The latest crisis: Low-income students are dropping out of college this fall in alarming numbers

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

In August, Paige McConnell became the first in her family to go to college — and the first to drop out.

McConnell, 18, could not make online classes work. She doesn’t have WiFi at her rural home in Crossville, Tenn. The local library turned her away, not wanting anyone sitting around during the pandemic. She spent hours in a McDonald’s parking lot using the fast-food chain’s Internet, but she kept getting kicked off her college’s virtual classes because the network wasn’t “safe.” Two weeks after starting at Roane State Community College, she gave up.

“At my high school graduation, I told all my family I would go to community college. I was trying to better my future,” McConnell said. “But the online classes really threw me for a loop. I knew I couldn’t do it.”

McConnell’s situation is playing out all over the country. As fall semester gets into full swing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, schools are noticing a concerning trend: Low-income students are the most likely to drop out or not enroll at all, raising fears that they might never get a college degree. Some 100,000 fewer high school seniors completed financial aid applications to attend college this year, according to a National College Attainment Network analysis of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data through August.


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/09/16/college-enrollment-down/

[rzemanfl]

1. K&R. n/t

[EarthFirst]

2. Even grade school children are struggling to meet the technological demands of online learning...

Just recently I read an account where two siblings were doing their class work in a parking lot at a California Taco Bell to have the WiFi access...

[elleng]

3. I'm very concerned about ALL of the consequences of this,

unknown at the moment and unexpected.

Glad my daughters are able to guide their 1st grade boys through 'virtual' school.

[Hoyt]

4. That is one of the unfortunate outcomes of shutting down campuses and going on-line. I'm sure the

financial burden on her family if they are unemployed and/or her, are a problem too.

For students who don't have access to a decent internet connection, you would think the community college could workout something to help.

Update: I just looked it up and supposedly this school is back open full-time.

I hope something is done to help these kids. They, and all of us, will pay for it down the road.

[roamer65]

5. Thumb drives.

Record the lessons on thumb drives and hand them out to students without internet. Provide them with laptops.

My old hometown school is doing it for kids without internet or poor internet connections.

[leighbythesea2]

6. As i atempted to set up

A test taking software today called lockdown respondus
( wish that was a joke name) i noticed it cant run on chromebook or ipad. Both smaller systems that a student might have and thought 'weve entered an even narrower tunnel of who can participate ".
My professor picked because they had to pick something. I get it. But how many hundreds of these bits just add another layer of impossible to already struggling freshmen.

Ive been at my masters for a while & am kinda terrible with online learning. Its harder for me but i still feel lucky.

No wifi is the biggest issue out there for sure.
But its death by a thousand cuts in other ways for the new kids too.

[oldsoftie]

7. Perfect opportunity to showcase the technical college option.

Graduate with low to no debt & several great career opportunities with good pay. SO many companies go begging for technical workers.
Today's college is a massive ripoff.

[Doreen]

8. The administration knows clearly this is happening.

This is what they meant to do. Can't have their future low wage ( slaves ) people being educated. There is a reason they are doing this. If this administration succeeds our children are in grave danger.

[Evolve Dammit]

11. Agree

[onecaliberal]

9. A lot of them are losing grants.

I didn’t let my son drop out, I did let him go to part time though. In 2 years of college he will have been on campus 8 months. Considering the tuition and fees are the same as in person, I can understand because the quality is not what it was in person.

[UserNotFound]

10. It's my understanding

that the internet was developed by the military, using taxpayer $$. It's high time that it becomes a well regulated public utility. Free to all, or at least very minimal cost....

[drray23]

12. this hightlights why internet service needs to be treated as a public utility

rural america has always been underserved when it comes to internet service. Companies dont want to invest the cost of laying fiber or cables for just a few houses per mile . It should be treated like electrification was. Subsidized so that everybody gets it. I have high hopes for the newer approaches such as starlink (Elon Musk) currently being deployed and tested. It will be a game changer.

[llashram]

13. trumpian/hitlerian collateral damage

which I'm sure gives him and his loyal base immense satisfaction and glee.