Low-income students are particularly hard hit as people cancel or reduce postsecondary plans.
An analysis from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), titled “When Back to School Meets Stay at Home,” noted that 75% of households, in which at least one person intended to take postsecondary classes, changed their plans. Some opted not to take any classes (37%) and some reduced their course load or changed programs, institutions or format.
In previous recessions, the report noted, people often returned to school to gain new skills. This time, individuals are navigating the realities of the pandemic in terms of health concerns and the fact that much coursework has moved online.
“There are a lot more questions and uncertainties that students are facing during this recession,” said Dr. Megan Fasules, research economist at CEW and co-author of the report.
The data came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s biweekly Household Pulse Survey, which looks at the extent to which households’ postsecondary plans change due to the impact of COVID-19. This data was for the period of Oct. 14–26, 2020. The report indicated that undergraduate enrollment has decreased by 4% across all types of institutions and 10% at public two-year colleges.
Fasules said many potential students felt that if they wait until the 2021-22 school year, they will be able to go in person and get the full benefit of such an education.
“What we find when anybody interrupts school is they have lower chances of either returning or starting their postsecondary journey,” Fasules said. “This is particularly true for low-income students because they’re facing a financial strain or a timeclock, so the more you postpone, the more life is going to get in the way,” she continued.
