Students worry pandemic will keep them from attending first-choice schools
Nearly half (48%) of recently surveyed students “fear the effects of the Coronavirus lockdown will damage their chances of getting into their first choice university.” Citing their long-term concerns about the effects of the outbreak, 20% are rethinking their plans to pursue higher education this year. One reason for the pessimism about being admitted is that survey respondents worry the cancellation of standardized tests this spring and summer will result in admissions officers placing greater emphasis on teacher recommendations. While students from blue-collar homes were “more likely to feel the changes to the admissions process would have an adverse effect on their chances” than students in white-collar homes (51% vs. 43%), they were also more likely to think it could increase their chances (18% vs. 14%).
Source: Forbes
Nearly one in three high school students may postpone their college plans
Thirty percent of high school students now plan to delay the beginning of their college experience as a result of the pandemic, and 13% said they no longer plan to attend the school they originally chose. In addition, 44% of high school juniors and seniors “said the pandemic has impacted their college affordability plans… [and] 58% of teenagers are more likely to take out student loans for school.” Among the 1,000 survey respondents, 13% said a parent or guardian had lost their job, and 24% said their parents or caregivers have expressed concern about being able to pay for college. According to an official from Junior Achievement USA, a co-sponsor of the study, colleges “should at least communicate with incoming freshman to explain some of the options they are looking at just so these kids have that information as they’re planning to go to school in the fall.”
Source: Diverse Education
Pandemic creates long-term financial uncertainty for state colleges and universities
The combination of declining tuition and dormitory revenues, shrinking endowment portfolio values and the prospect of fewer alumni donations means that state-funded colleges and universities “are in trouble” and those “without a financial cushion will struggle to survive.” A drop in state revenues is also contributing to the bleak outlook. According to Moody’s Analytics, a financial research firm, state tax revenues are likely to decline by 20% during the next fiscal year. Making matters even worse, some states have still not restored the cuts they made during the last recession, which has forced public colleges and universities to raise tuition and fees in order to make ends meet. As a result, “enrollment rates declined among low- and moderate-income people who could not afford to pay — the very students state universities… are expected to be most focused on serving.”
Source: New York Times
Most American adults planning to pursue education soon are interested in non-degree options
Approximately 28 million U.S. adults “have canceled education plans — ranging from formal degree programs to personal development — due to the COVID-19 crisis.” That amounts to 11% of all Americans who are at least 18 years old. Among those who are considering pursuing education or training within the next six months, 59% are interested in nondegree programs. “As for five-year education plans, about half of Americans surveyed intend to enroll in postsecondary education and training in the next five years, relatively consistent with previous findings from early 2019. The most significant change observed is that when Americans do plan to enroll in the next five years, there’s a marked increase in their likelihood to enroll in a trade school, community college or online-only college or university.”
Source: University Business