Transitioning to College During COVID-19: Voices of City University of New York Students and Staff

• In Event: College Access During COVID-19

Abstract

In the decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, college enrollment was on the rise across the country; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to undermine decades of progress in the field of college access. As the largest college system--in the US city hardest hit by COVID-19, the City University of New York (CUNY) presents an important case to consider. In this paper, we draw on interviews with first-time college freshmen and CUNY administrators to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped CUNY enrollment, and what may have driven these enrollment shifts. Our findings shed light on recommendations that may guide CUNY and its peer institutions—even beyond the pandemic--in supporting college access.

Authors

• Melissa Herman, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Nicole S. Simon, City University of New York

• Maya Kaul, University of Pennsylvania

• Kianna Medina, MDRC

• Alex Roland

• Diana Cordova-Cobo, Teachers College, Columbia University