Was it What You Expected? The Impact of COVID-19 on First-Year College Students

Oct 15, 2026

Fall 2020 COVID-19 restrictions on many campuses disrupted how first-year students expected college life to unfold. A Midwestern university survey assessed whether prior expectations misaligned with the campus reality and which areas showed the largest gaps. Course delivery shifted to online or hybrid formats, social gatherings were limited, and on-campus activities were restricted. Academic supports such as tutoring, writing assistance, and study groups were unavailable or reduced, with social opportunities emerging as the most cited mismatch.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose of the Study

Review of Literature

Student Expectations in University Life

Mismatch Between Expectations and Institutional Delivery

Effects of COVID-19 on Instruction and Student Experience

| | Was it What You Expected? The Impact of | | --- | --- | | | COVID-19 on First-Year College Students | Cathy J. Pearman, Ching-Wen Chang, & Annice H. McLean, Missouri State University Abstract Fall 2020, COVID-19 restrictions in place on most college campuses may have resulted in the reality of college life not aligning with student expectations. This survey study, conducted at a university in the Midwest, sought to determine the perceptions of first-year college students regarding whether there was a misalignment with their prior expectations and in which areas these misalignments existed, if they did exist. At this university, the COVID-19 restrictions resulted in changes in the delivery formats of courses, and restrictions of social gatherings and on-campus activities. In addition, academic resources such as tutoring, writing center assistance, and study groups were unavailable or curtailed in scope and operating times. This study focused on student perceptions of the impact of course delivery, academics, and social opportunities. The majority of the first-year students in this study reported they were unsure if the restrictions impacted their expectations of what college would be like academically but did report their belief that blended/hybrid courses better supported their learning than either synchronous or asynchronous courses. The largest factor impacting the misalignment of prior student expectations and the Fall 2020 college campus reality was linked to social activities and interactions with 60% of participants listing this as an area where the Fall 2020 college experiences did not meet their expectations. Keywords: COVID-19 college expectations, first-year college COVID-19 experiences, COVID-19 impact on college students Introduction As spring draws near on a high school campus, transitioning students look forward to graduation and enacting plans for their futures. Those who plan to attend college increasingly anticipate what they think college life will be like. Discussions of majors, classes, dorm room life, and more control over their social lives are topics they may examine. However, for students who began their college tenure during the COVID-19 pandemic, much of what they may have imagined did not transpire or did not transpire in alignment with their expectations. Courses were often converted to online, students could not gather in large numbers, social distancing was required, and masking became the norm. These students entered a college environment minus many of the elements they were excitedly looking forward to and minus interactions they thought they would have as more than 1,300 colleges and universities across the nation canceled in-person classes (National Conference of State Legislature, 2020). It stands to reason that these factors, which were fundamentally altered by the circumstances of the pandemic, affected student impressions and feelings of their first immersion into college life. What cannot be assumed is the scope and depth of impact of these factors and whether they will have lasting effects. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this survey study was to investigate the perceptions of students attending a midwestern university for their first semester in Fall 2020. This was the first semester students were physically on campus following the pandemic campus closing of Spring 2020. The questionnaire survey focused on course delivery, future academic decisions, social experiences, and expectations of this group. Knowledge of student perceptions of these key components may help colleges and universities better meet the needs of this group of students as they move forward in their education. Review of Literature Students always have expectations of what university classes and university life will be. They usually think about it, talk about it, and maybe even fantasize about it (Balloo, 2018; Briggs, 2006). They wonder how they will be assessed, what their professors will

FAQs

What did the study investigate about first-year students in Fall 2020?

It investigated students’ perceptions of whether their prior expectations matched the Fall 2020 college campus reality and which areas showed misalignment.

Which campus changes were associated with a mismatch in expectations?

COVID-19 restrictions altered course delivery formats, limited social gatherings and on-campus activities, and reduced availability of academic resources such as tutoring and writing support.

What factor most strongly linked to the largest expectation mismatch was social life?

The study reports social activities and interactions were the biggest factor, with 60% of participants listing this as an area where Fall 2020 experiences did not meet expectations.

Oct 15, 2026

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