How the Pandemic Rattled Students’ College Dreams for Fall

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2021

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

May 1 is approaching, the deadline for the hundreds of thousands of California high school seniors who applied to college to commit to their chosen schools. But for many, this year's admissions cycle was punishing. The COVID-19 pandemic closed high schools to in-person learning, cancelled standardized tests and pushed campus tours online. Many students gave up on the idea of college, especially those with newfound home responsibilities or financial pressures. At the same time, application volumes ballooned at some of the most popular schools, like UC Berkeley and Harvard, making admissions increasingly competitive. We talk about the changing landscape of college admissions and the experiences of this year’s high school seniors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for Forum comes from Rancho La Puerta, a wellness resort in Baja, California, just an hour from San Diego,
0:07.4	recently voted the number one destination spa by readers of travel and leisure magazine.
0:12.8	Summer retreat packages of three, four, or seven nights including hiking, water classes,
0:19.0	mindfulness, spa therapies, and culinary adventures with
0:22.8	farm-fresh ingredients. Learn more at Rancho LePuerta.com.
0:27.3	Support for Forum comes from Broadway S.F. presenting Parade, the musical revival based on a
0:33.2	true story. From three-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown comes the story of Leo and
0:39.7	Lucille Frank, a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in Georgia. When Leo is accused
0:46.3	of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice,
0:53.4	and devotion.
1:02.6	The riveting and gloriously hopeful parade plays the Orphium Theater for three weeks only, May 20th through June 8th.
1:06.9	Tickets on sale now at Broadway, sF.com.
1:09.5	From KQED. From KQED. From KQED, public radio in San Francisco, I'm Mina Kim.
1:25.6	Coming up on forum, as May 1st approaches, high school seniors across
1:29.2	California who applied to college are making their final decisions, capping off an application
1:34.5	process like no other. The pandemic closed high schools to in-person learning, canceled standardized
1:40.0	tests, pushed campus tours online. At the same time, application volumes ballooned at the most
1:46.4	competitive schools, even as some students postponed college due to pandemic-driven financial pressures
1:52.3	and new responsibilities at home. We look at college admissions in the COVID era. Join us.
2:35.2	This is Forum. I'm Mina Kim. The college admissions process was changed by COVID-19, virtual campus tours, suspended standardized tests, record numbers of applications, and dwindling acceptance rates. This hour will hear from California high school seniors about their college application experience and where they're headed this fall. And joining me first is Stephanie Contreras-Reyes, a high school senior at Orthopedic Hospital Medical
2:37.8	Magnet High School in Los Angeles.
2:39.9	Stephanie Contreras-Reyes, thanks so much for joining us.
	...

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