Student population numbers remain steady despite COVID-19 challenges

By Maddie Garvis//

A month after Hood College’s 2020 census, student population numbers have shown little change despite this semester’s online and hybrid learning format.

The 2020 census, finalized on Sept. 10, counted 1,131 full-time undergrads, 46 part-time undergrads, 149 full-time graduate students and 706 part-time graduate students. 

As of Oct. 16, the numbers are the mostly unchanged, with 1,124 full-time undergrads, 51 part-time undergrads, 149 full-time graduate students, and 729 part-time graduate students, according to Director of Institutional Research and Assessment Ross Conover. 

The steady numbers come at somewhat of a surprise as many students continue to struggle with the online class format. 

Jack Wilder, a junior at Hood, is struggling with the flow of online learning.

“It seems like every minute there’s something I could be doing on Blackboard whether it be a discussion board or one of the projects scheduled weeks in advance,” Wilder said, “It used to be you would go to class and your mind would be in class mode, then you would leave campus and you could relax except for a few assignments.”

Hood junior Jesse Johnson was a full-time student until Oct. 5, when she submitted the paperwork to officially leave Hood. 

“I struggle with focusing in a non-classroom environment, and with my ADHD it made attending class in my dorm room quite difficult,” Johnson said. “With the library being closed it made finding a quiet place to study difficult.” 

Johnson made the decision to leave school mainly so her grades this semester wouldn’t result in the loss of her scholarship. 

“Being close to losing my scholarship and failing out I elected to leave before that happened, so that I could return next school year with my scholarship intact,” Johnson said. “My hope is that by the fall 2021 semester things will be back to a more normal classroom setting.” 

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