COVID-19 Prevalence and Empty College Seats

21 Pages Posted: 26 May 2020 Last revised: 29 May 2020

Date Written: May 28, 2020

Abstract

Using the National Association for College Admission Counseling's annual list of colleges that have space for fall undergraduate enrollment with COVID-19 cases and deaths at the county level, this paper provides a first look at how COVID-19 has altered the admissions landscape for four-year schools. I find that a one standard deviation increase in deaths per 100,000 is associated with a 61 percent increase in the probability that a school reports available seats for first-year students, housing, and aid. For a one standard deviation increase in cases per 100,000, schools are 53 percent more likely to report openings. For a one standard deviation increase in the growth rate of deaths and cases, schools are 45 and 56 percent, respectively, more likely to report openings.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, college admissions, college enrollment

JEL Classification: I23, I22, I18

Suggested Citation

Mulholland, Sean E., COVID-19 Prevalence and Empty College Seats (May 28, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3610022 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3610022

Sean E. Mulholland (Contact Author)

Western Carolina University ( email )

United States

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.wcu.edu/semulholland/

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