7 Ways the Pandemic Will Change College Forever

Colleges and universities face steep budget cuts, enrollment challenges and new types of competition as a result of COVID-19. We cover the changes you'll see on campus this fall -- and beyond.

A college graduate wears a face mask and a cap and gown
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(Image credit: Getty Images)

The pandemic will force major changes in higher education — not just in the fall but for years to come, as colleges and universities face steep budget cuts, enrollment challenges and new types of competition.

Adapting won’t be easy, and institutions that don’t embrace change will likely suffer. Many schools will be forced to shut down or merge. Two hundred or more institutions, mostly very small schools, could close in the coming years.

Policymakers in Washington will keep a close watch on these sudden changes in higher ed, which will influence updates to federal student loan programs, grants, and more.

John Miley
Senior Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter

John Miley is a Senior Associate Editor at The Kiplinger Letter. He mainly covers technology, telecom and education, but will jump on other important business topics as needed. In his role, he provides timely forecasts about emerging technologies, business trends and government regulations. He also edits stories for the weekly publication and has written and edited e-mail newsletters.

He joined Kiplinger in August 2010 as a reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, where he wrote stories, fact-checked articles and researched investing data. After two years at the magazine, he moved to the Letter, where he has been for the last decade. He holds a BA from Bates College and a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Northwestern University, where he specialized in business reporting. An avid runner and a former decathlete, he has written about fitness and competed in triathlons.