Published March 03, 2021
By KEA YENGST
COVID-19 drastically altered traditional college freshman experiences, and many recent Carmel High School graduates have taken a modified approach to their college experience by deferring their admissions to the college of their choice for months on end, primarily due to many institutions announcing their transition to distanced learning.
According to the Daily Pennslyvanian, a student-run newspaper for the University of Pennsylvania, students taking gap years due to the pandemic skyrocketed by about 300% in 2020, and recent CHS graduates are following a similar trend.
Michelle Foley, a graduate from the CHS Class of 2020, is taking a study leave prior to attending Yale University as a future cognitive science major. Within her first semester of a study recess, Foley was able to paint a mural with CHS art teacher Steven Russell for the Carmel Belle Cafe, which also served as a fundraiser for the CHS visual and performing arts department.
“Mr. Russell really helped me out with design and execution, and he connected me to the cafe owners, who happen to be wonderful people,” Foley says. “A large portion of the commission proceeds went to the department, and it was so incredibly fulfilling to put my energy towards my local community and a high school that had done so much for me.”
In addition to writing and editing college-preparatory articles for CollegeVine, an internet blog that specializes on the college application process, Foley has also been given the opportunity to work remotely as a personal assistant for the CEO of Rana Meal Solutions.
Former CHS student Sevren Scarlett is currently using his time away from an academic context in a more adventurous approach. While figuring out whether to study outdoor education, design or possibly environmental studies, Scarlett has made time to travel around many parts of Central America for months on end. Unlike other students, his decision was not directly the result of online classes or the pandemic. Rather, personal finances and the cost for pursuing an undergraduate degree were catalysts towards his decision.
“Paying full price for a substandard education and experience definitely made college less compelling in the short term,” Scarlett said. “While both of my parents were supportive of me, my grandparents thought that I ought to attend college first.”
Another recent CHS alum, Makayla Head took a gap year due to the abrupt shift from in-person to online academics and sees the given time in quarantine as a space for personal growth and personal independence.
“My family’s initial reaction was not exactly supportive, but they are proud of how independent I have become,” Head says.
Head had considered taking online classes for nursing, despite the fact that college was not in her initial agenda at the time, but has recently grown fond of the real estate industry. Thanks to the pandemic, the former senior is playing it by ear when it comes to attending college with in-person classes and lectures.
By deferring his admission by a semester to American University, 2020 graduate Alex Faxon’s decision was completely in lieu of the pandemic’s impacts. During his off-semester, Faxon was able to take a couple of general courses at Monterey Peninsula College for credit and apply to several internships. Due to his university completely shutting down, his family was not the least surprised that he was deferring his admission by a semester.
“My gap semester, which ended in January of this year, was directly and entirely related to COVID-19,” Faxon says. “I was able to take two fairly light online MPC classes for credit, and I also tried getting a few internships and jobs, but employers were not adamant on hiring during that period.”
Although the traditional and highly anticipated college experience may be on hold for the coming months, many recent grads have been able to use the given free time to further their educational and personal goals, whether it be directly related to their intended area of study or not.
