In New York City and across the country, college-going rates, especially for Black and Hispanic students, have dropped significantly since the beginning of the pandemic. Between fall 2018 and fall 2021, the total degree-seeking population at the City University of New York (CUNY) dropped by 11% (or roughly 28,000 students), with community colleges leading the way with an overall decline of 26%. This session will explore the reasons why so many high school graduates have opted out of college—either by not enrolling or by stopping out after one or more semesters. Although these trends mirror the national data for college enrollment in recent years, they are particularly worrisome for a city that has struggled to recover from the Covid downturn.
What will you learn?
- National and local trends on college and workforce participation among recent high school graduates
- Results from surveys and focus groups with young adults who’ve opted out of college since the beginning of the pandemic
- Field-level reflections on mind-set drivers for post-secondary planning, particularly amid Covid
- A funder’s response to supporting enrollment/re-engagement in partnership with local nonprofits and college/universities
Who should attend?
All interested funders in grantmaking, education, and related roles. What to expect: panel discussion followed by Q&A.
Speakers
- Adam Burns, Chief Operations Officer, Edge Research
- Dave Buie, College Advisor, Bronx Leadership Academy II
- Terrell Dunn, Partner, HCM Strategists
- Apurva Mehrotra, Education and Workforce Researcher, New York University – School of Professional Studies
- Richard Robinson, College Inquiry Coach, College Access: Research & Action
- Ron Russell, Executive Director, Epic Theatre Ensemble
- Cass Conrad (Moderator), Executive Director, The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation