COVID-19 pandemic cuts enrollment at some Washington state colleges, forces others to reimagine higher ed

Washington’s colleges and universities were braced for a big drop in enrollment this fall, expecting college kids to opt out of remotely taught classes and defer their educations for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

The good news: Most kids showed up after all. The not-so-good news: Colleges are reporting that students from low-income families were more likely to hold back.

Students eligible for financial aid “were less likely to apply, less likely to deposit, and less likely to enroll at any institution,” said Jens Larson, associate vice president for enrollment management at Eastern Washington University, in an email. That trend is “disheartening and a new challenge,” he said.