[BostonCard]

I think there's four trends at play here:


1) Cost of college is always sky-high.  In and of itself, it would be enough to make a student and his/her family pause.

2) The digital college experience pales in comparison to the in-person experience.

3) Income in many/most households is unpredictable and possibly not adequate for expensive college.

4) Who knows whither financial aid?



I suspect that many students and their families may opt for a gap year, perhaps far more than colleges anticipate. I know if I was a student, I would insist on a gap year.  If I had to take digital courses, the local juco would suffice just fine.  And I wouldn't want to pay full boat rates for an impersonal experience.  And what will the yields be, even for colleges that opt for the in-person experience?  What percentage of students will actually want to take that risk?  Or the professors and staff, for that matter?

A contrarian view here is that because a large number of people might take a gap year, the chances of getting into a school off your waitlist are higher, so if you are willing to chance your freshman year being partially or completely conducted over zoom, you might get into a school you wouldn't have otherwise.  The longterm benefits probably outweigh the short term downsides.

BC

[BostonCard]

I think there's four trends at play here:


1) Cost of college is always sky-high.  In and of itself, it would be enough to make a student and his/her family pause.

2) The digital college experience pales in comparison to the in-person experience.

3) Income in many/most households is unpredictable and possibly not adequate for expensive college.

4) Who knows whither financial aid?



I suspect that many students and their families may opt for a gap year, perhaps far more than colleges anticipate. I know if I was a student, I would insist on a gap year.  If I had to take digital courses, the local juco would suffice just fine.  And I wouldn't want to pay full boat rates for an impersonal experience.  And what will the yields be, even for colleges that opt for the in-person experience?  What percentage of students will actually want to take that risk?  Or the professors and staff, for that matter?

A contrarian view here is that because a large number of people might take a gap year, the chances of getting into a school off your waitlist are higher, so if you are willing to chance your freshman year being partially or completely conducted over zoom, you might get into a school you wouldn't have otherwise.  The longterm benefits probably outweigh the short term downsides.

BC