“Normal” Continues To Elude Higher Education

Just when it looked like more and more colleges were finding ways to provide a face-to-face learning experience during the continuing pandemic, West Chester University (right in my backyard) announced that virtual learning was being extended into the spring 2021 semester. That’s right…Spring 2021. As this was being announced, WCU’s local school district was moving into hybrid.

That was quite a wake-up call for me and, I would assume, for thousands of students who are in or in the process of entering the higher education system. Sounds like it’s time for a gap year while all this gets sorted out.

Trends and predictions on the effect this on-going pandemic is having on our colleges and universities have been released since we last broached the subject in our July 2020 blog. This includes a significant study from the National Student Clearinghouse whose mission is to provide data, services and insights to the K-20 and workforce continuum.

For Fall 2020 enrollment the impact of the pandemic differs – sometimes significantly – by degree and institution type. Here’s a small snapshot of what we have learned from NSC’s data as of September 24, 2020:

First-Time Beginning Students

• This group showed an incredible 16.1% drop in enrollments which compares to a slim 0.4% drop last fall.
• 69% of all undergraduate enrollment losses come from First Time Beginning Students

Undergraduates

• Undergraduate enrollment is down 4% across all institution types in comparison to last year
• Private for-profit colleges are up 3.0%
• Public 2-year colleges taking a huge hit – down 9.4%
• Only 5 states are showing an increase in enrollments – Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Nebraska, and Utah
• 11.2% drop in international students

Graduate Students

• Graduate school enrollments are up 2.7%.
• Private 4-year colleges are up 9.3%
• Public 4-year colleges are up in the same period by 4.0%
• Enrollment is up in 38 states

All Students

• Total enrollment is down 3.0% in comparison to the same period last year.
• Only 6 states show an increase in all enrollments including Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Nebraska, Utah and Arizona

Not sure when things will return to normal – if ever. If you are an Admissions professional, SCG would like to continue the discussion with you.