The coronavirus is impacting the majority of college campuses across the country, forcing many to close for the remainder of the school year. This is affecting methods of learning, teaching, and working for students, professors, and faculty.

As college applications are turned in and acceptance letters are sent out to millions of high school seniors eager to make the big decision on where they will attend class in the fall, universities across the country fear lower enrollments and anxiously await formal student acceptance processes and fall registrations.

The New York Times reported, “The pandemic has already cost universities millions of dollars. As they consider the possibility of remote classes into the fall, they’re worried about losing students, too…Already, colleges have seen their endowments weakened, and worry that fund-raising efforts will founder even as many families need more financial aid. They also expect to lose international students, especially from Asia, because of travel restrictions and concerns usually paying full tuition, represent a significant revenue source everywhere, from the Ivy League to community colleges.”

This is a busy time for high school seniors who are usually visiting campuses and going on campus tours to determine where they want to spend the next few years getting their education, but with campuses closed, that is not happening.

With no way of knowing how long campus closure will continue, current college students and potential college students are left with the uncertainty of how their education will continue. This can cause a drop in college enrollment numbers and contribute to high drop out rates.

The unexpected change from face-to-face to remote classes has impacted student’s mentally and financially, which can cause a delay for applying to college or determining if their safety and health is more important than continuing higher education all together. Many college students are in financial hardship with loans, debt, and job loss because of the pandemic, and with very little help for college students specifically, this can cause many to rethink higher education.

President David Greene of Colby College, a liberal arts school in Maine, said, “Our whole model of education and of its power comes from close human interaction…If we had to start in October instead of September, that is not a real problem for us, If we had to start in November instead of September, that’s probably not a real problem. What if we started in January and went through August? That would be a very different kind of problem.”

Although that approach might work for certain colleges, many are still left with the uncertainty of not being able to open campus back up for face-to-face learning. This will affect the number of students who do not come back and could cause many potential students to never start.

A great number of students also receive funding through special programs such as athletic scholarships, which is the only way they can afford to attend college, and without the athletics being held, there is no way for them to continue their academic careers.

All of these factors could cause a decline in higher education.