Agreed, which is why the next admissions season will be an unpredictable mess. Colleges will likely seek certainty from full pay students from high schools with long histories at the college, and legacies, and I expect more URM students given th political climate. They will try but make some mistakes, which coupled with the class of 21’s uneven schooling, will lead to a much higher college failure and dropout rate as well. But given the economic destruction, fewer kids will be applying to college and some colleges will close, so it will be a mess.
@circuitrider wrote:
The reviews are trickling in and Fall hasn’t even arrived yet:
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/7/13/editorial-fall-2020-decision/
What is that generation ever going to do if it faces any real adversity? Bagged meals and online classes for a few months aren’t ideal, but try having a bit of perspective. What a remarkably privileged group.
@AlmostThere2018 ^^ yep
If Harvard with all those resources struggling, imagine other schools with lesser means - how would they be able to conduct. That is why my sons took gap years
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/7/13/editorial-fall-2020-decision/
I agree, I feel badly for the rising HS seniors who were set to really differentiate themselves starting junior spring. And then there will be lucky beneficiaries–kids who were NOT set to differentiate themselves, but now look just like those superstars!
I think it’s true a lot of schools did what has been mentioned in the spring–either Credit/No Credit, or told teachers to be generous/inflate grades, or even the shocking example mentioned where every passing kid got a 100%. In many schools, APs don’t really kick in/aren’t offered until junior year, so this is typically a real chance to shine with a more rigorous course load. Now the kids who were going to earn A+s in those tough courses look the same as the kids who were going to earn B-s.
I’m sure those superstars will try very hard to at least get standardized test scores in this fall to help set them apart somewhat. Colleges may go test optional, but submitting a superhigh score helps no matter what. Hopefully those test dates come through for them.
And I agree that many types of ECs really provide pivotal opportunities to shine in junior spring/summer/senior fall, and many of those chances have disappeared. Of course some kids do ECs that were unaffected. You can write a NYTimes bestseller novel from your socially distanced basement, become the star contract tracer for your state saving thousands of lives, etc. but there are usually just so many other more traditional ways to demonstrate your leadership, excellence, etc that have been cancelled.
So two kids who were on quite different trajectories might end up appearing quite similar; I see why AOs will likely have to put some extra emphasis on earlier work, and also why kids will need to just push through and do their best to shine if that’s important to them–that’s their only option. But no doubt, there will be some happy, lucky kids who may end up at their ultra-reaches because the lack of good data due to COVID-cancellations helps them out!!
I believe those kids going to their upper crust high schools will be fine overall. Tests, easy A’s, Cs, whatever else will be overcome. They will apply ED to colleges that will rely heavily on it and they will be coached to take lemons and make lemonade.
As usual, real middle income ( not that high pay bracket some on here use) and lower income students who already attend struggling school districts are going to suffer the most.
I think the next admission cycle is going to highlight the economic gap of applicants even more than it does now . I also agree that it will put late bloomers at a disadvantage. On top of the differences in effectiveness of online delivery and grading, some states did administer their standardized tests before SIP so there will be a large number of students who do have scores to submit.
Most of the HS students I know that are in fairly affluent areas have found ways to pivot and find meaningful things to do this summer. Summer of '20 will not be a big blank on the application. I’m not hearing the same for families with fewer resources.
I don’t know how Ad Coms are going to be able to make decisions. IMO, it’s going to be even more difficult to level the playing field.
Circuitrider, in your post above (10762), you seem to selectively highlight the most pessimistic, perhaps even brattiest, sentence from that Harvard Crimson op-ed. You could have also included:
["President Donald Trump himself called Harvard’s plan “ridiculous.” We disagree.
Harvard’s decision to limit the number of undergraduate students on campus and to instigate strict social distancing and public health precautions for the 40 percent who do return is a responsible one. These high-level choices reflect a broader belief in the value of public health and safety — and more fundamentally, of human life — that we share. They also reflect a belief in making decisions that are grounded in evidence, even when the evidence doesn’t make us feel great."]
Yes, most (?) college-aged kids typically LOVE dense-housing, piles of friends being close together, fun parties, in-person extracurriculars, sports, theater, and all sorts of things that can’t work during the pandemic. Naturally having less than half of your fellow students on campus is sad. But I think that op-ed highlighted the editorial board’s appreciation for the principled choice (leaving lots of R&B money on the table) Harvard is making given the circumstances, and shows maturity from these students, not spoiled-ness. (Royalcroft, 10763, if you read the full op-ed and not just the sentence Circuitrider quoted, I don’t think you’d come to the conclusion this was such an entirely bratty, privileged op-ed, but did reveal that a lot of questions remain about how fall will look).
I feel so badly for kids stuck in single rooms and socially distancing at a time of their lives when they should be enjoying themselves and each other in much more interactive human ways!! I so wish that they could!! It is sad, but likely the right thing.
Harvard actually has been very (frustratingly) slow to communicate details of what fall will look like on campus, and FINALLY yesterday held a town hall for incoming freshmen that revealed at least a few more details. Life on campus will not be quite as bleak as they first portrayed. It sounds like there will be dining in the dining halls and outdoor tables–not all bagged meals in your solitary bedroom ;-). Surely limits on numbers, but they did not provide the details. Students will be allowed to spend time throughout Cambridge and Boston, but asked not to travel further during the semester. Lots of opportunities for outdoor socializing, runs along the river, etc. And they are working on improving ventilation/filtration in the common rooms, and made clear that if they can keep the virus under control, they will loosen restrictions for gathering, etc. I think they are subscribing to the “underpromise, overdeliver” philosophy in this situation. So I think the kids are and should be grateful for the every-3-day testing that H has procured/set-up, so they can really have a shot of preventing widespread outbreaks, and hopefully move towards “more” normal conditions. There will be access to libraries, gyms, music practice rooms, etc, but the details on limitations/numbers allowed are simply not ready yet–they will depend on the situation at the time. Everyone did get a kick out of the the answer they had previously posted that the laundry rooms may be the only common rooms open–lots of clean clothes predicted!! But the reality looks like it will be quite different. We all love certainty, so having to wait for details is uncomfortable and annoying, but logical. Covid stinks. Come on, vaccine!!!
It’s Wednesday… Still on this… Lol. Yes you can shine. That is my point. You have to think differently. Heh, my daughter didn’t have a college graduation but had lots of fun with friends at her virtual one. My sons engineering internship got canceled but he’s on to other opportunities
. Not high school but I get it. I truly do.
I know the selective enrollment schools in Chicago well. They are literally the top 5 schools in our state. I also know many private schools (high schools), in my area, no one and I mean no one that I know is dwelling on this. They have all moved on and found a way. They all have projects they are doing this summer. All or most are self made. Their essays are on 2nd revisions and getting ready to adjust as college apps. come out.
OK, off to doing surgery this morning…
Vaccine is closer than anyone thought!! Mass testing starts soon…early results are 100% positive. This is great news for colleges!! And for the entire world. Lets hope the next phase is just as successful
The new thing I heard about in FB group is colleges requiring full move-outs at Thanksgiving for deep cleaning.
@roycroftmom - first, I don’t believe this will only be for a few months - boxed meals and dorm learning could last a lot longer.
Secondly, despite your continued preaching about how few young people will die from this virus, the fact remains that they can get seriously ill and have long term health issues.
My kid, like many, lost a much needed opportunity to make money this summer crucial to pay for his studies. Top this with a tuition increase and an early semester start date - yeah, he’s angry about the price tag attached to “in person learning “ that will most likely be tabled as soon as it starts.
For many kids it isn’t just about being “privileged” - maybe in your circles but not around here.
@EmptyNestSoon2 - I included the one statement in the entire Crimson editorial that wasn’t boilerplate. I included the cite so people could judge for themselves. I’ve said it before: The pandemic is pulling back the covers on what it is like to live every day at some of the wealthiest colleges and universities in the country. At Harvard, the ability to get off a fairly claustrophobic urban campus (once you leave Harvard Yard) and take runs along the river is an obvious strong point.
What college is doing this? Do you have any names?
@Luckyjade2024 , I sincerely hope that your are correct. But I assume that you’re talking about the Moderna trial that whose Phase 1 trial was held a few months ago on only 45 people. It’s just that they’re releasing more data from that study now, and talking about the next trial. I pray that it is, but I wouldn’t consider it a slam-dunk. This is from an article about it in the NY Times this morning:
"Experts not involved with the study said the results were encouraging, but early. “Just because you have antibodies doesn’t mean you’re completely immune,” Dr. Rasmussen said.
It is possible, she said, that a vaccine might not totally prevent infection, but that it might make the illness less severe. “If it’s a choice between a bad cold and being on a ventilator, I’ll take the bad cold,” she said.
Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease expert at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said that the neutralizing antibodies and other immune responses were a good sign, but that it was not known yet whether they would actually protect people against the virus, or how long they would last. The side effects were a “small price to pay” for protection against a potentially severe disease, he said, though fever may be a cause for concern once the vaccine is given to large numbers of people.
“You always worry that fever, especially high fever, could lead to other things,” Dr. Offit said, adding that only a large controlled study can determine whether the vaccine is truly safe and effective.
Otherwise, “it’s reading the tea leaves,” he said. “You just don’t know anything until you do a Phase 3 trial.”
I agree with you, @Leigh22 , that many young adults are indeed truly suffering. But the Harvard Crimson staff is not among them.
No body is discussing boy friend/girl friend issues. My own sons are very unhappy as they can not see their girl friend who are long distance and lock down is not allowing them to travel. Not seeing their friends is a mental anguish.
Trying to stick to the thread topic of school and covid
@AsMother That is the study. I did not read the NYT article, but many in the scientific community gave very high possibilities due to the fact that it produced immunity in all 45 subjects with high levels of immunity produced. Now it will move into Phase 2 with a larger test group. They also will test in areas of large community spread.
Not only Moderna, but many other companies are also working on vaccines. This give us hope it will be sooner rather than later. This is all being done in record time. Never has a vaccine been developed at this speed.
I’m a glass half full person…so I’m really excited about this news. Maybe it’s just because I cannot wait to start college!