Grade 12 students grapple with uncertain futures as COVID-19 impacts university decisions

Aadar Gupta has spent the last five years working toward his dream: enrolment at the University of Waterloo.

Now, COVID-19 might squander that dream.

From missing out on prom to missing out on summer jobs, the class of 2020 truly got the short end of the stick. And for Grade 12 students hoping to go to university next year, the pandemic is now throwing a wrench into their post-secondary futures.

For Gupta, he set a goal in Grade 7 to attend the University of Waterloo, studying software engineering or computer science, but specifically to participate in the school's prestigious co-op program. But with COVID-19 putting pressure on every industry, Gupta worries co-op opportunities will be few and far between.

This is the moment I've been working up toward," said Gupta, a Grade 12 student at Westmount Secondary School. Why does everything have to go wrong now?"

The co-op would not only give Gupta invaluable experience, it would help finance his education.

For its part, the University of Waterloo says co-ops are still ongoing. Students who have trouble finding placements are allowed to start their co-op later or complete one less term of a co-op, said spokesperson Matthew Grant. Some students are doing co-op work from home.

But that's not reassuring for Gupta.

I'm afraid that as situations get worse, they may have to take more drastic measures, which may affect how co-ops behave," he said.

He's still waiting for his letter from Waterloo regarding acceptance but in the meantime, programs at other schools that don't have co-ops are moving up on his list - they might even replace his longtime No. 1.

Fellow Westmount student Zack Ferns has different concerns.

The 17-year-old has already accepted an offer from Western University in the bachelor of music program, but he's unsure what a music program would look like if students can't perform in the same room.

Even if they can, he's not sure he'd want to.

Ferns has ulcerative colitis, an auto-immune disease. He takes immunosuppressants, making him immunocompromised and putting him at higher risk for infection or serious complications of COVID-19.

That's concern No. 1," he said of his health. I could get really, really sick."

If students are allowed back into classrooms, Ferns wonders how the university will handle aspects of student life. Will frosh week happen? Will students live in residences? Will school even start in September?

Western has indicated that there will be a fall semester, but it's too soon to know what that will look like at this point," said Keith Marnoch, a Western spokesperson.

The province says it's working closely with Ontario universities and colleges amid the pandemic.

Based on the advice of the chief medical officer of health, Ontario's colleges and universities are developing their plans for the fall term - exploring a range of delivery options depending on the trajectory of COVID-19," said Ciara Byrne, spokesperson with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, in an email.

Byrne said his the province has invested $25 million to help publicly assisted colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes address COVID-19-related expenses.

Post-secondary institutions across Ontario have shut down campuses and switched to online learning. Ontario elementary and secondary schools remain closed until the end of May, but the premier has suggested it's unlikely students will return to classrooms in June.

With so much uncertainty around the 2020-21 school year, and with finances tight in many households, some might wonder if students will put off post-secondary education and work for a year instead.

But education researcher Paul Bennett says that's not likely - or wise.

There aren't any jobs," said Bennett, who is based in Halifax. If the job market is scarce and there are few opportunities to work and the world is coming out of massive depression, I would think (it's better) to stay in school"

Amid the uncertainty, Ferns and Gupta remain positive.

Gupta is working on increasing his grades so he can be eligible for scholarships - students' marks won't drop below what they were on March 13, the last day of in-class learning, but they can go up.

Ferns is keeping up with his work, too, and keeping a close eye on COVID-19 developments.

I hope a vaccine will happen sooner rather than later and I can get out of this bind," he said.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com