The future of in-person classes for colleges and universities around the U.S. is still up in the air, as COVID-19 infections continue to build to record levels. With so much uncertainty, some schools are canceling in-person classes and offering more online courses. This leaves many students wondering if they should be paying full tuition for a potentially all-online curriculum.
According to the College Pulse Survey, over 90 percent of all U.S. college students said they should pay less tuition for online classes due to COVID-19 restrictions. The survey was conducted with 5,000 full time undergraduates at more than 200 universities across the country.
Overall, the survey showed that roughly 70 percent of students agreed with the way their school was handling the coronavirus pandemic. When it comes to online learning, however, students were more negative, with 54 percent saying faculty haven’t handled the transition well and 73 percent saying online learning is less effective than in-person teaching.
Educational institutions may need to act fast in order to continue attracting students near the levels before the pandemic. Early evidence is showing incoming undergraduates are choosing more local and regional colleges as opposed to ones half way across the country, in an effort to anticipate how the in-person college experience may be put on hold at least until next summer.
