A New Era of Education
Illustration by Johnny Neville | The Corsair
In the coming weeks, hundreds of thousands of students will apply to transfer –– myself included. The stress of college applications is a heavy weight on one’s mind, but now it is compounded by an additional unforeseen circumstance: COVID-19.
Students are faced with a new factor when it comes to choosing schools –– how likely are they to attend that institution in person? How well has the institution transitioned to online learning? What services are still being extended to their student body?
This period in human history can be summed up in one word: uncertainty. We don’t know when we will be back to in-person classes. We don’t know how schools will be permanently morphed by this situation. We don’t know the full scope of the financial ramifications of this pandemic on educational institutions.
These application deadlines come amidst the worst spike in U.S. COVID-19 cases to date. Thousands die on a daily basis, and rumors of a second lockdown continue to swirl.
The question then becomes… will we –– the group of outgoing transfer students –– ever take an in-person class at a four-year school? There are now six strains of the virus, and more will likely come. Development of a vaccine, although promising, is not going to halt the disease altogether. We seem to be further away from a return to normality than anytime in the last year.
The future of education may be permanently changed by this pandemic, and this age of students will be remembered as the one that endured the growing pains of a changing system. Our struggle isn’t futile –– this forced digitization of school we are experiencing may broaden the reach of education. Without the restrictions posed by limited capacity and scarce resources, classes can stream to thousands through laptops and phones at virtually no additional cost. Students can study from anywhere with an internet connection. College may no longer be a leg up for an exclusive group of elites, but rather a readily available public resource, available to all those who are technologically able.
Throughout history, each generation has faced an adversity that strengthens their character. Unlike those in the past though, we aren’t confronted by symptoms of war or economic collapse, cultural revolution or religious violence, but by a worldwide health crisis. Students now will leave this unprecedented time more capable than ever. Those who can weather the storm and continue their education, despite the unforeseeable roadblocks presenting themselves at every turn, will come to exemplify a unique mental fortitude. Beyond that though, our toil will yield a positive outcome. We will have proved that our generation can endure, but we will also refine a system to expand the outreach of modern education for those less fortunate.
Our perseverance is for the greater good, with regard to both Coronavirus mitigation, and the future of workforce preparation.
Our college experience, unusual as it may be, is building a capacity for difficulty. We have to continue to relentlessly strive towards the finest rewards of education, in spite of the obstacles in our way.
