Fierce competition for Fall 2021 admissions, if lots of current seniors defer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's why student who want to defer should not be allowed to do so. They should have to reapply next year.

Yes because they haven't been screwed over enough this year.

This is a great response!

So your answer is to screw over next year's kids because you don't want your kid doing online learning for their first year? So kids next year should just go to CC because next year's class at Universities will be full of deferred students? OK

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think it's pretty selfish to think that seniors are the only students suffering in this. My junior is at a private school where they are not doing pass/fail, she missed her SAT that she had been training for and then the next two got cancelled as well, her spring varsity season was cancelled and this is one that colleges look at for recruiting, her prospect days were cancelled and she needs to start the pre read process soon with no scores and limited information about the schools. She will likely be fine because she's a recruited athlete and far ahead of her peers in terms of narrowing her college choices but I do feel for other juniors who have been dealing with cancelations as well (junior prom, junior ring ceremony, junior summer abroad trips all cancelled).

Class of 2021 is not in a good position so please don't say they're not "carrying their share of the burden".

Do you realize how tone deaf and privileged this sounds?

DP. How is pointing out that current seniors who are athletes already have been recruited while many junior weren't able to finish their seasons and prove themselves. They also won't be able to prove themselves in the fall before they have to apply. That's a bigger hit for kids who have worked hard for years than doing online classes for a semester or a year--current seniors still have three years in college to play. I don't have an athlete, but I know kids who invested a lot and worked hard. You sound tone deaf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's why student who want to defer should not be allowed to do so. They should have to reapply next year.

Yes because they haven't been screwed over enough this year.

So because one kid doesn’t want to start school online in the fall they get to screw another kid out of a spot in a college altogether? How is that fair? Play the hand your dealt.

They are playing the hand they are dealt. Their play is to defer. You act like that is what the seniors want. They want to go to school in Fall 2020. Deferring is a sacrifice.

Why can't your junior take a bit of the hit? They will get to be a second semester senior, prom, etc. Come on, teach your kid to be a good team member - they need to carry their share of the burden. They are basically getting to skate by on half of what is supposed to be the hardest academic year (open book APs, pass/fail classes).

Juniors are taking a lot of hits right now. Seniors got to have a fairly normal college application process - regularly interacting with their junior year teachers they were going to ask to write recommendation letters, taking the SAT/ACTs, college visits ... Juniors are not getting that, and are currently dealing with having no idea how the college application process is even going to go for them. You think these changed AP tests are beneficial for them? Show some compassion.

Seniors have it hard. Juniors have it hard. They have it hard in different ways. And if Seniors are planning on deferring, what makes you so sure Juniors are going to get the normal Senior experience (which they can't anyway, since all the college app prep stuff they should have been in the middle of has gotten cancelled) when you're arguing that Seniors shouldn't have to start college in a weird way? Which, I agree with, by the way. But don't pretend that if colleges start the year online, that high schools aren't also going to be affected. Get your head out of the hole its in and look at how other people are being affected.

[Anonymous]

The parents of juniors on this board are insane.

Why should your kid have to take the SAT/ACT multiple times? That is privilege right there.

You are upset that your kids "super special" athletic ability isn't going to get them into a school that they aren't qualified to get into on academics alone?

Ring ceremonies?

Junior trips abroad?

Schools have plenty of time to plan for things like Prom and graduation, 2021 - please.

Did you even think that maybe students are deferring because of financial reasons/concerns? Not being able to visit a school?


Remember, this whole conversation started because a junior parent whined about seniors being "unfair."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think it's pretty selfish to think that seniors are the only students suffering in this. My junior is at a private school where they are not doing pass/fail, she missed her SAT that she had been training for and then the next two got cancelled as well, her spring varsity season was cancelled and this is one that colleges look at for recruiting, her prospect days were cancelled and she needs to start the pre read process soon with no scores and limited information about the schools. She will likely be fine because she's a recruited athlete and far ahead of her peers in terms of narrowing her college choices but I do feel for other juniors who have been dealing with cancelations as well (junior prom, junior ring ceremony, junior summer abroad trips all cancelled).

Class of 2021 is not in a good position so please don't say they're not "carrying their share of the burden".

Do you realize how tone deaf and privileged this sounds?

People please!! I have a senior who is missing out on the most fun months of school life: senior prank day, final theater production, senior ditch day, prom, graduation. Also at a small private. You know what? She is taking it like a champ, with maturity and grace. More mature than this poster who is obviously a parent!!

Nobody is WINNING on the "who has it worse" in this crisis. Juniors and seniors are both facing big challenges this year and next - it's not a competition. I am so, so proud of my senior who has risen to the occasion and has not complained much at all about losing out. Our school is hoping for a weekend of celebrations in August if it's safe, and DC is holding out hope that we can do that. Otherwise, she is looking forward to college in the fall - however that takes place. She is NOT deferring. DC hasn't made a final school decision yet - so this week is a bit stressful because she has three amazing choices that are all highly ranked. That's a great, privileged problem to have and we know it.

Please put things in perspective and help your junior handle this with maturity. They will all be fine - a little adversity is good for our snowflakes as they embark on adulthood.

From a college admissions perspective, juniors have it worse than current seniors. Current seniors have a choice about accepting for this year or deferring. They've already been accepted and have a spot if they want it. Some are even getting off wait lists because of the lower expected numbers for fall. Your kid is handling it like a trooper because she has three wonderful choices. Parents of juniors are concerned that if too many of this years class defers, their kid will be shut out. That's a very real concern. It's easy to tell juniors to handle this with maturity when your child has three offers in hand. Not having prospects other than cc or lower tier schools because next year's classes are full isn't a little adversity. Have three really good choices and an option to defer is a little adversity. Try to see that perspective and avoid using "snowflakes" to describe kids who have no clue what whether they'll get in anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The parents of juniors on this board are insane.

Why should your kid have to take the SAT/ACT multiple times? That is privilege right there.

You are upset that your kids "super special" athletic ability isn't going to get them into a school that they aren't qualified to get into on academics alone?

Ring ceremonies?

Junior trips abroad?

Schools have plenty of time to plan for things like Prom and graduation, 2021 - please.

Did you even think that maybe students are deferring because of financial reasons/concerns? Not being able to visit a school?


Remember, this whole conversation started because a junior parent whined about seniors being "unfair."

Just because your schools doesn't have the same rites of passage as others doesn't mean that the frustration and loss are any less. A ring ceremony is about bonding with seniors who are graduating before you and it's a nice experience that students look forward to at our school. We don't do senior skip day or senior spirit day but I get that your kid might have been looking forward to that so let's not decide what is worth being upset about, ok? I'm not sure what you mean by "plenty of time to plan for Prom in 2021" because if schools close again it won't happen. The students in class of 2021 just get to wonder whether it will happen for most of the year leading up to it. They will do that for all of the senior year milestones most likely because there is so much uncertainty right now. And this will be on top of the financial challenges many of them will see their families face.

Many people are talking about deferring because they don't want to do online classes, that has been the discussion on this chain and not financial reasons. Financial issues will plague all families and will change where juniors apply next fall too.

I'm not sure a parent pointing out some of these things as concerns qualifies as "insane". You may need to look up the definition of that word.

[Anonymous]

Back to the original question-- yes, I think that lots of seniors deferring will make it tougher for juniors to enter college immediately after graduation in 2021. But is that really so bad? I have a junior and I was actually hoping that he would take a gap year after graduation in 2021. MAybe I'm crazy to look for a silver lining in this mess, but maybe society will pull together and focus on helping current seniors do interesting and productive things so that they can delay admission for a semester or so and such programs will roll to the benefit of not only current seniors but also to current juniors. Perhaps there will be apprenticeship programs. Perhaps volunteer opportunities.

In sum, I get it that juniors could be at a disadvantage because of seniors deferring (as a parent of a junior I really do get it-- and he was sort of hoping to get recruited in a sport, but that is a whole other thing) but the pain is clearly falling much harder upon the current seniors. They are at the vanguard of this. If your child is a senior, please don't feel obligated to send your child to college in the fall just because it will make it difficult for current juniors to enter college immediately after their graduation. Maybe todays juniors could actually benefit by having a delayed entrance, even without a virus on campus. Time to hone their sport, time to learn a trade, who knows?? We juniors parents will be sending best wishes and watching those seniors as they make their way as best they can-- as we all are doing in this difficult time.

[Anonymous]

As someone without a junior or a senior I'd say the junior have it FAR worse.

Seniors are missing out on graduation and prom. Big deals in the present by forgotten about in 6 months.
However, they went through the college admissions process unscathed. They are set for next year.
They're having unprecedented opportunities to move off waitlists as international students and others drop out.

Juniors have no idea what college admissions will hold. They may get shut out from college when 50% of the spots are gone to deferrals.
Applications may end up being based on Freshman and Sophomore year grades and a lotto machine. How will kids even know what is their safety, match, etc anymore?
No one wants to think this but it's realistically quite likely that they'll be home for a good portion of their senior year as well.
They are the ones getting screwed in a "big picture" way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone without a junior or a senior I'd say the junior have it FAR worse.

Seniors are missing out on graduation and prom. Big deals in the present by forgotten about in 6 months.
However, they went through the college admissions process unscathed. They are set for next year.
They're having unprecedented opportunities to move off waitlists as international students and others drop out.

Juniors have no idea what college admissions will hold. They may get shut out from college when 50% of the spots are gone to deferrals.
Applications may end up being based on Freshman and Sophomore year grades and a lotto machine. How will kids even know what is their safety, match, etc anymore?
No one wants to think this but it's realistically quite likely that they'll be home for a good portion of their senior year as well.
They are the ones getting screwed in a "big picture" way.

Read what I said above (and what others say)...deferrals will not be allowed en masse...colleges will be financially hit too hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original question-- yes, I think that lots of seniors deferring will make it tougher for juniors to enter college immediately after graduation in 2021. But is that really so bad? I have a junior and I was actually hoping that he would take a gap year after graduation in 2021. MAybe I'm crazy to look for a silver lining in this mess, but maybe society will pull together and focus on helping current seniors do interesting and productive things so that they can delay admission for a semester or so and such programs will roll to the benefit of not only current seniors but also to current juniors. Perhaps there will be apprenticeship programs. Perhaps volunteer opportunities.

In sum, I get it that juniors could be at a disadvantage because of seniors deferring (as a parent of a junior I really do get it-- and he was sort of hoping to get recruited in a sport, but that is a whole other thing) but the pain is clearly falling much harder upon the current seniors. They are at the vanguard of this. If your child is a senior, please don't feel obligated to send your child to college in the fall just because it will make it difficult for current juniors to enter college immediately after their graduation. Maybe todays juniors could actually benefit by having a delayed entrance, even without a virus on campus. Time to hone their sport, time to learn a trade, who knows?? We juniors parents will be sending best wishes and watching those seniors as they make their way as best they can-- as we all are doing in this difficult time.

So, basically, you want to screw the class of 2022?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone without a junior or a senior I'd say the junior have it FAR worse.

Seniors are missing out on graduation and prom. Big deals in the present by forgotten about in 6 months.
However, they went through the college admissions process unscathed. They are set for next year.
They're having unprecedented opportunities to move off waitlists as international students and others drop out.

Juniors have no idea what college admissions will hold. They may get shut out from college when 50% of the spots are gone to deferrals.
Applications may end up being based on Freshman and Sophomore year grades and a lotto machine. How will kids even know what is their safety, match, etc anymore?
No one wants to think this but it's realistically quite likely that they'll be home for a good portion of their senior year as well.
They are the ones getting screwed in a "big picture" way.

What about what seniors will miss with an atypical freshman year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The parents of juniors on this board are insane.

Why should your kid have to take the SAT/ACT multiple times? That is privilege right there.

You are upset that your kids "super special" athletic ability isn't going to get them into a school that they aren't qualified to get into on academics alone?
,
Ring ceremonies?

Junior trips abroad?

Schools have plenty of time to plan for things like Prom and graduation, 2021 - please.

Did you even think that maybe students are deferring because of financial reasons/concerns? Not being able to visit a school?


Remember, this whole conversation started because a junior parent whined about seniors being "unfair."

I don't have an athlete, but understand that not all kids are academically gifted and those kids deserve opportunities too. Some athletes are academically gifted but need scholarship money. If seniors need to defer for finances, they should be allowed to. For those who can't visit or just don't want to do online classes, I'm not as sympathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to the original question-- yes, I think that lots of seniors deferring will make it tougher for juniors to enter college immediately after graduation in 2021. But is that really so bad? I have a junior and I was actually hoping that he would take a gap year after graduation in 2021. MAybe I'm crazy to look for a silver lining in this mess, but maybe society will pull together and focus on helping current seniors do interesting and productive things so that they can delay admission for a semester or so and such programs will roll to the benefit of not only current seniors but also to current juniors. Perhaps there will be apprenticeship programs. Perhaps volunteer opportunities.

In sum, I get it that juniors could be at a disadvantage because of seniors deferring (as a parent of a junior I really do get it-- and he was sort of hoping to get recruited in a sport, but that is a whole other thing) but the pain is clearly falling much harder upon the current seniors. They are at the vanguard of this. If your child is a senior, please don't feel obligated to send your child to college in the fall just because it will make it difficult for current juniors to enter college immediately after their graduation. Maybe todays juniors could actually benefit by having a delayed entrance, even without a virus on campus. Time to hone their sport, time to learn a trade, who knows?? We juniors parents will be sending best wishes and watching those seniors as they make their way as best they can-- as we all are doing in this difficult time.

So are you saying that most students will apply for next fall and the colleges will say "why don't you come in the fall of 2022 instead?" How would a delayed entrance for class of 2021 work? If half the spots are already gone because 2020 defers, are you saying that colleges would accept half as many 2021 grads for fall and the other half they would accept for fall of 2022? I get that in your mind this seems like a nice idea but it likely won't work like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone without a junior or a senior I'd say the junior have it FAR worse.

Seniors are missing out on graduation and prom. Big deals in the present by forgotten about in 6 months.
However, they went through the college admissions process unscathed. They are set for next year.
They're having unprecedented opportunities to move off waitlists as international students and others drop out.

Juniors have no idea what college admissions will hold. They may get shut out from college when 50% of the spots are gone to deferrals.
Applications may end up being based on Freshman and Sophomore year grades and a lotto machine. How will kids even know what is their safety, match, etc anymore?
No one wants to think this but it's realistically quite likely that they'll be home for a good portion of their senior year as well.
They are the ones getting screwed in a "big picture" way.

What about what seniors will miss with an atypical freshman year?

As opposed to juniors who might not get into college at all because there's no space. Seniors can still rush a sorority or frat in their sophomore year. They can still have all those experiences of moving into a dorm, wondering who their roommate will be, etc. Maybe rushing as a sophomore will be good because it's one more year of maturity to not binge drink or whatever. I don't have a junior, but they have more uncertainty ahead of them depending on whether colleges allow mass deferrals.

[Anonymous]

It's going to be brutal.