Undergraduate enrollment is winding down after what has been a tumultuous year, to say the least. Students and institutions alike are faced with uncertainty as they begin their freshman years and begin to recruit the class of 2021.
A new Eduventures Insight report examines data from 2019 and 2020 to examine the actual impact COVID-19 has had on undergraduate enrollment patterns. The statistics help pinpoint what has really changed in students’ decision-making behaviors–and understanding this will help recruitment and enrollment leaders finalize fall 2020 enrollment, anticipate retention issues, and consider best paths forward for fall 2021 recruitment.
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The report, from Principal Analyst Kim Reid, offers a number of key takeaways:
Changes in undergraduate enrollment patterns: In times of economic turmoil, public institutions are seeing a surge of in-state students arriving at their doors. Research in this report shows a 6 percent increase in students choosing to attend an in-state public institution. This movement toward lower-cost education comes at the expense of higher-cost options, especially the out-of-state public choice, which dropped by 5 percent. The choice to attend a private institution has also dropped by 3 percent.
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