Seniors regret missing college visits
The coronavirus has made many impacts worldwide. One of the outbreak’s significant drawbacks is on high school seniors. With college decision day approaching, many CVHS seniors are having difficulty researching their desired future campuses.
“We can’t fully picture ourselves on a college campus unless we fully immerse ourselves in the atmosphere it provides,” said senior Anita Wong.
Without being able to visit various colleges, students are becoming frustrated and confused. “The most valuable information I’ve gotten about the schools I applied to was when I visited the campus and talked to students there. I was only able to do that for two schools,” said fellow senior Alisha Grewal.
Some colleges have tried to compensate by creating virtual tours for incoming freshmen. However many feel that this is not helpful or adequate.
“I just don’t think that’s as valuable as physically being on campus,” said Grewal. “It’s very scary to think that I’m going to have to make this decision without visiting all of the campuses.”
“I’m devastated that seniors can’t visit colleges because those visits allow students to gain perspective on what college environment they’re seeking,” said Wong.
Many students are adapting to these challenges and overcoming the barriers. Although the quarantine we find ourselves is challenging, Trojans have begin to defeat these barriers by taking the reins into their own hands.
“My plan is to reach out to my specific department at all of my potential schools to get their insight into what the education system looks like. I also am going to reach out to students currently attending these colleges to get accurate information that you won’t find on a virtual tour,” said Grewal.
Although the situation is currently overwhelming, many colleges are taking in a count the crisis to their 2021 admissions.
“Colleges are preparing to be flexible with regards to seniors meeting college requirements and with how they will review future applicants. Although there are no specific policies or guidelines yet, colleges are preparing for the possibility of non-traditional grading practices for this current semester,” said counselor Allison Zuckerbrow.
I agree because a deciding factor of choosing a college you want to go to is having an on campus tour and experience to actually see if you want to attend there.
When I was choosing which college to attend for next year I originally thought that I would most definitely go to Oregon State, but then I visited San Jose State and I liked the campus so much that I chose it over Oregon State, a college I’ve never visited. I feel like if I had visited Oregon State it would’ve had a better chance in my mind of becoming my college. I am super lucky to have been able to visit the college I wanted to before quarantine happened because choosing the right college for you is very important and others are going to have a harder time deciding where they want to attend next year.