[Originally published in 2020.]
Do you want to avoid falling behind—and falling ill? At this point, we’re all probably a little sick of hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic. Its effects on the education sector are, however, an under-discussed area, and one where online learning can help solve some of the problems. Schools across the nation have been scrambling to set remote learning procedures in place since the CDC announced that it is “confident an outbreak [of Coronavirus] will occur” in the US. We’ve learned how online college counseling steps up to fill the gap.
The College Problem
Measures exist already at the collegiate level. Northern California residents recently learned of the three UC Davis students and 124 hospital staff members under a two-week quarantine. While most colleges are experienced with remote education, thousands of high schools across the nation are scrambling to implement educational tools. “New tools” include online portals for turning in assignments and tele-lectures. The hope is that students won’t fall behind in lectures or lose access to other critical services, like meetings with their guidance counselor. However, most schools lack preparation for such a drastic shift.
Stay ahead of the counseling curve
It’s better to be proactive than reactive. At Empowerly, we’ve fully embraced the remote and online learning models, with great success. Other college counseling services, especially ones based in high schools, are scrambling to implement a successful online platform. On the other hand, Empowerly succeeds at tripling students’ chances of admission and mentored students accepted into all of the top 20 schools, via Zoom (aka online) college counseling sessions.
When you think about it, opportunities abound for disease to spread in our normal interactions like going to an in-person college counseling session. If you walk there or take mass transit, you risk exposure just walking on sidewalks that a sick person could have spat on. Sitting in lobbies, touching door handles, setting your phone on a counter, signing in using an office pen that dozens of other people have touched, all of these normal interactions we don’t usually give a second thought to become pathways for pathogens to strike. That’s even before you see the counselor themselves, a counselor who has interacted with dozens of other people, all of whom may have taken less strict precautions than you did.
Skill building in online college counseling
Developing professional and academic connections through online mediums, rather than in the (sneezy and sniffly) flesh is only going to become more important and widespread as mass outbreaks become more frequent and last for longer. Not being physically in the same space as another person doesn’t make the connections formed any less personal—plus, if you get sick after an interaction with someone, that leaves a pretty bad impression. When you think of it like that, e-meetings have a major advantage when it comes to networking. Becoming adept at navigating this new social sphere is critical for succeeding in any professional field, all sectors of our economy are catching on to the myriad benefits of remote work.
Helping the Earth
From an environmental health standpoint, online college counseling (and other virtual appointments) is a green light. They can be one of the best things we can do for our Earth and our communities.
Transportation is the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, right after the electricity sector; the number one cause for driving or taking other forms of carbon-intensive transit is to get to school. This, of course, takes a huge toll on air quality, with awful consequences for people’s cardiovascular health. Poor air quality (which predominantly derives from transportation-based pollution) kills 5.5 million people globally every year. That number is only predicted to rise.
Even if you only have to drive 3 miles (10 minutes on residential streets) each way to get to an in-person session? Well, that trip releases on average over 5 pounds of CO2! This varies by vehicle, for a more specific number, you can “map my emissions.” This will show you how much you could save by using Empowerly! Our services help prepare students on how to interact in the professional world behind our screens. Grasping these new social norms now will give them an advantage in internships and workplaces that have a significant online component. More and more companies will move forward digitally as they seek to reap multiple public health benefits.
In addition to making sure you’re in a healthier setting, online counseling also makes sure you’re in a less stressful setting.
Mental health matters
Most of us are going to handle stressful planning better if we’re in a comfortable setting. Our students and counselors feel more comfortable and productive working from the comfort of their homes. The time saved on commuting (and time saved by being healthy instead of sick) gives our students an edge! More time allows them to submit a better application.
We’re living in very interesting times. Some estimates from Harvard even say that 40-70% of our global population will contract the Coronavirus within a year. Even while many areas prepare to go into states of emergency, it’s critical not to lose sight of long-term goals. This includes college applications. Empowerly is here to help you stay on track, and provide productivity in these chaotic months to come. We can get through this!
