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High School Seniors on College Choice during COVID-19

Marketing and Research Services TeamRuffalo Noel Levitz

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Over two-thirds of 2020 college-bound seniors who took this

survey said that COVID-19 has already or may influence their

college plans

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• Partnered with Dynata to hear the voices of more than 500 prospective incoming freshmen

• Open April 7 – 8th

• Respondents had to be seniors in high schools who wanted to attend or are considering attending college in 2020 or 2021

• If in 2021, their decision to attend in 2021 had to be related to COVID-19

• If unsure if attending college in next two years, their uncertainty had to be related to COVID-19

Methodology

531 high school seniors

10 minute, online survey

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Current College Plans

7%

14%

14%

17%

48%

Undecided on whether to attendcollege in next two years because of

COVID-19

Plan to attend college in 2020 and stillin the process of selecting a college

Plan to attend college but unsure if in2020 or 2021

Plan to attend college in 2021 becauseof COVID-19

Plan to attend college in 2020 andhave selected a college

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

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• One quarter of respondents attending college in 2020 are still considering which college to attend

• 82% of those students who do know which college they are attending have formally committed

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Anticipated Institution Type

Public, 4-year or above, 58%

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or

above, 20%

Private for-profit, 4-year or above,

2%

Public, 2-year, 20%

Private for-profit, less-than 2-year,

0%

N = 225

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Concerns

Key Finding: Students worry they will not have a traditional college experience—orientation, forming new friendships, activities

9

22%27% 25% 28% 24%

31%41%

29%

33%29% 33% 31% 36%

37%31%

41%

45% 43% 42% 41% 40%31% 29% 30%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Opportunity tohave a

traditional newstudent

experience

Affordingcollege

Lack ofopportunities

for co-curricularactivities

Having to takecourses online

Increasedlikelihood ofcontracting

Covid-19

Finding a senseof community at

college

Living awayfrom home

Capabilities ofthe college

health center

How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted your concerns, if at all, about attending college?

No concern A little more concerned A lot more concerned

10

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Opportunity tohave a

traditional newstudent

experience (e.g.activities,

orientation)

Increasedlikelihood ofcontracting

Covid-19

Lack ofopportunities

for co-curricular

activities (e.g.athletics, clubs)

Capabilities ofthe college

health center

Finding a senseof community

at college

Affordingcollege (e.g.

tuition)

Having to takecourses online

Living awayfrom home

Concerns by Institution Type

4 Year Public 4 Year Private 2 Year Public

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Financial concerns have a larger impact than distance from home

35%

57%

39%

52%

71%

24%

36% 38%

20%

48%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

I know which college Iwill attend in 2020

I do not know where Iplan to attend college in

2020

I plan to attend collegein 2021 because of

COVID-19

I plan to attend college,but unsure if in 2020 or

2021

Undecided on attendingcollege because of

COVID-19

Concerns by Attendance Plans

A lot more concerned about "Affording college" A lot more concerned about "Living away from home"

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• “I assumed I was going to get to meet new people and make friends. I was wrong. I thought orientation would be exciting. I don’t get to be housed in the dorms either this time.”

• “I have to find even more scholarships to cover the costs because I cannot work to save money up yet.”

Comments

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Attractions and Detractions

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More Appealing• Affordability including tuition, aid, flexibility• Communication and handling of COVID-19

changes and adjustments• Closer to home options

Less Appealing• A location in a major city

Mixed: Online or Starting Online first semester option

Key Finding: College Characteristics that are More or Less Appealing

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53%47% 43% 44% 40% 37%

31%25%

29%32% 37% 38%

27% 30% 40%

39%

18% 21% 20% 18%

33% 33% 29%36%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Affordabletuition

College'shandling of

Covid-19

A locationclose to my

home

Your financialaid package

Option to startthe first termonline, thentransition to

campus

Online courseoptions

Option not tolive in

residence halls

A location in amajor city

Do the following characteristics or offerings make a college more or less attractive because of the Covid-19 pandemic?

More attractive Covid-19 has not impacted my perception Less attractive

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36%29%

37%48% 50%

28%33%

35%

32%19%

36% 38%28%

19%31%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

I plan to attend collegein 2020 and know which

college I will attend

I plan to attend collegein 2020 but unsure of

where

I plan to attend collegein 2021

I plan to attend college,but I am unsure if it will

be in 2020 or 2021

I am undecided onwhether I will attend

college in the next twoyears

Do the following characteristics or offerings make a college more or less attractive because of the Covid-19 pandemic? “Online Course

Options”

More attractive Covid-19 has not impacted my perception Less attractive

Online courses appeal to uncertain seniors (considering deferral or starting online)

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Affordabletuition

College'shandling of

Covid-19

Your financialaid package

A location closeto my home

Option not tolive in

residence halls

Online courseoptions

Option to startthe first termonline, thentransition to

campus

A location in amajor city

More Attractive by School Type

4 Year Public 4 Year Private 2 Year Public

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Since the Covid-19 pandemic, has any college or university changed the

scholarship or financial aid package they originally

offered you? 29% said Yes

Key finding: Colleges already listening &

acting

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• “Greater flexibility, understanding, and communication among students.”

• “Option to take a gap year, but still have the acceptance we got this year.”

• “Increased financial aid for those affected by job loss due to COVID-19.”

Attractiveness Comments

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What do students want to see more of

from colleges?

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Key Finding: More than half, 53% of seniors, would like more technological

resources and 49% would like more online course options

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60%57%

53%49%

47%43%

5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

More financialassistance

Morecommunication

and updates

Availability oftechnologyresources

More onlinecourse options

Postponementof student's

decisiondeadlines

Postponementof course

registrationdeadlines

Other

What would you like to see from a college in response to the Covid-19 pandemic?

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Morecommunication

and updates

More financialassistance

Availability oftechnologyresources(access tocomputer,

internet, etc.)

Postponementof student's

decisiondeadlines

Postponementof course

registrationdeadlines

More onlinecourse options

Other (specify)

Response Preference by Institution Type

4 Year Public 4 Year Private 2 Year Public

2424

Key finding: Virtual Tours and Events Critical

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49%47%

42%40%

38% 38% 37% 37% 36%

30%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

As colleges navigate current government restrictions, what would you like to see offered to new students?

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Potential Offers by Institution Type

4 Year Public 4 Year Private 2 Year Public

27

College plans

28

Selected Where Attending College

N=257

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50%

32%

13%

3% 1%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Extremelycommitted

Very committed Moderatelycommitted

Slightly committed Not at all committed

To what extent are you committed to your college choice?

82% of those who have selected a college are extremely or very committed to that choice

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Key Findings

More than one quarter (28%) of those who know where they are attending said that COVID-19 had changed their college choice.

Of those, more students will attend two-year publics and fewer students will be found at private four-year schools Fall 2020.

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58%

20% 20%

2%

57%

39%

0%4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Public, 4-year or above Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

Public, 2-year Private for-profit, 4-yearor above

Type of College you are Attending in 2020

Attending Choice Prior to COVID-19

N=28

32

Unsure of College Choice or College Plans

N=274

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Finding: students worry they will not traditional college experience—orientation, friendships,

activities

Key Findings:

Because of COVID-19 those who are still unsure of their college or college plans are considering… More affordable schools

and Colleges closer to home Colleges that offer more

online course options

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Students with unsure plans who indicated Covid-19 has had an impact on your college plans explain they are looking at more affordable colleges and colleges closer to home because of Covid-19

87%

79%

62%

47%42%

25%

14%11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Moreaffordable

colleges

Colleges closerto home

Colleges thatoffer more

onlinecoursework

Not attendingcollege in

2020

Two yearcolleges

instead of afour year

college

Deferring yourenrollment

Not attendingcollege ever

Other

Has Covid-19 caused you to consider....?

N=150

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47% Yes37% Unsure 12% No longer current first choice

Public 4-year

Private 4-year

Public 2-year

For-profit 4 year Other

Changes in college choiceWhich college was your first choice just before covid-19

Is this college still your first choice?

36

Four year publics may lose a little; Community Colleges may gain

Right now those considering change

47%

26% 23%

1% 2%

58%

27%

14%

1% 1%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Public, 4-year orabove

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or

above

Public, 2-year Private for-profit,4-year or above

Other

Type of college by first choice if changed or and choice prior to Covid-19

Current College Choice Choice Prior to Covid-10

37

18%

29% 29%

18%

6%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Extremelycommitted

Verycommitted

Moderatelycommitted

Slightlycommitted

Not at allcommitted

Unsure Plans: To what extent are you committed to your current college choice?

Less than half of students with unsure plans are very or extremely committed to any one college

38

Distance from Home

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Key findings: Do not dismiss students who live further away

.

53% of those unsure of plans say they are looking at colleges 50 miles or further

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35%

18% 17%

25%

5%

25%

13% 13%

40%

10%

19%

14%

24%

32%

0%

24% 24%

21%

18%

1%0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

1 to 25 miles 25 to 50 miles 50 to 100 miles More than 100 miles Other/online

How far from home is the college you are attending or how far from home are you willing to travel for college?

College Decided I plan to attend college in 2020 but unsure of whereI plan to attend college in 2021 Unsure of when, or if, attending

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Communication

42

Email and telephone most desired communication medium

Students who are sure, as well as those unsure of where they want to attend college both report email as their most preferred method of communication.

Students who are sure prefer phone calls, where as students who have decided prefer text

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58%47% 42%

35%28% 23% 23% 21% 20%

3%9% 9%

17%

40%

19%

37%

17%

35%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Email Textmessaging

Phone Instagram Other Website chat Twitter Videomessages

Facebook

How, and how often, would you like to receive communication updates from your college?

Frequently Every once in a while Rarely Never

Those who know which college they are attending prefer to be contacted frequently through email and text messaging

44

Those with unclear plans would like to be contacted via email

62%

47%

39%

23%

16%13%

10% 9%5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Email Phone Text Instagram Videomessaging

Website chat Facebook Twitter Other

How would you like to receive communications from potential college or universities?

45

In their own words

46

Financial assistance, flexibility, safetyIs there anything colleges or universities can do now to help you make a decision during the Covid-19 pandemic? Open-end, themes:

• Financial assistance (decrease tuition, increase financial aid, lower housing)

• Flexibility on decisions (enrollment, application)

• Safety (more broadly, increase space)

• Online education (move courses online, increase online offerings)

• Increase communication (from financial aid, on what makes their campus different, safety protocols, etc.)

• Make decisions for fall (moving online, housing, etc.)

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Recommendations

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• Flexibility: where possible offer more aid; flexible deadlines and/or Payment programs; Strengthen the tuition cost value proposition especially outcomes student’s program of interest

• COVID-19: communicate regularlyabout COVID-19 changes, let them know they will be the first to know

• Engage all students: Distance is relative. Though students may be concerned about living away from home and report looking for college closer to home, more that 50% of those unsure are looking at schools more than 50 miles away. How can you make your school feel like home?

So what more can colleges do?

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• Your campus and prospective students are unique. Nothing can beat the feelings and connections made on campus, but bring that sense of belonging and uniqueness to students through virtual events and campus tours.

• Be more deliberate about relationship building. Plan ways to connect new students with each other and with peers and faculty.

Highlight uniqueness

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Speak to concerns and new priorities

• Raise the visibility of online offerings. Speak to the quality and breath of courses and programs.

• Promote online courses and programs as an alternative to deferral.

• Look at strategies which emphasize local recruitment markets in a new way. Local students who had previously intended to attend campuses further away may now be more interested.

• Communicate the benefits of your campus setting– Urban campuses have heavier burden to prove they can be safe– Suburban/rural campuses may be more attractive

• Hear the voices of your prospect students.

Pivot to meet the needs of rising seniors

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