If classes are online in the Fall

[dippedincoffee]

If your programs decide to be totally online in the Fall, will you go? I'm curious because I wonder if it is worth it. Was wondering about undergrads as well, especially freshmen. Part of going to college is the community experience. I also don't think it is worth the money.

[Anna D.C.]

18 hours ago, dippedincoffee said:

If your programs decide to be totally online in the Fall, will you go? I'm curious because I wonder if it is worth it. Was wondering about undergrads as well, especially freshmen. Part of going to college is the community experience. I also don't think it is worth the money.

I hope they defray the cost. But if schools do this, it will likely affect the expenses of students in the coming years, especially the out of state and international students. I am an international student. Thus, an online class will lessen my expenses. But I still don't see that paying the whole amount of school costs, including the payment for the facilities, worth it. I will take an online program this year, and decide if I still want to continue graduate studies. 

To answer your question, no for graduate school. But yes, for an online certificate program to help me decide if I still want to pursue graduate school. 

[history110]

I would. I wouldn't move until it was time for in person classes for winter term to start, but I'd still take the online classes from where I live now. But I'm in the humanities, so it's much easier than say a lab science. There will be something missing without in person seminars, but I imagine Zoom seminars will still have valuable discussion.

[Panther96]

I certainly am planning on attending regardless of in-person or online. I'm optimistic that even if Fall 2020 goes remote, that the remaining semesters of my 2 year program would either be in-person or some sort of hybrid. It also helps that I am extremely dissatisfied at my current job, and looking at where the economy is heading right now, having graduate school to look forward to in a few months is a true blessing.

[Tigla]

https://www.insidehighered.com/coronavirus

Check out Inside Higher Ed for close to up-to-date information. I think the current court cases against University of Miami and Drexler University are going to set a precedent for higher ed, so I have been trying to stay up-to-date on those cases, too. For more on the ground advice, reach out to current students and ask how they are coping. We don't know much and mostly are running around with our heads cut off, but we do have some plans ready to go depending on what happens. Good luck to all of you!

[Sigaba]

FWIW, the understanding that holding classes remotely in the fall may be a deal breaker for students and a show stopper financially is expressed in this video.

The short of the long of it is that schools make a significant amount of revenue directly and indirectly from people being on campus and administrators understand that this year's "we're all in this together" sensibility can quickly turn to "this isn't what I signed up for" next fall.

[PsyDuck90]

For those of you considering whether or not to go in the fall, programs may not allow deferment. While I don't think anyone would notice or care if you postpone moving to that location, if you opt to not attend entirely due to the need for online instruction, I would speak to someone in administration about deferment. If not, you may lose your spot and would have to re-apply the next cycle. This is something to strongly consider, especially since history shows us that many people tend to go back to school after they lose their jobs and when in a recession, which is fairly likely given the current economic situation. Absolutely do what is best for you, but don't shoot yourself in the foot!

[Psychological Yam]

i'll be starting this fall, regardless of if it's online or in-person. there's no point in trying to defer. while it would certainly be difficult to start my phd program online, it's "easier" than trying to figure out an alternative plan for the next year.