The COVID Cohort

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began to substantially disrupt the education experiences of high school students, shifting learning from in-person to online or hybrid settings. The pandemic also caused unexpected changes in students’ college preparation experiences. 

The class of 2023 were in their freshman year of high school in 2020 and experienced substantial disruptions in their education. The pandemic was a defining aspect of these students’ high school journeys, leading to many circumstances that made their high school years different from those of other graduating classes. 

To understand how the pandemic affected students’ thoughts about their college and career choices, and to learn how students from this class prepared for college ACT surveyed a random sample of 12th-grade students in September 2022. 

In order to better understand the experiences of “COVID cohort,” ACT surveyed them on various topics about their learning and college-going plans. 

June 2023

Influence of the Coronavirus Pandemic on High School Seniors’ Views: College and Career Choices, Challenges, and Opportunities

Key findings include:

  • Forty-two percent of surveyed high school seniors reported the pandemic affected their thoughts on at least one college- or career-related choice, and one-third (33%) of these students changed their thoughts on two or more choices.
  • When it came to college and career perceptions, students in certain income and racial/ethnic groups were more likely to be affected by the pandemic than students in other groups.
  • Roughly four in 10 (42%) students in the low-income group reported that the pandemic influenced their thoughts about a future career.

October 2023

Supports Key to the College Preparation of Students From the COVID Cohort

Key findings include:

  • Most high school seniors felt academically prepared for college. A large majority (86%) felt very or mostly prepared for earning Bs or higher grades in most college courses. 
  • Students in urban areas were more likely than students in towns or rural areas to say that school staff helped them understand college application requirements.
  • A majority of college-bound students felt socially and personally prepared. Almost two-thirds (64%) rated themselves very or mostly prepared for making friends during their first semester in college, and 63% reported that they were very or mostly prepared for finding an extracurricular activity that they wanted to do. More than three-quarters (77%) reported they were very or mostly prepared for applying the life skills necessary to succeed in college, such as doing laundry and shopping for food. About two-thirds (65%) felt very or mostly prepared for managing their time to meet multiple demands.