Class of 2022: Planning for the Future in Uncertain Times

Survey
May. 2022
Sample Size: 22,219
Demographics: High school students
Topics: Student Support Admissions And Enrollment Value Affordability

Top Findings:

  • 1 in 4 seniors in the class of 2022 have changed their plans since the start of the pandemic.
  • Seniors in the class of 2022 who are Hispanic or Latinx, Black or African American, or boys/men are less likely to want to go to college compared to these groups in the class of 2019.
  • Nearly half of all seniors in the class of 2022 expect to attend a four-year college, yet differences by race, ability, language, school poverty level, and gender reveal concerning expectation gaps. Fewer seniors now consider two-year programs than in 2019.
  • Fewer seniors in the class of 2022 report participating in career counseling and college financial counseling than in 2019, with significant drops for students who are Hispanic or Latinx, multi-racial, boys/men, and attending rural schools. Most seniors now have an adult they could ask for a recommendation, but this support is unevenly experienced.
  • A higher proportion of seniors in the class of 2022 who are transgender, gender non-binary, prefer to self-describe their gender, or members of the LGBTQ+ community seriously consider dropping out as compared to their peers.