School in the 2020-2021 Academic Year & Coronavirus (Part 1)

[homerdog]

@bluebayou

@homerdog

@EyeVeee

@Luckyjade2024

wonder what UNC acceptance rate and total apps look like next year?same for a lot of schools without a better COVID plan.

It will be so prevalent it won’t matter much.

Of course it will matter. Who the heck wants to go to UNC now? Poor leadership. Bad decision making. No way. I’m not the only one with a 2021 watching schools closely. If UNC made this decision so poorly then I’m sure they are also hurting for leadership overall.

Nope, not at all. State flagship; one of the Top Public Unis for $25k, all in. best value for state residents, unless one was interested in Engineering, then NC State is the choice.

Guess I’m speaking as someone outside of NC. Kids applying from outside of NC to UNC are generally very good students and they’ll have other choices.

Personally, I wouldn’t want my kids anywhere near a big state school for the foreseeable future.

[Mwfan1921]

About half of students live off campus at UNC Chapel Hill, we shall see if the level of community spread decreases if they de-densify dorms.

[twoinanddone]

@suzyQ7

@twoinanddone

What are students who were planning to go back but have had plans change right before going to school (or after getting there) doing about books?

My kids always picked them up at school or bought online and had them sent to their campus address (in later years). They would have had nothing to use at home. Also, one had a lot of ‘packets’ to buy from the bookstore for engineering and math classes. These were usually about 200 pages copied off and put into binders, and again, only available through the bookstore.

My kids college recommends not buying books until after the first day of each class. Everything can be ordered online per the schools bookstore… this is the case even precovid - the texts they post are not always accurate…wait for the syllabus.

Right, but those who waited and were told this week not to move in (Holy Cross for example) didn’t order books and thought they’d just go to the book store. Now they will start the first few days of classes with no books, get the syllabus, and then try to order online. Could take several weeks to get them (see postal slow down thread). One of my kids got most of her books after the first year from friends (her boyfriend was 2 years ahead in most subjects).

[twogirls]

UNC is a public school and had to follow what the Board of Governors told them to do. I just read the letter that was sent out back in July basically begging the BOG to keep the school closed.

The school did not want to open. It was forced to. UNC has some of the best scientists in the country…they tried to make it work… they had no choice.

I see this more as a function of being a public school- a private school has more flexibility. UNC had the same type of problem with a controversial statue that it wanted to remove…but was not allowed.

Hopefully this crisis ends fast.

FYI…yes OOS students likely have other really great choices…but those choices are often a lot more money.

[AsMother]

@Darcy123

@AsMother

@Darcy123

@Cardinal_Fang

I would not want to ship a bunch of stuff across the country and pay for plane tickets, only to have to ship a bunch of stuff back and pay for plane tickets.

If your kid is flying to college, travel light.

Considering what we’re paying for college a few plane tickets and shipping some linens off amazon is a drop in the bucket. Is it ideal - of course not, but in the grand scheme of things - eh - and we didn’t pack that light - thank you southwest and your generous checked bag policy. ymmv

I don’t know–for some people it might not seem at all like a drop in the bucket, especially right now. Fortunately our situation has changed since then, but when my son was attending a private school (my mom paid the tuition; I was newly separated, and my ex didn’t have a lot of money either) every required purchase–books, a tie or a belt or shoes for the dress code, etc., was something to worry about. Some families, I’m sure, are doing all this by the skin of their teeth, and a few plane tickets would seem like a big financial hurdle.

Of course -which is why I said your mileage may vary.

Sorry–I need to polish up on my acronyms, I guess!

[GKUnion]

@homerdog

Personally, I wouldn’t want my kids anywhere near a big state school for the foreseeable future.

If other NESCAC schools manage to pull off some semblance of the on campus experience potential students may feel the same way about Bowdoin that you currently feel about state schools.

[suzyQ7]

@twoinanddone

@suzyQ7

@twoinanddone

What are students who were planning to go back but have had plans change right before going to school (or after getting there) doing about books?

My kids always picked them up at school or bought online and had them sent to their campus address (in later years). They would have had nothing to use at home. Also, one had a lot of ‘packets’ to buy from the bookstore for engineering and math classes. These were usually about 200 pages copied off and put into binders, and again, only available through the bookstore.

My kids college recommends not buying books until after the first day of each class. Everything can be ordered online per the schools bookstore… this is the case even precovid - the texts they post are not always accurate…wait for the syllabus.

Right, but those who waited and were told this week not to move in (Holy Cross for example) didn’t order books and thought they’d just go to the book store. Now they will start the first few days of classes with no books, get the syllabus, and then try to order online. Could take several weeks to get them (see postal slow down thread). One of my kids got most of her books after the first year from friends (her boyfriend was 2 years ahead in most subjects).

There is amazon and profs are flexible. I wouldn’t worry about it. I didn’t know kids ever bought books at the physical bookstore
… mine always got them through the school online bookstore or Amazon (used, mostly). My son’s CS courses had almost no books. I won’t get books for my D until after the first class- profs are understanding.

[saillakeerie]

Personally, I wouldn’t want my kids anywhere near a big state school for the foreseeable future.

So you started with one state school [UNC] and quickly expanded it to every “big” state school.

[homerdog]

@GKUnion

@homerdog

Personally, I wouldn’t want my kids anywhere near a big state school for the foreseeable future.

If other NESCAC schools manage to pull off some semblance of the on campus experience potential students may feel the same way about Bowdoin that you currently feel about state schools.

Nah. I’ll be happy for them. And that would mean Bowdoin has a better chance of inviting all students back this fall. I wouldn’t judge a school for being too careful, just for being reckless.

[homerdog]

@saillakeerie

Personally, I wouldn’t want my kids anywhere near a big state school for the foreseeable future.

So you started with one state school [UNC] and quickly expanded it to every “big” state school.

Yes. I did. Does anyone see some big state school making this work? Even ND with such a detailed plan isn’t really doing very well. Which big state school do you think will have in person classes by mid-Sept?

[twogirls]

The SUNY system is opening soon. Curious to see how they do.

[roycroftmom]

The big state schools will be more popular than ever. One could pay $10k for zoom university tuition through UT Austin or $56k to zoom through Wake Forest. Easy choice.

[twoinanddone]

Colorado College has 150 kids in quarantine. It’s not limited to big schools.

[stiffler117]

Appalachian State University Faculty Senate passed a motion of “no confidence” in the Chancellor this afternoon. They also passed a resolution “holding the board of governors and Chancellor Sheri Everts responsible for any illness and death resulting from COVID-19 as a result of reopening campus…” Today was the first day of classes. Faculty at this institution really seem willing to fight back.

[Luckyjade2024]

@twoinanddone

Colorado College has 150 kids in quarantine. It’s not limited to big schools.

Only 1 single positive COVID at Colorado College

Colorado confirmed that 155 students are currently quarantined as of Monday out of an abundance of caution because of the single positive test.

[twoinanddone]

Right, but if they are going to put 150 in quarantine every time there is a positive test, the school year will never get started.

[Luckyjade2024]

it seems they said later on that many of the students in that dorm did not follow protocols…that is why so many in quarantine. I’m guessing a large gathering with no masks

[homerdog]

@roycroftmom really? This pandemic isn’t going to go on for five years. 2021s shouldn’t be looking at the very short term and thinking paying less is the better option. Surprised that seven people agree that going to a state school will be better in the pandemic. I highly doubt that.

[NJdad07090]

@homerdog - Not sure what you mean at all, are you saying ,kids blew their chance, not all schools are UNC and send the kids home? So I just drove 22 hours round trip last week to drop my kid off and you say go back this week and get him??? He has had one day of classes and your ready to say hope you enjoy dit time to come back to NJ??? DID I misread this?

@homerdog

@suzyQ7

@NJSue

Schools that have “oversold” the experience risk revolts by the students and parents. Many schools have had their time horizons cut short by the virus, but others are in the process of creating reputational damage they may not recover from.

In contrast, if colleges and universities had bitten the bullet and planned for a fully remote fall semester back in early June, when it was becoming amply clear that the Covid crisis was not going away any time soon, they could have done a good job of creating an effective, consistent learning environment. No, it’s not the same as normal, but there was never any chance that this semester would be normal. Instead, many administrations waffled and delayed and lived in denial, and lost the chance to construct a strong if temporary online program and persuade families and parents that it will be online.

This is not true. Back in June things were on the downtrend, especially in the northeastern and the south was at a steady (higher than they should have been) level.

Also, colleges should have been preparing for hybrid/online all along since the discussion of “second wave” has been going on since April. According to professors on this thread they have been doing just that all summer - going back with restrictions and getting set up for hybrid/online learning are not mutually exclusive. The issue is that many many colleges didn’t have the money for either - to prep for remote learning NOR to lose enrollment/room and board. And there is no help from government. Therefore many many colleges will close or consolidate and have massive layoffs across faculty and staff. If (God willing) Covid were to be cured tomorrow, this is still going to happen because the pandora’s box has been opened and the value prop is not there for many colleges. Alternatives are quietly being developed - tech training programs right out of high school, for example - they need to figure out a way to house students so they can have a similar “college experience” and move out of the house.

June was still a scary time. And there were schools that knew enough in June to make the call to severely limit kids on campus and deliver remote instruction only. Bowdoin did it on June 22. Harvard and MIT didn’t take much longer. There are others but I cannot remember now. Even back then, our discussion was about how big state schools could not afford to disinvite kids to campus and go all remote. Needed room and board. Needed sports. We knew that many large schools felt that had to give it a shot.

Now, though, time to shutter up. Those students blew it. So kids in the dorms go home this week. Maybe the schools pay for tests to be sent to them so they can see if they are positive and they know to isolate at home. Tell them they can’t take class unless they spit in the tube and send it back to school. As for kids on campus? That’s the local authority’s problem. The police have to deal with that.

[NJdad07090]

@NJSue -I would expect that we would pay the same percent as Europe for this new model, not the over inflated prices we pay now.

@NJSue

What I mean by uncoupling is that the universities won’t be particularly involved in creating the student residential experience, as is the case with most European universities. There will be no “student life” bureaucracies, no university-run dorms, and no organized sports/activities. “Campus” will be defined as the classrooms, labs, and libraries. There will be no assumption that college is supposed to shape young people into adulthood; the assumption will be that you are already an adult and can structure your own life; you don’t need an army of advisors and support services to do it for you.

The classic LAC experience, which is an American thing, will probably diminish greatly. As a grateful graduate of a LAC and a proponent of that kind of experience for a certain kind of student, that makes me sad. But it’s probably inevitable. Those who are sports-oriented alumni of schools for whom athletics is a major part of institutional identity, will grieve the loss of that institutional ideal (also uniquely American).

I know that most people don’t prioritize the academic aspect of college. My point is, maybe they should. And yes, this will mean that many institutions will close or transform beyond recognition.