The State Council for Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV) released two new analyses today that examine college enrollment at Virginia’s institutions of higher education and the student decision making process.

Enrollment Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels - Enrollment at Virginia’s colleges and universities largely recovered this fall from the significant drop that occurred during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new analysis by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. In fall of 2023, Virginia institutions reported 524,483 students enrolled, 375 fewer, or just 0.07% than in 2019. The number of students enrolled at public four-year institutions this fall is roughly the same as before the pandemic. Enrollment at private non-profit institutions exceed 2019 levels by about 5% while the public two-year institutions are down roughly 5%.

What We Know About College Decision Making – This analysis compiles data from nearly a dozen research reports to provide insight into the decision process of high school students. More than 75% of Virginia high school students plan to pursue some level of post-secondary education after graduation, but the analysis notes that many factors influence that decision including costs, stress, career uncertainty and opportunity costs. In addition, students from low-income families report that each step in the decision process is filled with various obstacles and uncertainty.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the state’s coordinating agency for higher education. With Pathways to Opportunity: The Virginia Plan for Higher Education, SCHEV is dedicated to making Virginia the best state for education by 2030. For more on this statewide strategic plan, visit schev.edu/TheVirginiaPlan. 

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