COVID-19 Forces High School Seniors Into the Unknown

How the temporary closing of hundreds of universities nationwide has greatly impacted college decisions for seniors.

High School Senior Abby Hooks announcing her college decision via social media.

As we enter yet another month of a country in varying stages of a shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, many high school seniors across the United States have had their college plans turned upside down as they are forced to make what is arguably one of the biggest decisions of their lives somewhat blindly. 

By March of senior year, high school students have heard back from the colleges and universities they applied to, received financial aid information, and had time to truly narrow down their options. Second semester is the time to make the trips across the country to see the schools in person, which is what can make or break the deal for most. 

College students who have already been through the process can attest to the difficulty in choosing which college to attend. Current Saint Louis University freshman Alex Urbina reflected on what was most important to him when making his decision a year ago. “There are alot of critical factors that I considered, like location, quality of education, size, and cost. I can’t imagine having to choose a college without going there first to really make sure it was what I wanted, where I felt most comfortable. I definitely think it would be a much harder decision.”  

That unimaginable decision is now the reality for many due to the sudden closures of hundreds of colleges in an effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19. Thousands of students no longer have the opportunity to visit their potential schools which has made their decisions much harder. In a recent poll conducted by Art and Science Group LLC, “two thirds of graduating high school seniors are currently concerned that they may have to change their first-choice school due to COVID-19.” Furthermore, many students are rethinking their options and changing what they are looking for to be a school that is less expensive and closer to home. One such student is Abby Hooks, a senior at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois. 

Despite the fact that she had been able to visit some of her main choices such as the University of Maryland and the University of Delaware just one week before Illinois entered their stay-at-home order, there were still some schools high up on her list that she was never able to see. “A lot of universities did offer online zoom meetings within each college which was nice because we were still able to talk to someone and see their presentation without going on campus, but it still wasn’t the same.” Abby ended up choosing Indiana University, one that she never actually saw in person. “One thing my Dad brought up was if something like this happens again, and I’m all the way out in Maryland, it won’t be easy to get all of my stuff home. It made me realize that I didn’t want to be as far away as I thought for sure.” When asked if she would have made a different decision if the pandemic never happened, Abby is not sure. The thought of something as uncontrollable and sudden as this influencing such a major choice is scary for her, and something she doesn’t want to dwell on too much. 

A Season of Celebration Quickly Turned Into the Opposite

The added stress over making a college decision is not the only aspect of senior year that has been changed. The home stretch of high school should be a time of excitement and major milestones, but has become one of heartbreak and loss for most. No longer will seniors be able to attend their proms, graduations, senior nights, and decision days. Many, like Abby Hooks and her friends, are attempting to finish the year strong and look on the bright side of things, but with how much unknown the near future holds it is proving hard to do so. They are attempting to cope by facetiming their friends, and still making plans for prom and graduation once the stay-in-place orders have ended. Schools are celebrating their seniors in any way they can by driving around and putting lawn signs by their houses and lighting up the football field in honor of them. 

As these seniors enter a new chapter of their lives, all they can do is hope they made the best decision they could in a time as unprecedented as this.

For more information to help any seniors you may know facing the same stresses, check out the following article: coronavirus-canceling-senior-year-across-america-5-ways-help-your-ncna1173986

To read more about the study conducted by Art and Science Group LLC, click the following link: https://www.artsci.com/studentpoll-covid19