The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on college enrollment: How has enrollment in criminal justice programs been affected by the pandemic in comparison to other college programs

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected various aspects of our lives. For many, it has affected their ability to attend school. While some have switched to online classes, others have had to drop or delay college until later. Using official enrollment data for 12 public universities in the State of Texas, this study explores the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on student enrollment in criminal justice programs. A series of statistical techniques, including t-tests comparing pre- and post-pandemic enrollment numbers and panel data analysis models, are utilized to investigate the trends and changes in the program enrollments between 2009 and 2021. While in alignment with the existing research on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on college enrollment in general the authors have found a negative statistically significant effect of the pandemic on total college enrollment for all universities in the sample, no statistically significant effect of the pandemic was found on enrollment in criminal justice programs at 12 public universities. The effect was also non-existent for engineering and all social science programs combined. In contrast to all other programs studied herein, enrollment in natural science programs was found to be positively associated with the pandemic. Authors offer an explanation for these findings as well as suggest ideas for future research.

The Unlearning of School Attendance: Ideas for Change

“…The findings (summarized in Section 2.3.1) have implications for micro-, meso-, and exosystem influences on attendance and absence, including learners' sense of alienation from school, teachers' confidence in using digital tools to facilitate engagement with schoolwork, schools' policies concerning educational formats to engage learners and support those who have difficulty attending school, and family-school contact to determine optimal learning pathways for learners. Korotchenko and Dobbs (2023) explored the impact of the pandemic on university enrollment in Texas, the USA, and argued that future research should consider the additional impact of the political environment in areas where universities are located (i.e., the macrosystem) and the extent to which universities have adapted to the new circumstances ushered in by the pandemic, such as the percentage of courses offered online (i.e., the exosystem). Niemi et al (2022) examined absenteeism and the symptoms and functions associated with absenteeism among Finnish adolescents with ADHD, relative to those without ADHD, accounting for other factors such as the family's socioeconomic status.…”

Embracing change: from recalibration to radical overhaul for the field of school attendance

“…This broader conceptualization also focuses attention on the value of post-secondary education, a topic addressed in another Research Topic in Frontiers in Psychology (Education Not Cancelled: Pathways from absence to post-secondary education). Post-secondary education is also addressed in the current Research Topic via Korotchenko and Dobbs' (2023) article about college enrolments (see Section 2.6).…”

“…The findings (summarized in Section 2.3.1) have implications for micro-, meso-, and exosystem influences on attendance and absence, including learners' sense of alienation from school, teachers' confidence in using digital tools to facilitate engagement with schoolwork, schools' policies concerning educational formats to engage learners and support those who have difficulty attending school, and family-school contact to determine optimal learning pathways for learners. Korotchenko and Dobbs (2023) explored the impact of the pandemic on university enrollment in Texas, the USA, and argued that future research should consider the additional impact of the political environment in areas where universities are located (i.e., the macrosystem) and the extent to which universities have adapted to the new circumstances ushered in by the pandemic, such as the percentage of courses offered online (i.e., the exosystem).…”

“…A sixth study, conducted by Korotchenko and Dobbs (2023), made use of official enrollment data as opposed to attendance data. The enrollment data pertained to post-secondary education, specifically universities in Texas, USA.…”