The college admission process is stressful enough … add this year’s financial aid debacle, and you have sources of students and families on edge. But, no, let’s make matters worse.
If it isn’t hard enough for families to navigate the college planning, finding, applying, and funding process, colleges and universities are exerting more pressure on anxious students. It comes from all places: housing and resident life.
As an education advisor already trying to stem the stress and strain of the admission decision-making process and uncertainty on how to pay, I now hear from students and parents that emails are arriving with a message: no housing deposit, no room.
Growing up in the industry, the process, procedure, and protocol that college-bound students and families follow have been to find a school, apply, get accepted, learn about financial aid (or lack thereof), and then, after evaluating your options, say yes, here is my May 1 deposit. Add me to the list of incoming first-year students. Only then was the next step to send a housing deposit to secure a dorm room.
Did I miss a significant shift in the process? A new business decision on campus. If not, Presidents, Deans, VPs, Directors, and Managers on campus, why are you putting the cart before the horse? Why are you adding to the already emotional, stressful period in the lives of many highly vulnerable young teens?
On behalf of my students and families, please share the why?
Posted on Linkedin and FB – 3/3/2024 – no campus comments yet.