Students Itching to Return to Campus

Axios: "Nearly two thirds of college students say they would attend in-person classes if colleges reopen in the fall, even if there is no coronavirus vaccine or cure, according to a new College Reaction poll ... The findings suggest that even when faced with the prospect of packed-in lecture halls without a vaccine, most students want to get back to their classes and have an actual college experience, not a virtual one. By the numbers: 65% say they would attend in-person classes; 31% say they would only attend virtually; and 4% say they would withdraw from school." "The desire to attend classes in person comes as students report that the virtual education experience is full of pitfalls: 45% say they attend class less often and more than 70% say they're distracted by their phone, computer and things going on at home." However: "The college experience isn't exactly about sheltering in place and keeping six feet away from people, so college administrators will have to solve the public health challenges if they expect to bring students back." "The U.S. jobs collapse has coincided with school getting out for the summer, and students are reckoning with rescinded full-time offers, postponed start dates and in some fortunate cases, virtual internships. Twenty-seven percent of students in the College Reaction poll say they have a full-time job this summer, while 23% say they have a part-time job. Many other students are taking up volunteer work for their neighborhood or city or otherwise picking up new skills."

Some Scholarships Extend Deadlines

US News: "Financial aid experts encourage students to start the scholarship search as early as possible. But for those who got a late start or whose financial situation has changed in recent months, there are some scholarships that are still open ... Here are a few additional examples of late-deadline national scholarships:"

• DoSomething.org scholarships, amounts vary (May 15-31)

• Barry J. Nace Pursuit of Justice Scholarship, $3,000 (June 1)

• Claes Nobel Academic Excellence Scholarship, $5,000 (June 1)

• Abbott & Fenner Scholarship, $1,000 (June 12)

• Korean American Scholarship Foundation, $500 to $5,000 (June 30)

• Good Lawyers / Good People Scholarship, $1,000 (July 1)

• Villarreal Law Scholarship, $1,000 (July 1)

California System May Go Test-Blind

The Washington Post: "University of California President Janet Napolitano is urging a suspension of admission testing requirements until 2024, setting up a showdown vote this month for the system’s governing board on the role of the SAT and ACT in the process of choosing a freshman class. The outcome is likely to reverberate nationwide because of the size and prestige of the UC system, which has undergraduate campuses in Berkeley, Los Angeles and seven other locations in the Golden State. In recent weeks, many public and private colleges have joined a movement to halt or end testing requirements. Some were spurred by the education crisis created by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Others said test scores were not as useful as grades and transcripts in rating applicants." "Under test-optional procedures, applicants can submit a score if they think it will help them. Napolitano also urged a more sweeping mandate to omit the SAT and ACT entirely from admission decisions in 2023 and 2024 for any student who attends a public or private high school in California. The language of the memo appears to indicate that this two-year “test blind” proposal would not apply to out-of-state applicants." "Napolitano also urged the board to jettison UC’s requirement for applicants to take a version of the admission tests that includes an essay exam. Most competitive schools have already dropped that mandate. The optional essay, which was introduced years ago with vocal support from UC, is a major chore for students who take either test. But it appears to be falling out of favor."