COVID changed a lot of things in 2020-2021, not the least of which was education and college planning. We at CPC were happy we could assist 90+ students in a real time of need- need for personal connection and guidance. Some of the things this Class of 2021 taught me or reinforced what I already knew:
Consistent small chats and breaking projects into very small bite-size pieces might be more valuable than group application bootcamps
Most students benefit from a long runway, and they always say "thank you"
Sometimes students just need to be on video chat with me while I do other work, so they complete the job at hand
My son isn't the only student who blocked his parents from his application accounts to keep some semblance of control over his life
Applying good 'ole Catholic guilt works for both Catholics and non-Catholics
Requests for recommendation letters MUST be a formal writing assignment
Something as common as babysitting can be creatively described in the activity list- "learned how to not talk down to little people"
You can leverage the heck out of Regional Tuition Discount programs
Always asking someone how their day is going is invaluable (a student taught me this)
There are perhaps a million ways to correct Zoom audio-visual technical difficulties (when in doubt, end the meeting and just start over)
Our home needed (and got) greater bandwidth
The CPC office was the best place to deposit the rest of my working family (husband and three young men working/schooling/interning from home)
I was an expert using the Zoom mute button when the family returned home since students' chats moved well into the evening
Life is not always fair
My job has a purpose
I am thankful to have learned from this year and this group of students. We are so proud of the Class of 2021 for making it through much adversity. Onward and upward!
Click Here to see Class of 2021 Stats.