ERIC Number: ED610195
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Dec
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Impacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Incoming High School Seniors' Postsecondary Plans. ACT Research & Policy. Insights in Education and Work
Howland, Shiloh; Moore, Raeal; Sanchez, Edgar I.
ACT, Inc.
Across demographic groups, incoming seniors (class of 2021) have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and some have altered their college plans accordingly. Most seniors are planning to attend the same type of institution they were planning on before the pandemic, but about half are planning on a different institution, one closer to home, or one with lower tuition. Notwithstanding the dramatic changes that occurred in education this past spring, they are confident about their plans. However, they are concerned about how their academic preparation, including preparing for admissions tests like the ACT® or SAT, has been affected by the pandemic. First generation students and students in the lowest family income bracket (< $36k) are feeling the least motivated to prepare for the ACT or SAT. In June, the authors reached out to rising high school seniors and received responses from 2,965 students. The authors asked how the pandemic had affected them in the previous year as juniors, how it was affecting their plans for college, and how they feel it has altered their ability to be prepared for college, including preparing for the ACT test. In this paper, the authors share what they learned from the student responses to the survey questions, including the comments they made in response to open-ended questions.
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, High School Students, College Attendance, Student Attitudes, Decision Making, College Readiness, College Entrance Examinations, High School Seniors, Planning, Barriers, Change, Attention, Readiness, Test Preparation, Student Motivation
ACT, Inc. 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168. Tel: 319-337-1270; Web site: http://www.act.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Policymakers; Teachers; Counselors
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: ACT, Inc.
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: ACT Assessment; SAT (College Admission Test)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A