Guest Post by Artur Meyster: Covid-19 & Higher Ed

Colleges and universities are struggling to handle the current pandemic. They have yet to find the balance of in-person classes and online accessibility. The rapid transition from in-person to online learning forced institutions to rethink the learning process and resources that have gone decades without change. Longstanding educational institutions that don't invest in change face being left in the dust to agile schools adapting to the pandemic and promoting online learning.

Education continues to move forward despite the pandemic. High school graduates and career changers looking to learn new skills aren't going to let much get in their way. Students and teachers will find a way to keep students on track to getting into colleges and earning their degrees.  

The Admissions Process Looks Different

High school students looking to continue their educational careers will face a process unlike anyone else has beforehand. Student applications will look vastly different than their peers' applications from just one year ago. The pandemic made it impossible for students to complete the normal requirements of applying to college. A majority of the requirements outside of classroom learning were canceled, alongside standardized tests, entire sports seasons, theater, and even after-school jobs. The lack of extracurriculars will give students fewer ways to stick out on their applications.

At the same time, college admissions counselors are going to look for new metrics to determine an applicant's merits. They know the hardships COVID-19 caused for students and know that the college experience will be different than what students expected. College admissions counselors are looking for students who practice self-care, watch out for those around them, and increase their families' responsibilities.  

More Students Opt for Online Degrees

Many schools are opting for online learning in the upcoming semesters and won't offer any on-campus classes. Schools aren't lowering their tuition either. Traditionally, online schools cost less than their on-campus counterparts, largely due to lack of room and board. Now that students have more exposure with online learning, they might look for more online learning opportunities. 

Online colleges were increasing in popularity before the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, most large universities didn't offer a wide variety of online courses. The reluctance to adopt online learning opened the doors for forward-thinking educators. The few schools that saw the potential of online learning are known across the country despite their actual campuses being in smaller areas of the country. 

Schools Will Adapt to Changes

The education industry will be hard-pressed to move away from in-person learning. Some students need personal interactions to get the best results. Colleges will entice students with new features to attract them to campus life. 

After temporarily moving classes online, students and faculty are comfortable with the new learning method. The familiarity with online learning makes students more likely to enroll in future online courses and colleges more likely to offer them. 

The increased number of online college courses will open more doors for non-traditional students as well. Students who are earning their degrees at later ages or after leaving the military will have more options than before the pandemic. Instead of nationally run for-profit online colleges, non-traditional students will have the option to attend top-tier schools without quitting their jobs or moving across the country. 

Self-paced Courses

A unique aspect of online courses is the ability to pre-record lectures. Online courses don't have to be instructor led. The rise of Coursera and Udemy during the pandemic is evidence of this. The self-paced option for students gives them the ability to learn at their own pace. Learning at your own pace gives students the time to dive deep into their studies. Self-paced courses are one of the cornerstones to the fastest online degrees. Students don't have to waste time waiting for the class to move to the next topic if they already understand the lesson. Self-paced courses are available to students with disabilities who need extra time to understand concepts or need to get their resources through different methods.  

One shortcoming of self-paced learning is collaboration and other perspectives. In a typical class, the entire class can hear questions from their peers. Some questions bring to light new angles of thinking or fill in gaps that the professor failed to include. 

Peer collaboration isn't ideal for self-paced learning either. Collaboration and group work are vital components of the education industry's goal of getting students ready for the workforce. While individual skills are important, collaboration and teamwork are major sticking points for hiring managers. After all, most people pursue education to increase their career opportunities.

Artur Meyster is the Chief Technology Officer of CareerKarma.