Weekly Update: July 16
Colleen is out of the office, so it’s Shannon here again with this week’s update!
BIGGEST COLLEGE-RELATED NEWS OF THE WEEK
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITIES LATEST TO CONSOLIDATE
Following in the footsteps of other state university systems like Connecticut, the Pennsylvania state system will be consolidating 6 different schools into just 2 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and faculty have continued to protest for their schools, but unfortunately I expect that we will see more changes like this as universities consider the best way to move forward after such a difficult year.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEM TO REQUIRE COVID-19 VACCINE
While the University of California system initially planned to require vaccines only once they were fully FDA-approved, the system announced a policy change yesterday that will require all students and faculty to be vaccinated before returning to campuses in the fall. The change was prompted by an increase in cases in California, and the UCs are now the largest state system in the country that will require vaccination. At the moment, nearly 500 schools will be requiring vaccines next year. Class of 2021, make sure you know the requirements for your campus before moving in this fall!
CDC URGES SCHOOLS TOWARD FULL REOPENING
Even with those rising cases in some parts of the country, the CDC is still encouraging K-12 schools to fully reopen in the fall. This new guidance recognizes the challenges that students, parents, and teachers have faced with fully virtual learning, what the former CDC director calls the “real costs” of keeping children at home.
Large school systems are coming up with their own guidance for students and families. The New York City school system does not intend to even offer an online option next fall, while here in Virginia schools are proceeding cautiously by still requiring mask-wearing. Meanwhile, eight states including Vermont, South Carolina, and Texas have banned schools from instituting these types of mask requirements.
BEST ARTICLES OF THE WEEK
Community college has really come into the forefront recently with Biden unveiling a proposal this week that would provide tuition-free community college to all young adults. After community college enrollment plummeted during the pandemic, this plan may help more students attend college.
Here in Virginia, UVA’s Guaranteed Transfer Admission program makes attending community college a really attractive (and less expensive!) option. For students who meet the academic requirements at a college in the Virginia Community College System, there is a guaranteed spot at UVA waiting for them after two years! This article from the Wall Street Journal is a great read for anyone who wants to learn more about the pros of attending a community college.
OFFICE HAPPENINGS
Colleen will be back in the office next week - in the meantime, I am holding down the fort with the essay coaches as we work with students on their supplemental essays! I love being able to read students’ work and get to know them even better. I always discover something new about students in these essays, which is so much fun!
If you are not a client, but still want a sneak peek into what we do when we work on these essays, check out our post from last week: Supplemental Essay Secrets Revealed!
Have a great weekend!