College is already an unforgiving pace for four courses, and the work you have to put in everyday is roughly the same. This schedule doesn’t really change that. Everything you mention here is true of every college schedule.
We’re assuming Northeastern can over come them. They haven’t yet. Call me cynical but I think part of the strategy here is to ensure student commitments. If they have to go online, or to hybrid system, or even shut down the campus in case of a second wave, they can honestly say, “we tried, we intended to… etc…”
But for one, MIT has many more science and tech labs where students and researchers work closely. And that’s hard to manage considering scientists don’t work 9-5. Working in “shifts” is difficult… as my daughter’s science campus is discovering, trying to reopen its facilities.
@homerdog Amherst already registered and they’re considering the Beloit model and three-semester options.
@shuttlebus How would that work? If they did three semesters and the students got to pick, with fall being online, I think almost everyone would choose spring and summer. If we got to pick and fall were in person, I think everyone would pick fall and spring. I think if they went with the three-semester option, they would have to force everyone either to come the semester that is online (if fall is online and the other two are in person) or come in the summer (if all are in person but they want to reduce density).
Some labs in Boston are open and working in shifts and social distancing right now, and presumably those at MIT will be open as well for its graduate students, so that really can’t account for the difference.
My guess is the MIT faculty is more powerful and just doesn’t want to deal with it. Actually, they might prefer never to deal with undergrads.
Re value of elite schools and their value added for our kids, I’ve recently received emails from Duke as an alum and from Brown as a parent asking if I had any ability to help out a student this summer to provide them with some sort of experience, whether by offering a paid internship, providing a summer project, short term experience or job shadowing, becoming a mentor, or just giving advice. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate the schools’ trying to provide experiences for our kids.
@melvin123 In my experience that is a common request from colleges to alumni, even in normal times.
Well, it’s interesting that I’ve never been contacted so much before. Shrug.
I’m curious as to what courses you have taken on a compressed 6 or 8 week schedule?
@shuttlebus But the thing about Williams saying that due to concern of the state not allowing them to reopen doesn’t make much sense, because many other Massachusetts colleges are planning on reopening. Hampshire has stated they are “extremely confident” the governor will allow them to reopen in fall. Northeastern in particular is 100% committed to getting all their kids back on campus in the fall. So why would it be different for Williams in that regard?
Compressed schedule is intense but not impossible. Our S took multivariable calculus at Cal on a compresses summer schedule. Worked hard, made an A-. He took it the summer before his senior year in HS.
The difference is that if you miss a step there’s no time to catch up. A 15-week MWF class gives you days between for catch-up, and you’re not doing as much each day; there isn’t as much to catch up on if you fall behind. That’s what leads to the the Fs, Ws, and incompletes in the compressed courses when the timing of the stumble is bad.
They’re unusually sensible?
Research is central to schools like MIT. Not only research brings funding to these schools but it’s also the reason why many students choose them. Protecting the health of their faculty who are leading the researches is necessary for maintaining the quality of these institutions for the benefit of everyone, including the students.
@sylvan8798 I took a World History class on an eight-week schedule. Not at Amherst though.
If students don’t think they can handle a compressed schedule, they can opt to take a gap year. I’m sure schools would much rather opt for a compressed schedule than a semester online.
@tuckethannock I was referring to state regulations as a reason for keeping Williams closed; if state regulations allow Northeastern and Hampshire to reopen, they would allow Williams to reopen as well.
Dude. Consider that there are things you don’t know about how universities and faculty operate, and that their view is considerably longer than yours.
It doesn’t matter. What you’re hearing is a pile of words for the outside, so playing debate with them is beside the point. Their own needs/desires will drive what happens on the inside.
@tuckethannock Of course there are things I don’t know; but the economic hit from staying fully online in fall in the long-term would be so great that it doesn’t take 10 years of experience managing a university to have to know that they would rather do a compressed schedule for just one year than that.
We’re all just making informed guesses here, just because I am making an informed guess like you doesn’t mean I am assuming I know everything.
@tuckethannock Obviously, but earlier someone theorized Williams was leaning towards online BECAUSE they thought the state wouldn’t let them reopen, which isn’t true if other colleges in the state are truly “extremely confident” that the governor will let them reopen. What I am saying is it would be because of the school’s individual problems, not because of state laws.