.
If the current projections hold, 60k Americans will die of COVID 19 by August. Since that number die yearly from influenza without much notice, I think almost all schools will open by the fall. The rest of the world surely will.
The downward trend to 60k is due to the lockdown and social distancing. Difficult for schools to predict what the number will be without those measures in place.
REALLY??? It has been just like flu around here (NY) [insert sarcasm - just in case it isn’t obvious]
Yes, the projections assume social distancing thru May 30. Schools don’t have to predict anything, the projections are run by the health data folks operating out of UW, and have been quite accurate thus far. If restrictions are removed before May 30, I expect they will adjust the projections accordingly.
I am fully aware NY had suffered terribly. I am also cognizant that the NYS experience, however, was not replicated in most states. California, far larger than NY, is projected to lose about 1500 people. Texas, again much larger than NY, may lose 3700. And North Carolina, for example, will lose under 500, and in a typical year loses about 200 to the flu.Presumably at least some of those 500 would likely have died of the flu this year. Of course each death is tragic, but we shouldn’t extrapolate NY’s horrific experience to the rest of the country.
@socaldad2002 The current parents at American posted a thread on the social media feed that current students could pick fall classes and dorm selection. Four parents replied that they had completed this process and were hopeful this was a sign of on campus classes and housing were going to happen. The President of American did announce summer term was online and they were going to discount tuition to compensate students that choose to take online summer courses. All I know for now. If I hear more, I will let you know.
Hello all! Just chiming in to report that D20’s long college admissions journey is over! She committed to Bryn Mawr this evening after considering some great options/offers. We’re thrilled for her and mostly really glad to be done with the process! She’s sent in her deposit and already applied for her gap year deferral (planned long before COVID-19). Nice to have a little glimpse certainty in swirling, crazy times.
I won’t weigh in on the model predictions and likelihood/timeline of re-opening schools and business because I do that all day for a living – busman’s holiday!
Congratulations @Itisatruth Happy gap year as well.
Crazy but my S20 got into Stanford! If anyone has a kid there and can pm me, I would appreciate it.
Congratulations @Octagon ! @typiCAmom 's daughter got into Stanford as well!