Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[yeahdisney]

Today DD’s dorm sent back the amount of the fourth and last installment for room and dorm. In that dorm you must pick a meal plan.
She received an email this week from that her summer internship is still on. I feel that could still be pulled - it is in Chicago.
Last night I told her to go spend a virtual credit i had, and she replied she was studying for a midterm and in a good groove so she would do it later. So she seems OK with online classes.
But where she is there is no toilet paper to buy. Someone got a square to spare in SC?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My DD is home. We moved her stuff out of her sorority house dorm last weekend, and the $1000 credit has already posted to her school account. Her required meal plan balance will roll over to Fall 2020. She’s also requested a partial refund for her parking pass. All this will help pay for next year. We’re a little worried about DH’s future income as a 100% commission sales rep.

She has an on campus internship as a recruiter/PR person for a software company. She just had a video call with them this week. They want her to continue but shift her focus to social media and try to set up presentations via Zoom. So far she has generated some leads, and they are happy. She was in the middle of applying for summer internships, but we all know how that’s going right now. There will be a virtual job fair soon, so she’ll still try to connect with companies that way. Chances are she may have to do an internship concurrent with next school year vs this summer.

Online classes went well this week. She is really trying to keep her grades up for the rest of the semester. She was getting 3 A’s and 2 Bs before Spring Break. This is her best semester since 1st semester freshman year. She was really hoping this semester would bring her GPA back up after she tanked it 1st semester sophomore year. Her school just gave kids the option to take either the letter grade or pass/fail on a class by class basis. She’s hoping to keep her A’s and Bs and take the letter grades.

She’s super bummed about 3 other things. Her boyfriend is a senior, and his graduation just got cancelled. It’s so tough to be a senior right now. She was nominated for Sweetheart of his fraternity, but now that school is closed that’s off the table. And last but not least, her 21st birthday is on Cinco de Mayo, which was also the 2nd to last day of classes. She’s been planning her blowout birthday party for an entire year. Not going to happen now. Sigh.

 

[Southernmiss]

This is our son's last day of his 14 day quarantine in his apartment after a spring break trip to France. Had a great time. But it was like Indiana Jones just one step ahead of the virus his whole trip. His part-time time job is still doing curbside pickup orders in his college town. So he will likely stay there for some time. He is continuing his studies online for the remainder of the semester. Taking it day-by-day don't know what's next.

His brother is also in town. So they have each other if needed.

 

[yeahdisney]

So exciting DD made deans list 2 years in s row. Last year she received no scholarships.
She applied for 2 late scholarships and she got 2 for this coming year.

 

[cats mom]

My son has been bedridden since December 24th and had to withdraw from school. He started physical therapy last week to learn to move his body again. We hope he will be able to return to school in the fall. Never take a moment of your child's life for granted. It can all change in the blink of an eye.

Just seeing this and I wanted to say how very sorry I am.
I can't even imagine how difficult these past few months have been for your family.

Oh!!!! Updates!

My DD is taking an internship course this semester. She's working for a place that does Hippotherapy for people with disabilities. She has a car so she can drive out to the stable. She's finding it very rewarding and it will look great on her Occupational Therapy resume. The topic of her paper is the use of horses in therapy for people with autism. She's taking the other half of the course this summer and she wants to choose something different so she can get a different experience. I might suggest that she works directly with an OT as that's a requirement for most programs. She's going to be taking *something* this summer ... probably Anatomy and Physiology at the local community college to side-step all the super-focused pre-med majors.

She has reached the point where she no longer shares her grades with me. I'm a bit miffed, but she made Dean's List for the 4h semester in a row (after a rocky start) so I guess I can't complain.

For those with kids going on to grad school, when are they planning to take the GRE? My DD needs to take it and we need to find a test prep for her. She *sucks* at standardized tests.

I have an older DD who is an OT.
She works in an elementary school setting and she's finding providing therapy quite the challenge now that the rest of the school year will be remote learning. Her district gave parents the option of choosing zoom sessions or a printed packet of activities. Neither is ideal for kids who need OT services.

My college age DD was also planning to apply to an OT program.
Then she met a boy.
Now she's looking at a shorter OTA program for now so she can work while her fiancé attends medical school.
If she loves the work she will bridge to an OT later (not sure she'll be able to make it before the 2027 requirement changes though).
Older DD who already works in the field doesn't think it's a bad plan.
I'm a little disappointed, but am trying to be supportive.


I assume everyone is on a remote learning program of some sort now?
This will certainly be a memorable year for our kids.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Do you all think universities will be back to normal in August for the start of our kids’ senior year? My DD has heard rumors about football season getting cancelled.

I ask because we need to sign DD’s lease for the room she’s renting next school year in a house with 4 other girls. Two of the girls are sisters. Their parents bought the house, and they rent out the other 3 rooms to their daughters’ friends. I know they probably have a mortgage on the house they need to cover. DH and I are just really worried about having to make payments if school stays online, and DD stays home. DH is a 100% commissioned sales rep, and recessions hit him hard. Last recession he lost a third of his income, and we really had to tighten our belts to survive.

 

[yeahdisney]

I do wonder if colleges will start August. If they have figured online classes out and any signs of this lingering, just my opinion classes would be online.
DD Said today that U of I sent out an email that all summer classes will be online.
DD Yesterday did get an email her internship for Chicago for the summer has been canceled. It was to start May 26.

 

[AustinTink]

Just seeing this and I wanted to say how very sorry I am.
I can't even imagine how difficult these past few months have been for your family.

Thank you for your kind words.

 

[bjscheel]

Do you all think universities will be back to normal in August for the start of our kids’ senior year? My DD has heard rumors about football season getting cancelled.

I ask because we need to sign DD’s lease for the room she’s renting next school year in a house with 4 other girls. Two of the girls are sisters. Their parents bought the house, and they rent out the other 3 rooms to their daughters’ friends. I know they probably have a mortgage on the house they need to cover. DH and I are just really worried about having to make payments if school stays online, and DD stays home. DH is a 100% commissioned sales rep, and recessions hit him hard. Last recession he lost a third of his income, and we really had to tighten our belts to survive.

That's a tough one. DD18 signed a lease for an apartment already this winter so we're stuck with an apartment and proceeding as if she'll be living in it. How long can you wait to decide? And if you don't sign it, will she be in a pickle trying to find something else last minute?

I read a lot of speculation on College Confidential and it runs the gamut from 'there's no way they can start back in the fall' to 'they're going to have to, we can't hide forever'. I'm being optimistic.

 

[robinb]

I do wonder if colleges will start August. If they have figured online classes out and any signs of this lingering, just my opinion classes would be online.
DD Said today that U of I sent out an email that all summer classes will be online.
DD Yesterday did get an email her internship for Chicago for the summer has been canceled. It was to start May 26.

The UW-Madison went online for summer too. I think that regular classes will be in session in the fall. My DD's college starts in September. I think they may reduce class sizes so students have more room around them. I think that the big 300+ mega lectures will be smaller so kids sit at least every other seat.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

That's a tough one. DD18 signed a lease for an apartment already this winter so we're stuck with an apartment and proceeding as if she'll be living in it. How long can you wait to decide? And if you don't sign it, will she be in a pickle trying to find something else last minute?

I read a lot of speculation on College Confidential and it runs the gamut from 'there's no way they can start back in the fall' to 'they're going to have to, we can't hide forever'. I'm being optimistic.

My husband is going to call the parents who own the house and talk it over with them. DD definitely doesn’t want to lose her place in the house when school opens back up. These are the times when a crystal ball would be really helpful!!!

 

[dreamin_disney]

With covid-19 going on and people losing their jobs or hours being cut how will this work with student who didn’t qualify for financial aid because of 2019 taxes but now find themselves with job and your cuts?

My dd school had raised the housing cost for fall 2020. I wonder how all this will affect middle class students. My dd school start at the end of August and already paid $50 down payment. Housing went up $30 . One of her roommates already said she can’t afford to live on campus and that was before covid-19.

I put the money I saved for April and May housing into saving account. I’ll use that for August and September housing but if they stay on distant learning then we won’t have to pay until they move in.

This is just crazy

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I don’t know what to do!!! Graduation 2020 was yesterday, so hotels, cabins, vrbos, etc opened up for booking today for Graduation 2021. I found a super cute, affordable cabin on the river in an area I wanted. It’s about 40 min from the football stadium, but anything closer is $1000 a night, which I can’t afford. This cabin will fit all the family including grandparents and is $859 total for all 3 nights! Only problem is that it is non cancellable/nonrefundable, probably because of this stupid virus. I want to book it, but what if her graduation is virtual because we are still shut down????

I guess I could book it and take a mini vacation there even if graduation is virtual. Then I’d have it in case graduation is normal. I just don’t know what to do, and I’m afraid if I don’t act fast, I’ll lose the cabin.

In better news - DD finished the semester with a 3.60 (her highest gpa yet) and made Dean’s List!!! It also looks like her 2nd semester on campus Student Ambassador position for a software company is turning into a paid virtual Summer Internship!!! This is really good news!

 

[aprilgail]

President of my daughters school was on cnn the other night and he said campus will open for fall semester. My daughter has an off campus apartment and since no summer classes on campus she lost her subletter for July and August. Unbelievably her college already gave her the entire amount to pay her rent those two months through some covid grant. She is still working from home with her coop job (she spends three weeks her then three weeks with boyfriend etc) so she lucked out on being able to have a job she could still do at home so she didn’t lose her coop/paycheck.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

President of my daughters school was on cnn the other night and he said campus will open for fall semester. My daughter has an off campus apartment and since no summer classes on campus she lost her subletter for July and August. Unbelievably her college already gave her the entire amount to pay her rent those two months through some covid grant. She is still working from home with her coop job (she spends three weeks her then three weeks with boyfriend etc) so she lucked out on being able to have a job she could still do at home so she didn’t lose her coop/paycheck.

DD’s school gave Covid Care Act money automatically to any student who’d accepted a federal student loan. Those who didn’t accept a loan but had filled out the FAFSA had to apply and then were given the grants. Unfortunately DH refused to fill out a FAFSA for this past year and this coming year even though I begged him to do it for this coming year. Oh well.

 

[J'aime Paris]

DD's university has set forth a plan...

They will begin in person classes in August, finishing classes before Thanksgiving. Take online finals the first week of December.

Have almost a 2 month break....they are anticipating the dreaded second wave.

Restart in person classes late January 2021, finishing with in person finals by mid May.

 

[dreamin_disney]

My dd school is starting the fall with online. Only certain programs like science labs and medical labs will be face to face. My dd heard that her program were thinking of them having to go in because of a music/dance/activity class(for teaching degree) but they might not. Advisor wasn’t 100% sure. Where her school is has a high case # of covid-19. I’m hoping she doesn’t have to go and she feels the same. She’s in limbo for housing because she lives on campus for school but it will depend on her program. If fall is online I will save $5000 just on fall housing. I won’t be happy if she has to go to campus just for one class. Plus her safety comes first

 

[laughinplace199]

DD's school said they are working on plans for the Fall. They hope to have classes on campus, but will let us know by the end of June. Fingers crossed!

 

[robinb]

I guess I could book it and take a mini vacation there even if graduation is virtual. Then I’d have it in case graduation is normal. I just don’t know what to do, and I’m afraid if I don’t act fast, I’ll lose the cabin.

I would book it if it's otherwise perfect. A lot of people on my daughter's college's FB parents page have taken pictures of their graduating seniors on campus in their cap and gown. You can still celebrate on campus even if there is no graduation.

In better news - DD finished the semester with a 3.60 (her highest gpa yet) and made Dean’s List!!! It also looks like her 2nd semester on campus Student Ambassador position for a software company is turning into a paid virtual Summer Internship!!! This is really good news!

Awesome! Congratulations to her! My little stinker won't tell me her grades. I have to wait until the Deans List comes out to see if she made it.

DD’s school gave Covid Care Act money automatically to any student who’d accepted a federal student loan. Those who didn’t accept a loan but had filled out the FAFSA had to apply and then were given the grants. Unfortunately DH refused to fill out a FAFSA for this past year and this coming year even though I begged him to do it for this coming year. Oh well.

Our university is distributing the money on an needs basis and not to every student. My DD lost her job when Covid19 hit but she's doing fine. I know some parents are encouraging their kids to apply even though they really don't need it. I didn't even mention it to my DD since we can continue to take care of her.

DD's university has set forth a plan...

They will begin in person classes in August, finishing classes before Thanksgiving. Take online finals the first week of December.

Have almost a 2 month break....they are anticipating the dreaded second wave.

Restart in person classes late January 2021, finishing with in person finals by mid May.

That is one of the more popular plans I've heard. Also, hybrid classes with online lectures and in person labs and discussion sections. My DD's university won't make a decision until July. One problem with Wisconsin is that there is a LAW that says that colleges can't start earlier than September 1st so the tourism industry can have reliable cheap student labor. School is scheduled to start September 2nd.

 

[wannabee]

DS will be online this summer but back to in person in the fall. He loved the online classes- made his first 4.0. He will take 3 classes this summer in an attempt to make up some lost time due to a major change.