Survey: 4 of 5 Students Face Disruption From Virus

Students whose lives were significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic may change their plans to remain or re-enroll in college.

A survey from ReUp Education, a company that helps institutions retain and re-enroll students, found that only one out of five of the 678 students surveyed said they are facing no disruption from the virus.

About 40 percent of those who said they are facing major disruptions are either significantly or moderately less likely to re-enroll in college. Only 12 percent of those who face no disruptions said the same, and 22 percent of those who face moderate disruptions.

Students at two-year institutions were more likely than those at four-year institutions to say they expect to face significant disruption from the health crisis.

A top concern is finances, the survey found. Nearly half of those surveyed who said they face significant disruption from the pandemic said that managing financial pressure is the biggest factor in their decision making on whether to re-enroll. The second largest factor is balancing work with school.

The survey also found that those who had completed more than one term were more likely to say COVID-19 won't negatively impact their decisions on re-enrollment. Another bright spot are colleges' communications. Close to 60 percent of respondents said their school has been at least moderately effective in communicating information and policies during this time.