Will coronavirus delay college this fall?
Prom, Senior Trips, and Graduation are all either canceled or postponed this year, or at least very different than you imagined. As you and the rest of your high school class face Decision Day — the traditional deadline to make your final choice of a college — we’ve heard some of you might be rethinking whether to enroll in college at all.
Keep centered
Let’s take a deep breath. When you’re busy trying to figure out how to pay your bills and stay safe, it’s natural to focus on the present moment. In fact, practicing mindfulness and being anchored in the present moment can help you feel relaxed and more in control. For today, take care of yourself, stay home, stay connected with others, and remain positive. Click here for more information and tips on managing your stress.
Keep your future goals in mind
Pumping the brakes on college this fall may seem like a good idea right now. But keep in mind that research has found students who delay college after high school are less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree even 6 years after high school. And the longer high school graduates wait to enroll in college, the less likely they are to complete a degree.
In the long run, you’ll want a college education. Studies show completing a degree makes you much more likely to get a good job and have a successful career. Not only do college graduates earn 66% more than high school graduates, but 11 out of the 15 fastest-growing careers require a college education.
Keep to your budget
Coronavirus has made everyone’s finances more uncertain. Fortunately, there’s a middle ground between delaying your degree and enrolling in a college with a $60,000 a year price tag and student loans to match. That middle ground is right in your backyard: community college.
Going to a local community college like Mount Wachusett Community College means you’ll pay just a fraction of the cost of a private college or residential university, so you’ll have less money to repay in financial aid loans.
Choosing MWCC, or your local community college, also means you can continue to support your family while you take classes. Most students at community colleges are part-time, so you won’t be alone if you plan to take just a few courses while you work.
Life happens, keep learning
With so many unknowns it’s hard to make any decision, let alone a life-changing one like college.
Just decide to keep learning. Start this fall by taking your college math, English, science, computer, and art classes at MWCC. General education requirements like these are very similar no matter where you go to college. From there you can either finish a degree or certificate with us or choose to transfer the college credits you earn to the 4-year college of your choice.
Mount Wachusett Community College has been around since 1963, and we’re not going anywhere. We’re here so you can keep learning, whether that’s online or face-to-face.
Keep on going
Coronavirus has already canceled a lot of senior year, but how you choose to prepare for the future is within your control. Instead of being one of the seniors who skips college this fall, flatten the curve. Some day, you’ll look back on community college as one of the best decisions you ever made.
Learn more: mwcc.edu/learn