There is no question the Class of 2022 has had a unique educational experience.
For seniors who are preparing to graduate in a little more than two months, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived during the second half of their sophomore year. What has followed is a mixture of remote learning, mask mandates, social distancing, and a general upending of classroom and extracurricular activities.
No previous graduating class has had quite the same adventure. As a career guidance specialist from Hudson’s Bay High School told The Columbian, “I feel like this year’s class is the one that was hit the hardest.”
A colleague at Union High School added: “It was really tough on a lot of students to be remote, but now that we’re returning to the nuances that make it feel like a normal high school, we’ve experienced everything on the spectrum. A lot of students showing high anxiety levels aren’t sure how to engage now that they’re back; it’s had some effect on our attendance, for sure.”
It also, to hear experts tell it, has had an effect on students’ ambitions beyond high school. A Columbia River student pathways coordinator said: “There has been a lot more interest in joining the workforce or asking about trades. It may be a result of what’s going on in the world. Colleges also need to start thinking how they need to start making their pathway more attractive or personable.”
There is nothing wrong with a student choosing to forego a four-year college or an apprenticeship program and enter the workforce. Many a productive and fulfilling career has started that way.
But as students near the end of their high school days, we hope the leaders of tomorrow remain open to the opportunities ahead of them. As BridgeU, a British career and educational guidance organization, writes: “Once students have a better understanding of what they’re really interested in and their long-term goals, as well as the conditions that let them perform at their best, they can adopt a future-facing rather than retrospective approach to university research.”
In fall 2021, public four-year universities in Washington enrolled 2,015 fewer first-year students than in fall 2019, reflecting a national trend. Across the state’s community and technical schools, the decline was sharper: 50,000 fewer students, or 23 percent.
The reasons can vary; college is not the best option for all students, and the price tag can be daunting. And after two years of a most unusual school experience, many students are showing signs of stress and burnout that make them less likely to continue their academic careers.
But a long-term decline in college enrollment would not bode well for Washington’s future; a well-trained workforce boosts the economy and quality of life for all residents by attracting companies that provide good-paying jobs and bolster the tax base. It is no coincidence that Washington routinely ranks among the best states in terms of secondary education, higher education and the economy; those traits go hand in hand.
The key for students — and parents — is to understand that help is available in forging a path to the future. Schools provide guidance counselors, and vast information about colleges and financial assistance is available online. As one counselor said: “We ask them to consider their skills, personality, preferred learning styles. What makes them an individual? What things are important to them?”
There are countless options for the Class of 2022. In the long run, the difficulties of the past two years will help prepare this year’s graduates for the future.
