Despite major changes to classes, student services and experiences, higher education appears to be surviving the fall semester. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant that it was not nearly as successful as previous years or as predicted. Undergraduate attendance plummeted 2.5 percent and international undergraduate enrollment was down 11 percent. This forced many colleges into a difficult position financially. Yet most are still choosing to enter the winter semester without changing their initial pandemic plans. Estimates show that the pandemic has cost higher education institutes over $120 billion. With COVID-19 cases increasing, enrollment rates declining and further budget cuts on the horizon, schools are expected to fare worse. In order to survive the year, colleges need to revisit what worked—and what didn’t—to save higher education.
