Purpose: Given the disruption of the COIVD-19 pandemic in higher education, this study seeks to understand possible changes in students' ratings and textual reviews of higher education institutions posted on Niche College Rankings (niche.com) prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilized a text analytics technique to identify the positive and negative keywords of students' sentiments expressed in their textual reviews provided on niche.com. After identifying the positive and negative sentimental keywords, this study performed ordinal logistic regressions and analyzed the statistical effects of these positive and negative sentimental keywords on the types of student ratings of a higher education institution. Findings: Results from 15,666 online reviews provided by students on niche.com indicate the following. First, eight positive sentimental keywords such as "outstanding" and "love" have a significant impact on students' positive ratings of a higher education institution prior to COVID-19, whereas eight positive sentimental keywords such as "amazing" and helpful" have a significant impact on students' positive ratings of a higher education institution after COVID-19. Second, twenty-eight negative sentimental keywords such as "difficult" and "frustrating" have a significant impact on students' negative ratings of a higher education institution prior to COVID-19, whereas thirty negative sentimental keywords such as "complex" and "hate" have a significant impact on student negative ratings of a higher education institution after COVID-19. Originality/value: This study is one of the first few studies investigating higher education institution ratings and reviews provided by students. Additionally, this study provides an understanding of student positive and negative sentiments expressed in textual reviews posted prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic. By doing so, this study provides a basis for future research seeking to understand student textual reviews of higher education institutions. Additionally, this study offers higher education administrators some recommendations that may foster student positive campus experience while minimizing negative sentiments.