The COVID-19 pandemic has led to challenges in high-impact extra-curricular educational practice. Using cross-national, large-scale survey data, this study discusses the current state of participation of high-impact educational practices (HIPs) among Chinese and American undergraduates, changes in this participation over time, and the differences between undergraduates in the two countries in this regard, from 2018 to 2021. We find that participation in social practices was significantly greater than research-related and extended learning activities in both China and the U.S. The involvement of first-year undergraduates in the three typical HIP activities was lower than that of seniors, especially in doing research with faculty. American seniors participated more in service learning and study abroad than Chinese seniors. The proportion of senior students who had studied abroad was lower than the proportion of first-year students who planned to study overseas, particularly in China. COVID-19 led to a significant drop in participation in service learning and study abroad in China, and it also amplified the impact of institutional support on the participation of undergraduates in HIPs.