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It’s a rough time for colleges — especially traditional liberal arts institutions.

 Enrollment was declining even before the pandemic

. This spring, most colleges sent students home for weeks of digital education. Some — like California State University, the nation’s largest public university system — have already announced an online-only fall semester.

But it’s an even rougher time for students. Many have complained that the online experience doesn’t warrant the same amount of tuition. Some have asked colleges for spring semester refunds. Others have

. Understandably, a growing number of high school seniors are rethinking next year’s plans. Some are opting for more affordable schools. Interest in

. And 1 in 6 students who planned pre-pandemic to be full-time students at four-year colleges this fall

 — even though many had already put down a deposit.

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

Could the pandemic change college forever?

Tuesday on MPR News with Kerri Miller, we aired the second of two shows about college in the time of COVID-19. Previously, we talked about 

how colleges are strategizing new ways of education and community experience

. For this show, we focused on the students. Is this the moment for students to reconsider how much they spend on a college education?

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: 

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Given the tanking economy, the price tag of many degrees and the likelihood of changes in the campus experience, is college still worth it?

Should students gamble on college this fall?

Go Deeper.

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