The recent COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it an unprecedented amount of change to the daily lives of individuals around the world. Stay at home/safer at home measures have drastically limited individuals' face to face contact. College students have had to quickly adapt to new modes of instruction, including various forms of distance learning. Many colleges have yet to make final decisions regarding how instruction will be delivered in the coming semester. The uncertainty COVID-19 brings in regard to daily living and higher education pursuits may lead to a variety of negative outcomes for college students, including increased stress and anxiety and decreased academic performance. The current research examines how undergraduate students attending a small college in the Southwestern United States are coping with the pandemic compared to the general adult population. 289 participants completed survey items related to coping, hope, and personality. Results reveal that college students employ significantly more maladaptive coping strategies than the general population in response to the stress surrounding the pandemic. Additionally, they have significantly lower levels of hope and possess lower levels of conscientiousness, emotional engagement, and openness to new experiences. The results of this study have important implications for higher education institutions, who should take these findings into consideration as they make plans for the coming academic year.