@taverngirl , your remark about your daughter’s crappy college experience thus far broke my heart, and really resonated. When my son finally got to go off to college (his high school advisor, who apparently wasn’t used to working with students in the arts much, believed that he wouldn’t get admitted to ANY colleges due to his poor, late-diagnosed learning issue-related grades…but he was accepted by three very good schools!), we were thrilled that he would finally be out of high school and able to work on his passion for music. But at first a lot of things went wrong…the worst being that when he finally got to go to his dream college, Berklee, an overuse injury that started just before he went made it impossible for him to play music for over a year!. And now, of course, there’s Covid-19. Berklee did not open its campus at all this semester, so he’s working virtually from home, but for a music major there are not many classes left that will be worth taking online. Of course, he’s not alone in the college/Covid struggle.
But anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I understand how hard it is to see one’s child disappointed just when things were supposed to get really great. And I want to add my own best wishes, in addition to everyone else’s here, for things to get much better for your daughter (and you!) very soon. And same to others whose kids are feeling let down by this whole thing. But, as hard as it may be to believe right now, things WILL get better, and (I’m always telling my son this, and he’s actually started to finally believe it!) that if you can be patient and weather the “crappy” times the universe will set you up with a major reimbursement of really good times…when the universe is ready, of course! 
@NJSue This. 100 percent. I’m teaching 6th graders this way and I’m drowning. No air conditioning and high 80s with crazy humidity, masked all day, kids online and in person. Tech not working… It’s insanity. It’s my 24th year teaching and I’ve broken down in tears more than once already to my principal. No “mask breaks” today—raining most of the day and a “code brown” for a bear in the neighborhood. This is not sustainable. I’d retire tomorrow if I could afford to.
Which colleges are doing best so far and how are other colleges in their areas comparing? Do you see big difference among numbers for different colleges in any town?
Why aren’t schools with above 10% rate going completely virtual?
Cal State system will continue mostly virtual for winter and spring 2021. They continue to make their decision early.
Are you sure about freshmen receiving first priority? Where did you hear this? Stu Schmill was asked point blank during a parent orientation zoom, and he was non-committal IMO. Don’t get me wrong, I hope your info is correct!
Do these tests exist anywhere yet? Other colleges/schools in the world?
South Korea has had them since February. Ponderous why we don’t have it here.
My kiddo is @EmptyNestSoon2 's poster child. While I agree with @TheVulcan that MIT is delivering an exceptional education remotely and doing everything humanly possible to provide the best distance-learning experience, it does not change the fact that my child is unhappy to be attending class from their childhood bedroom. Kiddo feels incredibly isolated and craves peer’s physical presence, even though they’re routinely interacting virtually with classmates. My child didn’t gap because they had no enriching, legitmate options outside of proceeding with school. For their own mental health they need to be intellectually engaged and inspired; a year of cobbled-together minimum wage jobs unrelated to future employment, waiting for 2021-2022 to be more normal was not an option. They weren’t going to find meaningful employment or internships as a new high school graduate, it would’ve been more of the same jobs they’ve been working during high school.
Looks like CSU is going all-in on remote/distance ed. This is interesting – they may be using this time period as an opportunity to develop their online delivery and programs and be able to have a stronger/more robust online university when all is done. Not a bad strategy. Never let a crisis go to waste.
Here’s an article that provides more information on the rationale-- testing in California is one of the problems.
MIT’s approach might be a model for other schools.
I’ve been a little pessimistic about the residential experience on this thread, but I could actually see things going the other way: schools could become more residential.
If a school was able to test sufficiently to get students on campus without Covid-19 and then, essentially, form an on-campus bubble, things could work. So, students would be limited to campus, and vice versa. On campus, with little or no virus, students could have a lot more of the normal (social) experience. Staff, of course, may live off campus, but they are fewer in number and could be tested regularly, and be required to maintain social distance from the students.
This seems to be, in effect, what some small schools are doing. But if it can scale to MIT, there is reason for optimism.
It’s my sense based on the combination of what many in the administration said over time about the special role of the freshman first semester.
Of course, they won’t officially commit to anything until they announce the decision, but if they are only able to invite one class, it’s hard to see it being sophomores.
@curiousme2, I don’t believe this fall’s situation is anyone’s first choice (even if they are on campus), or that everyone’s happy about it - just that overwhelming majority decided that it’s the best option for them out of those available (just as you said).
I also don’t believe MIT’s efforts would be best spent on rushing students back to campus in October.
Here’s hoping for a brighter 2021!
Our students began last Friday Sept 4. (Pre-K-grade 5). They go half day and are virtual the other half. All classes have no more than 10 and we have some grades with A and B groups to keep classes small.
Every student wears a mask and to my surprise, not one child complains or whines about it. We have 100% compliance, even for 3 year olds. The kids sit behind their plexiglass at their individual desk and are not permitted to leave other than for class-wide mask breaks, bathroom visits, or socially distanced gym (masks stay on if inside).
I do morning arrivals along with several other staff members, and it’s a long process (45 min) between setting up, cleaning up, looking at entrance tickets, temp checks etc.
Knock on wood…so far it’s working. We take it day by day.
My older D works for the NYC DOE. One teacher at her middle school just tested positive.
3sonsmom or another BC parent, could you comment on the testing by BC? They are a Broad Institute participating college. But I am reading that the testing may not initially have been robust enough, although I am not certain on those reports. What was the protocol and did it change in response to the spike>? Has residential life changed at BC to allow distancing?
I am a prof at a LAC. I spoke out at my college on the dangers of COVID-19 … and was punished for it. Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, about an hour south of Penn State. The story hit the national Chronicle of Higher Ed yesterday evening. https://www.chronicle.com/article/this-tenured-professor-said-his-colleges-reopening-plans-risked-deaths-thats-now-in-his-personnel-file?fbclid=IwAR3kWpuaK9U_2k4xX8mkQYpSIDvp-JTiC0ZoJxoqZiRHiy0kFE6eV7ZYIHo
Could you summarize for us @stiffler117 ? I cannot get to the article.
The Chronicle article can be accessed by signing up – name and e-mail address, and you can read two free articles.
My MIT freshman misses the student life experience, but is having a ball with the very well done online classes (including discussion sessions and even PE) as well as the myriad online social events. And he’s an extremely social kid. The whole family is very grateful for such a sensible and robust plan.