When the pandemic hit, community colleges expected an enrollment surge. Recessions — a time when the newly unemployed are looking to learn new skills — can be good for two-year schools. Instead, this year has given way to steep declines in enrollment — nearly 10 percent across public two-year colleges — according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse. Enrollment at four-year public schools and at four-year private schools dropped about 2 percent.
