I live in a Dallas suburb. My kids have been 100% in person at school since school started this Fall. And though they themselves have not contracted Covid, the principal at our neighboring high school did…he literally was on the brink of death…intubated…had to be transferred to a hospital in Oklahoma City because there were not any available hospital beds in the DFW area that could provide him with ECMO treatment. He is still not fully recovered and has a long road ahead of him. He contracted Covid while providing students like you with a full in person schooling experience.
So you see, not everything is about you or your generation. You can sit here and rant about your parents generation ruining your life and education, but who and what generation do you think is going to be teaching you and providing you with what you feel entitled to? No thought to their health and well-being? Or does a teacher/professor dying not bother you? It’s not your concern right because you are young and healthy?
Maybe a little respect for those that are suffering from Covid and what this virus has done to millions (across all ages and backgrounds) would be nice.
SMU is a great school…and I think you’ll fit right in, it’s a Covid deniers heaven.
Might I remind members of the forum rules: “Our forum is expected to be a friendly and welcoming place, and one in which members can post without their motives, intelligence, or other personal characteristics being questioned by others."
My kids are fine with it, they would rather make sacrifices and protect others. They are 18, 18, 29, 22 and 24, so definitely missing out on a lot. One of my 18 year old daughter’s friend’s has it, my daughter is worried about her friend’s parents, smokers, overweight, in their late 40’s.
It seems my post above was too subtle. So for the benefit of those who need it spelled out - don’t attack other posters.
And to be clear on concept, students are allowed to post here, just like parents are allowed to post on student threads. But all must still abide by the rules.
SMU is a covid-deniers heaven? Are you speaking of just SMU or is it more the city of Dallas or the state of Texas? Just wondering, as we are considering smu and other TX schools. Thx for clarifying.
I live in Dallas less than 2 miles from SMU, grew up here ( although did a 13 year stint on the east coast). My mom is an alum. I work at the nearby hospital. I would just evaluate the state data when assessing. We have had very high cases and they continue to rise. Yes our hospitals are totally full ( I am an outpatient physical therapist and am partially redeployed to help in the units as staff is low). We have a very conservative Governor and the focus in the state has been more on keeping businesses open than avoiding spread of Covid (although the Dallas county judge has tried valiantly to keep the numbers down). Our eateries are open and full ( our household including my 17 and 19 year old are strict quarantiners) per pics in the news and on my facebook feed. Anecdotally I would say that our friends who attend Texas schools have been less concerned with the spread of Covid than my son and his peers who attend a small NE LAC, but I am sure there are both kinds of kids at both types of schools. I would agree that the schools here are more likely to have in person classes and less restrictive guidelines than in some states ( although I just read that UT is staying online through the end of Jan). SMU has a beautiful campus. Again anecdotally it appears to attract wealthy, traditional students but they have made huge efforts to recruit from our Dallas public highschool and have given great financial aid to many URM. If your read the stereotypical student say on UNIGO I would agree with it, but I’m GenX and it may be based on my history growing up more than the current population! Not sure where you are from but just giving you my opinion as a Dallasite. You can find good people and jerks everywhere. My sons are going east for a different cultural experience, but maybe that is what yours is seeking as well. Good luck in finding the best fit for your kid!
My DD is a freshman who lives on campus. She went to the local HS. I believe 15-20 matriculated from there. UT gets about 70-75. OU gets 30-35 and A&M gets 28-32. Class of ~550. Quite a few go to great LAC (and national Us) like poster above.
Regarding SMU’s efforts with Covid, out of a record 6827 undergrads, 83% were on campus (dorms or commuting). There was an initial spike of cases with off-campus parties and recklessness as people returned to campus. There was a dorm where those with Covid would have to quarantine. My DD knew one person who contracted Covid and he went back to Houston for a couple weeks and attended class remotely. His traced contacts stayed in their dorms.
Our school just sent an email requesting name we want on diploma and height/weight for graduation robes. I hope we are going to be able to do in-person graduation in Spring.
I agree, that’s the beauty of it…, each student can do what works best for them and still come out ok.
A lot of the essay prompts could be recycled and most of the essays were written prior to the school year so there were no late night writing sessions involved. Her school also does a program where they write essays so she got several done then. They also require students to spend a study hall period once a week to do college applications/essays/etc.
My daughter is torn between three majors but all three in the art field and we have not found a school in the US that offer all three majors. She has a minor in mind and only 3 schools offer the combination of one major and that minor. Actually as an art student the essays were the quickest part…, for her it was spending days working on a single piece of artwork.
For several of the schools she applied to, for her particular art major, they enroll around 40 students. Therefore, we felt it best to have more options not only because it is more competitive but also for the reasons that I listed in the other post. For a lot of the art schools as well as art programs and traditional colleges it isn’t just based on grades, it’s based on the portfolio and for art that is subjective. During some of the virtual tours it was mentioned several times that grades usually only come in to play if they are trying to do a tie breaker for portfolios.
Since we were able to visit a few schools some of her front runners took a drop after the in person visits so we felt it would be more beneficial to keep all the schools on the list and go from there. Her top 3 schools she hasn’t had 'formal ’ visits. She’s been to two of the campuses for other events but not a formal session. One school she didn’t think she would like she actually loved and it moved up to the top 5.
As far as the back end a few factors will come in to play - the schools response to social issues, how they handled in person and online classes this year and what options might be for the fall, what she decides her major will be (her #1 & #3 school have the same major but #2 is completely different - again all art related), and the amount of merit scholarships given to name a few deciding factors. Yes, a couple of the schools are ranked nationally. However, we decided these by looking at their art rankings and not overall. How the schools could help her in the end with internships and landing a job in her field, etc.
But this year is just different. Now you have where test scores are optional and that can be a game changer especially when you don’t know exactly how schools are looking at this.
Just several different factors. We didn’t want to be rushed looking at all the factors and therefore felt it was in the best interest to apply to the vast majority of the schools on the list and then have more time to decide.
Thx for the info - we are in the midwest. I believe DD will be happy anywhere. Looking at several east coast schools as well, but SMU is looking very good to us for many reasons right now!
We’re from the Midwest and take masking very seriously here. Restaurants here are only open for carryout and limited outside. Since it’s 30 degrees, it’s hard for restaurants to have outdoors seating so many have heaters or little greenhouse or bubble type things but most people are not dining at those anyway. Some restaurants are violating the governor’s orders and staying open inside anyway but they have few people going into them. We are very strict as most people we now are, as we only do curbside pickup from restaurants and pretty much only curbside from grocery stores unless I am having a lot of trouble getting something and absolutely have no choice but to go inside. Stores here are fairly empty fortunately. Our high school has been remote all year and will continue to be, but we’re the minority. Other high schools around us are doing ehybrid and very strict with that and it’s working. Currently though they’ve all also been remote since Thanksgiving through MLK Day and then going back to ehybrid after that when families could isolate for 2 wees after winter break. High schools are also providing and mandating covid tests in order for students to return which is great.
I say this all because I have a daughter that attends UT-Austin and everything you have said about Texas is true. People there do not wear masks. The pictures of large fraternity and other social gatherings, maskless people at the many football games, now basketball games (yay ranked #4 in the country), Mayor Adler keeps trying to close things, but Gov Abbott continues to overrule. Yet Abbott “ran” to get a vaccine the minute it was out. Unbelievable. Bars are open even when they’re not. Parties are happening in basements. Covid is all over. The university’s hands are tied from thanks to those higher up since it’s a public university. THey have the funds to test everyone but choose not to. They only had a few in person/hybrid classes in the fall and I know one kid who said he was the only one that even showed up for his hybrid class the entire semester. Classes being online through the end of January doesn’t mean much since classes don’t start until Jan 19 anyway, so at most that is only a couple classes for each student. Additionally, most students classes are already all online for the entire semester. There are very few in person or hybrid classes second semester so it doesn’t mean much of anything for them to say they’re staying entirely remote through Jan 31. If they wanted to do something about it, they would have a ramped up covid testing and tracing program, which they do not. More than half of my daughter’s sorority that she lives with has gotten covid. They didn’t and don’t mandate testing in order to move in. Or even require quarantining. It’s all on her to do so. So when all is said and done, she is there solely for the amazing program she is in, but there job on covid sucks big time. My son didn’t even apply to UT and their handling of Covid was probably one of the reasons for that.
Midwest large city. Private high school open since August with weekly covid tests for all students, faculty, staff. Restaurants open so people can choose; most choosing wisely and only doing drive up. I am a firm believer that it’s best to provide people with information and options and let them make educated decisions. In contrast, California sounds to be virtually in “mandated” lockdown and their covid cases are devastating.
I think college-aged kids are as diverse as any other group - some will be extremely cautious and others won’t. I would think that even schools in which classes are virtual only, the kids are still socializing in person, so really the virtual classes are mainly protecting the faculty – which is fine. Their choice!
We will all make it through this (hopefully!) and I really believe the schools are doing the very best they possibly can to keep students, faculty/staff, and parents safe and happy.
This is really the problem IMO. I work in education. I don’t have an issue being in front of students. Why? Because I know how to be safe and I am not on top of them, nor are they on top of me. Professors are even more protected. They are much further away from students. There have been measures taken to put full plexi glass around them, as well as other measures, the classrooms are limited in size, etc. The problem perhaps though is it is difficult teaching in a mask especially if you have remote students. That part I can attest to. But, the students in class are wearing masks. Outside is when they’re socializing and engaging in more risky behavior. Some are taking remote classes sitting together with one another. Riskier than sitting in class with a mask next to each other. This is a similar issue I have with high school being remote. Kids have longer than an hour for lunch, some when weather was nice, would go meet at restaurants outside and have lunch together then go back home for their afternoon classes. They are also socializing outside of school on weekdays much more than they were before mainly because they crave the socialization piece and this is what is missing with remote school.
The problem in CA is that so many people are breaking the rules and they just can’t get it under control and with a virus that grows exponentially, not much one can do. I know people living there, including my son and I wouldn’t call it a full mandated lockdown where he is in the way you’re stating it.
The problem with the college kids, is that the colleges have to follow through with their own guidelines. UT says not gatherings greater than 10 (maybe it’s 15 I can’t remember the exact number), yet there are tons of pictures from Halloween with huge numbers of people outside on 6th street, there are outside frat parties, social parties - including accusations of sexual assault recently at these groups. The university’s have culpability if they know about these things and aren’t doing anything about them. My other daughter’s school they had to sign a contract and if you break it, there are consequences and have been but because they have a great testing and tracing program, they are having a relatively normal year with in person classes.
Well, I live in the SF Bay Area, in Silicon Valley, and everyone that I see is wearing a mask. Everyone. I have relatives that live in SF and I know the people that live in that neighborhood are wearing masks. Gyms, indoor and outdoor dining, etc. are shutdown. Stores are open, but they’re limiting the amount of customers who can come into the store. So, we wait in line in order to get into the store.
My D21 hasn’t been in school all senior year, since March.
We’re all still working from home for the most part. The next step would just be to close everything. No food, no water, no gas, etc. Please don’t generalize that “so many” Californians are breaking the rules.
Please keep this thread relevant to its original purpose or it is going to get shut down again. I was about to respond to sushi thinking this was the thread about COVID and schools (can’t remember title but used to be School in the Fall) then realized this was the 2021 Parents thread. Editing to add, while some of this discussion is helpful as parents are guiding kids to make decisions, it is should probably stay on the other thread.
