The high school class of 2020 has a winding road ahead. For those heading to college, it’s unclear how safety measures will be implemented. Those entering the workforce will confront an economy that has shed about 41 million jobs nationwide since the pandemic began forcing shutdowns in mid-March.
There are plenty of questions and few answers. No one really knows what’s next. But concerns among young people, and their parents, are palpable.
In April, 57% of high school students said they were concerned about how COVID-19 would affect their future, according to a survey conducted by the nonprofit organization Junior Achievement USA and Citizens Financial Group. Nearly one in five in the same study said the pandemic has impacted their career choice.
For incoming college freshmen, higher education will look different than it did just three short months ago. At Montana’s flagship universities, summer will be cut short with classes beginning in mid-August and the semester ending the day before Thanksgiving. Students then won’t return until January.
“We believe this will reduce the potential for travel-related COVID exposure,” University of Montana President Seth Bodnar said after announcing the schedule change.
Enrollment numbers may be influenced by whether parents think campuses are safe. A separate poll commissioned in April by Brian Communications found 40% of parents of high school seniors are considering delaying college for their kids. That’s the same percentage of moms and dads who now prefer that their child attend a college closer to home.
Will more of the state’s high schoolers choose in-state institutions this year? Or will more of them opt to take a gap year? How will the economic impact of the pandemic influence those decisions?
It’s a lot of pressure to put on any prospective student, much less their families. But what the class of 2020 is learning before many of the rest us is that our best-laid plans are often upended. And they will be stronger for it.
Not since the Great Recession have young people faced such headwinds. And now, like then, they will persevere. In fact, they’re already showing their resiliency.
As April turned to May, pollsters kept taking the temperature of America’s college students. And while concerns remain, more students are ready to return to school.
“The bottom line: Most college students are ready to take their chances and return to campus — another sign that Americans’ tolerance of social distancing is not going to last forever.”
That’s according to an Axios/College Reaction Poll released last month that found 65% of students will attend in-person classes even if there is no coronavirus vaccine or cure. And among those respondents, distance learning has had a number of negative effects, with 45% saying they attend class less often and another 71% saying they are distracted at home.
Students want a college experience instead of an online curriculum. Even if it looks a little different. Even if there are restrictions. Even if their best-laid plans were capsized by a pandemic.
And we should do everything we can to provide them that in a safe manner.