As with most things this year, COVID has changed the process of planning for life after high school for juniors and seniors. With many colleges not offering in-person visits and tours as well as college representatives not visiting the high school, the usual tactics for college searching have changed. 

According to Mike Bartusek, a guidance counselor for students, it is lucky that New Prague has online resources that are very good and have given students much-needed information. Bartusek said that there are a few things that have come out of COVID, “I think two things have come to light.  One is that our online resources are very good and have given our students much needed information. Secondly, missing out on visiting with students in the office has highlighted how important face to face conversations are.  Not having them for a while makes everyone really appreciate them when they can happen.” 

Even if students have limited opportunities for in-person meetings, there is still the option for them to arrange google meets. There is also the option to use other online resources such as Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS) and the counseling website. With school back to the hybrid model, hopefully, that gives students more options to have in-person meetings with their guidance counselors.

And while COVID has been changing some plans, and this school year definitely was not what anyone was expecting it to be, that does not mean that seniors are letting it stop them from planning their futures. Senior Haley Friedrich is planning to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to major in marketing. Friedrich said that her last year of high school during a pandemic, “definitely wasn’t the senior year I have always imagined, but I’m trying to make the best of it and I am hopeful for a somewhat normal spring semester of senior year.” 

The future is uncertain for all, but it certainly helps to have some sort of plan and people to help.