In August 2020, the EdWeek Research Center conducted a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 high-achieving recent high school graduates in order to better understand the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on these young people as they prepared to transition from high school to college and the workforce.
Survey results indicate most high-achieving graduates felt stressed about the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A substantial share reported that the pandemic altered their plans for school or work as they grappled with its far-reaching economic and educational effects. Although the ripple effects of the coronavirus are widespread, they hit those from low-income families the hardest. This report provides detailed findings.