Your college freshmen plan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD will be staying home from college to take online classes and commuting 1 or 2 days a week up to campus to go to in-person classes. We live about an hour away from campus.

Why did you make that decision? Or why did she?

That sounds like a great way to save money. DD said she’d totally stay home and do virtual if her college allowed it. We are super tight on funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two college students in our house. Both will be going on campus in the fall. And I have no concerns about that at all.

We live in Virginia, and both will be attending state schools.

In a state of 8.5 million, how many people under 20 have died of COVID? ZERO. How many under 30? Four. COVID is very low risk for a healthy 18-22 year old.

While what you say is true we still don’t know about the long term impact of Covid19. A recent study of lung images of young, asymptomatic Covid cases showed damage to lung tissue
I am also planning to send my child to school in the Fall but I am very nervous. I feel like it is hard to make a well informed decision right now as we don’t fully understand the potential costs of getting Covid19.

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to wrap my mind around what the "campus experience" is really going to be like end of August.

Students will be moving their stuff into dorms (while masked); we parents won't be moving them in (stay out of the dorms).

Students might not have a roommate as part or de densifying. So they are alone in their rooms (could be good or bad)

Freshman meetings -- Hey how are you? Nice to meet you -- not really happening right? If happening, they happen outdoors in good weather -- masked -- 3-6 feet apart. Wave to each other.

Dorm Pizza night -- not happening. No lounges (converted to rooms) Maybe set up tables outside and everyone eat pizza, have some ice cream? (Standing far apart from each other because of no masks).

Go back to your dorm room; fire up the computer and start logging in to Zoom meetings; attend classes almost all online, maybe one class in person.

Time for lunch -- head to the meal hall and pick up a grab and go sandwich. Time for dinner -- head to the meal hall and pick up a grab and go dinner. Or sit at a table all by yourself far away from everyone else, with plexiglass between you and the others?

And then... probably in early October maybe earlier ... the state county or town is shut down again because out of control COVID. Students have to SIP in their dorm rooms basically. No contact with outside world? Or go back home if they can?

It just doesn't sound like a good experience.

[Anonymous]

There's not going to be a lot of sports right? No plays or concerts to go to. Clubs might meet -- online? Outdoors?

I'm trying to remember what I did freshman year. All of it involved being with other students, though. Hanging out and chatting even all in someone's bedroom. Parties, mixers, dances, spending hours in the dining hall at big tables, eating and talking.

[Anonymous]

My dd wants to go. Her school has 2,000 kids. They are testing on arrival and other times. I believe most of the kids will comply with the rules but I wonder who will be quarantined when someone is exposed or tests positive. I do wish they were de-densifying more as the dorm rooms are tiny. I do wonder if they will change the plans.

[Anonymous]

Some college official said he thinks campus life will be somewhat like a combination of a monastery and a minimum security prison!

[Anonymous]

College professor here. Just know, at many schools, despite the "we're face to face!" emails and announcements, 95% of orientation, classes, and everything else will be online. "Hybrid" or "Hy-flex" can mean online with maybe just 1 optional meeting in person. It's a re-enrollment ploy at worst and good intentions game at best. Obviously there are some schools where people agree more re: in person stuff, but overall the disjoint between messaging and faculty willingness and logistics to handle smaller classes do not align with reality.

I have no idea what it will look like in the fall except that I expect to be on campus minimally (not even weekly). Across the country there are major discrepancies between what students think and what faculty and administrators know. If I had a freshman I would encourage a gap year. 100%.

[Anonymous]

But what can they do during a gap year?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the gap year idea sucks too. Someone give me an idea that doesn't totally suck.

[Anonymous]

Will there be college sports? Will kids be able to tailgate or go see a basketball game?

[Anonymous]

He can’t wait to go, I can’t wait for him to go.

Please let him go, in person and on time. We need it to happen.

- 5 more weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD will be staying home from college to take online classes and commuting 1 or 2 days a week up to campus to go to in-person classes. We live about an hour away from campus.

Why did you make that decision? Or why did she?

PP here. Her university is doing single rooms and mostly online classes. She only has one class in-person. It's a bummer to spend so much on room/board and have your kid sit at a computer in a tiny dorm room for hours with their little boxed lunch from the cafeteria. The cost differential b/t commuting and being on campus is in the thousands. It's a good compromise. She'll be able to be on campus for 1 or 2 days, but can return home easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up to the freshmen, but they seem inclined to start regardless of the circumstances.

Yep, same here.

[Anonymous]

Mine doesn’t have a choice, the school requires the freshmen to show up on campus. As someone said, it will be a mix of a monastery with high security prison.

OTOH, my Junior is home until 2021.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD will be staying home from college to take online classes and commuting 1 or 2 days a week up to campus to go to in-person classes. We live about an hour away from campus.

Why did you make that decision? Or why did she?

PP here. Her university is doing single rooms and mostly online classes. She only has one class in-person. It's a bummer to spend so much on room/board and have your kid sit at a computer in a tiny dorm room for hours with their little boxed lunch from the cafeteria. The cost differential b/t commuting and being on campus is in the thousands. It's a good compromise. She'll be able to be on campus for 1 or 2 days, but can return home easily.

Mine thinks he wants to go, but the difference is about $10,000 for us and we live commuting distance to the school.