Photo: The Chronicle

Last spring, many college leaders, pundits, and observers expected most colleges to endure a doomsday scenario—plunges in enrollment and tuition revenue—in the fall.

But the sky didn’t fall, at least not on everyone. As in the broader society, the pandemic disproportionately affected lower-income and minority communities. Community colleges saw enrollments drop steeply. But many four-year institutions lost relatively few students. State tax bases proved more resilient than expected. While the pandemic has had a significant and likely lasting impact on colleges, it hasn’t proved to be the financial disaster widely anticipated a year ago. 

To date, 45 states have set college attainment goals, and adult students are key to reaching those goals. So understanding the needs of adults and how they differ from students right out of high school is essential.

Today, we have some fresh insights. A newly released Mathematica study draws on data from its four-year evaluation of Adult Promise Programs. Currently underway in 15 states, these programs offer enhanced financial assistance and other key supports for adult students who want to keep learning and increasing their earning power.

A recent 13-second TikTok video produced for Cape Fear Community College has 95,000-plus views, 6,000 likes, and 130 comments. And that’s not even the college's most-watched post. One video on community college stigma garnered more than a million views in September 2020, two months after the college started its TikTok account.

Cape Fear isn't the only community college to branch into TikTok. Community College of Philadelphia, Calhoun Community College in Alabama, and Northern Virginia Community College are using the social media platform as one of several strategies to engage prospective students and potentially make up for enrollment losses caused by the pandemic.