Class of 2024: Student Perceptions of the “New Normal”

Everyone is saying it, higher education will change because of COVID-19, but what many aren’t saying is how. In May of 2020, Dr. John Hall, chief strategy officer at PLEXUSS, and Dr. Jacquelyn D. Elliott, president of EnrollmentFUEL, shared insights from students across the country. What the Class of 2024 are thinking, how they’re feeling, and their education plans for the near future.

Research Insights Include:

• Many high school graduates still plan to attend college, but 44% may attend a different institution than the one they had originally planned on.
• Over a third of existing college students are actively reconsidering whether to return to their current institution this fall, even if COVID-19 ceases to be a major threat.
• There seems to be a strong correlation between good communication with students about these issues and students’ intentions in the fall.