A student asked me for some advice as he pursued life after his recent college graduation. When I re-read what I had said off the top of my head in response, the generalizations did not sound half-bad. Some days you get inspired — or lucky!

Hence they now form the backbone of another entry in my ad hoc series of communications.

*assume the COVID impact is persistent, despite everybody’s desire for a near-term re-opening (in this geographical area, two-thirds of people would not be comfortable getting on a bus, train, or subway; over half do not want to shake hands) 

*every day declare something to be positive

*it is terribly difficult to avoid debt, but try to minimize it, especially on credit cards

*always have a Plan B to backstop your Plan A

*keep networking even when the person you are talking with cannot be helpful at this moment

*stay in touch with friends

*help somebody less fortunate

*maintain your credibility, that what you say is what you do, assuming it is doable of course

*control stress to the extent possible; exercising or journaling are useful

*be grateful for something; for K-12 students, a recent headline captured the feeling of many: “The School Year really ended in March.” And these are young people for whom summer is typically a time when there is regression in terms of being ready for their new, higher grade.

For those continuing on to college in the Fall of 2020, I would add the following:

*colleges are fearful of students not returning. This may help you in negotiating financial aid

*be prepared for either on-campus classes with restrictions or a continuation of on-line college

*showing resolve to continue college under duress could be viewed positively by employers

*make sure your FAFSA filing is the most current possible as family incomes may have changed

*in case you were wondering, nobody really thinks that a total on-line education is a good thing

In the midst of this unprecedented situation, be assured, as previously communicated, that our commitment to your higher education is unchanged. When you have a class schedule and bill for the Fall of 2020, please send it to me as its receipt releases our regular grant check to you. Our support of summer classes in 2020 likewise remains intact; grants vary based on the details.

For those thinking about starting graduate school this coming Fall, while there could be variation, your assumption should be a continuation of the per-semester grant we provided during your undergraduate years. The same assumption can be used by those intending on entering graduate school in 2021; it is understandable, for all kinds of reasons, why a student might not be eager to be on-line this coming Fall.

Here are some websites relevant to refinancing student loans and making adjustments that have been caused by the virus’ impact on parental incomes. These are new to me, probably because I am not a techie, so I name them without it implying an endorsement:

Educatetocareer.org – Students and Families –Students Program page

Formswift, Credible, NerdWallet, Student Loan Hero, Splash, and LendKey.

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As always, information and communication are critical to decision-making.

Stay safe!                     Bob