@Chekov Could you please stop with the condescending generalizations? Basically saying “well, I feel sorry for your kids, but it’s your fault for not emotionally preparing them”? Really???
My kid has taken many online classes during k12. They do not wish to do so again, and when deciding on colleges chose a residential university on May 1st. It is quite possible that the university will not be in person during the first 1 or 2 or 3 years of enrollment, or perhaps never for them, and the decision made 6 weeks ago may turn out to be unfortunate. They have plenty of good reasons to be disappointed, @TheVulcan.
I do think as a parent I do have the responsibility to level set expectation for my kid. I don’t know about others, but if I didn’t set the right expectation, I would blame myself too. You do you.
I believe that colleges who are saying classes are resuming on campus in the fall for most students will be changing plans over the next few weeks. As details are fleshed out, the return to campus will become less appealing IMO.
I can see most if not all classes on campus going online before the semester is over.
What I really want from colleges is honesty and I think some schools are being honest, even if the plans they are delivering aren’t popular.
Don’t paint a rosy, overly optimistic picture of a return to campus because you want to pocket room and board.
I think it’s safe to say that ALL kids are disappointed at some level, regardless of what school you are from. How we react to it makes a difference
not everyone is suited for online classes . Yes there are many good online classes, but there are aspects of being in person that can not be replicated online for those with learning disabilities and other issues. I have one child that does very well with online classes, but has social skills issues. Going fully online for an extended time , will he get a quality education, sure. Will he be getting skills needed for his future, not as much. We sent him far from home to help him with this. With the situation we get that most of his classes will be online, but given the chance the kid needs what Covid denies people, human interaction. My other child does very poorly with online classes with her LD’s. Luckily she has one more semester to go, but otherwise we might be looking to GAP her. She tends to participate more in person then in a zoom class. (and her classes are very much discussion based). I know good professors work hard to get to know their students, but in many online classes this does not happen as it should.
@roycroftmom I think the longest online classes could last for residential colleges is a year; I don’t think they can afford longer than that.
I was not so prescient as those who prepared for schools not opening residential life. Thankfully, I have no children that I advised. It’s a big shock to me that schools are closing down as they are.
My kids chose schools largely based on their residential life opportunities. All of the schools on their lists had the academics to give them great education. It was the on campus vibe that drive the final decisions. They would have been really upset had they picked Bowdoin over Hamilton or other school that is opening up more fully.
I think it came down to a judgement call of the decision makers and how they looked at the various factors. Those who called the shots at Middlebury, IMO, would likely have come to the same decision they did for Middlebury , had they been involved in how Bowdoin would proceed. And right now, no telling what will be end up being the best decision.
@homerdog - The key word in the official Wesleyan update a week ago was “most” (i.e., students.) Just enough wiggle room to include anywhere from two to all four classes.
Is this the feeling at Lacs or just a Bowdoin thing? I don’t know anyone at Publics that have this debate. Many families I know at both Lacs and Publics already decided their kids are moving forward with fall no matter what. If there is a huge issue then maybe they will take off spring and work on an internship or the like since hopefully travel would open up. With the time to prepare I am sure the instruction would be better. Even with my son there was never a debate about going back. Sure we talked about options but they are actually slim also.
I specifically asked this question (typed in the Q&A) on Bowdoin’s town hall last night, and it was not answered. I can’t be the only one who has asked that.
IMO each college needs to put in place some type of plan for what it will take to get students on campus, return to normalcy, etc.
I’m thinking something like the various phased plans that state governors have created, some better than others, but at least a roadmap. Of course, everyone knows the roadmap can change, but having nothing is unacceptable.
@roycroftmom right. Bowdoin president only referenced Harvard and MIT as other schools doing something similar to their plan. He refused to get into the mud about why other NESCACs seem to be going back. I know the NESCAC presidents have been meeting.but apparently Bowdoin’s president was more swayed by his local situation in Brunwick and could refer to Harvard/MIT decision as plans similar to his.
Love the idea of a group of friends sharing housing off-campus, in any city, not just where the college is located and continuing with online courses.
If it’s affordable, etc.
If the COVID situation is not substantially different in June 2021, how could colleges justify changing their approach at that time?
I saw your response late on another post. Not trying to add to your issues here. I feel for you. I did see lots of unavailable properties. But I will say there is a unique bond when getting a house and yes they will have to cook /clean etc for themselves. At both my daughters small Lac and my sons Big Ten this is where they matured. Not paying for the meal plan is nice also. They both have become pretty good cooks also. Lol. There does seem to be year long rental right on the Bowdoin school site. Maybe you can negotiate with the person taking a year leave?
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@AlwaysMoving I think there is zero chance that schools will prioritize full pay students as those who would return first. Sure, financially it may make sense, but schools would get way too much backlash. I actually think if the prioritize by student type and not class year, that they would prioritize first gen and kids with extreme household limitations.
Bingo, we have a winner ?. I do appreciate the honesty of this thread though. It’s enlightening. Definitely different parenting styles. My son’s decision was made way before they announced. But we did talk about options. Everyone else I know with kids in college whether Lacs or Publics did the same.
Like most things in life, your happiness is relative to your expectation. Colleges that set unrealistic expectations are more likely to regret and disappoint their students. The expectation that warmer weather would stop the spread of the virus now looks unrealistic and certainly premature. Colleges that moved up their fall calendars may be second-guessing their decisions. No one knows what’s going to happen in the next three months, let alone the next six or twelve months. No college can guarantee anything. It’d be wise for colleges not to overpromise, to be flexible, and to anticipate all possible scenarios (not just the rosy or bleak ones). We should do the same.
@knowstuff great location. Too small. And wants a year lease. I just got word that kids living off campus in the spring will not be able to use campus at all if it opens “as planned”. They would be considered remote. Can’t use library, go to classes if they have them, etc. The college won’t be able to get them into the testing and social distancing program since they are not on campus so they are out of luck. Should have mentioned to her that there will be thousands of kids living “off campus” at U of M and going to campus!
@Knowsstuff @TheVulcan I do think parents are having lots of what if discussions with kids before the plans come out. But I think the difference with Bowdoin is the plan really came out of left field so those families couldn’t even imagine that plan. There are 2 nearby lacs going back, a state with extremely minimal levels of Covid and previous Bowdoin communication that never hinted of the new scenario and then bam comes the announcement. No wonder Bowdoin families were shocked.
So you can pat yourself on the back for your parenting style, but perhaps modeling some empathy could be a good lesson to pass on to your kids as well.