Survey finds fewer Black students applying for Pell grants; could signal steep COVID enrollment decline

A survey of more than 500,000 rising college freshmen, conducted earlier this month, discovered that the number of Black students who have submitted enrollment deposits and who have not yet filed for federal financial aid has more than doubled compared to this time last year. The increase among Black students is 138 percent, and 129 percent among Hispanic students.

The alarming downward trend in FAFSA filings could signal a steep COVID-19 enrollment drop at FAMU and other HBCUs who typically enroll large numbers of low-income students who depend on Pell grants.

“What we are seeing in deposits and FAFSA filing activity among students from historically underrepresented minority households points to worsening education equity gaps this fall,” said EAB Senior Director Molly O’Connor. “These are students who were planning to start school in August but who now may be at risk of forfeiting their deposits and missing out on college completely.”

The longer a person waits to enroll in college, the less likely he or she is to earn a bachelor’s degree. Enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics suggests that the likelihood of enrolling in a four-year program declined by 30 percent among students who took one year off. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Black and Hispanic families much harder than other populations in terms of both job losses and health impacts. 

Back in May, FAMU VP of Finance Alan Robertson outlined for Trustee several potential bleak revenue forecasts for the 2020-2021 school year based on 10, 15, 20 percent drops in enrollment.  The projections had the university losing anywhere from $22.3 million to $36.6 million, assuming the State of Florida kept funding levers at the 2019-20 level.