Out of control: Year 13 students face the uncertainties of 2021

By Wynne Ho

Planning for university has never been easy. From finding the perfect course to calculating expenses, there is a lot to consider. The pandemic has only heightened the anxieties of the current Year 13 students, who have already undergone a year of remote learning in preparation for the International Baccalaureate examinations of May 2021. The graduating class are making plans for a precarious future.

Many have considered the preventative measures of different countries to determine the safest destination of study. For instance, one anonymous student shares that, "The US was my first choice a year ago, but having witnessed their response to the virus, I thought it was necessary to apply to [schools in] Canada as well." Although she is likely to choose the US regardless of how the pandemic progresses, she said, "Seeing how bad it is [in the United States] had urged me to apply elsewhere as a backup option."

Similarly, others had considered applying to schools in multiple countries to ease their anxieties. Miriam Lo, who had applied to schools in the United Kingdom, said that "Australia is definitely becoming more and more appealing" due to its relatively low number of cases.

In addition to the health risks of studying abroad, many were aware of the financial implications that come with paying full tuition fees to undergo the university experience online.

"As an international student, it would be wasteful to pay over 500,000 [HKD] per year just to attend classes in my dorm," voiced another anonymous student, who was torn between Hong Kong and the United States. Instead, the prospective social sciences student had applied for a dual degree programme at Hong Kong University (HKU) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), allowing her to embark on both undergraduate pathways. "I'd spend the first two years at HKU before completing my degree at UCLA. In-person lectures would likely be running after the development of vaccines, so I'd be getting my money's worth," the student explained, and she concluded that "this would be the best compromise between financial practicality and my ideal university experience."

Elisa Chow, another prospective HKU student, also pointed to the financial advantages of attending university at home as opposed to as an international student. She echoed the previous student's sentiment, stating that the foreseeable lockdown procedures had solidified her decision to continue her education in Hong Kong.

Whilst some had encountered difficulties planning their future studies, others had been mostly unaffected by the pandemic. Charisse Kong, who had applied to schools in both the United Kingdom and the United States, commented that the pandemic did not affect her plans: "I was pretty set on where I wanted to go. My parents had urged me to consider Hong Kong universities as a safety net, but I did not end up applying since there were no courses that suited my interests." Nonetheless, she voiced her concerns regarding "the inability to join clubs and adapt to new social environments."

This seemed to be causing much distress for others as well. "I am worried about missing out on inauguration and introductory events that would help me integrate into the university school life," said Erin Tsang. "Joining extracurricular activities, socialising, and meeting new people would be much more difficult if lockdown procedures continue," added Bella Chang, who, like many others, had applied to schools near home to mitigate concerns regarding social assimilation under lockdown.

It is worth noting that universities aptly recognise the value of comprehensive and unambiguous information amidst unsettling projections of the pandemic and tentative government policies. Specifically, many universities have implemented outreach programmes such as online seminars to broaden accessibility to support.

Although it is undoubtedly easier said than done, the graduating class should strive to make the most of their final semester of high school, as the progression of the pandemic is most certainly out of their control.