Roughly half (49%) of Class of 2020 graduating seniors say their plans for after high school have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement (JA) and the PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF). Of those whose plans have changed, more than a third (36%) say they will now work, nearly as many (32%) expect to delay their start date for college and almost a fifth (16%) changed the career path they wish to pursue.

The survey of 1,000 U.S. teens graduating high school in 2020 was conducted by Wakefield Research for JA and PMIEF in support of new educational initiatives by the two organizations.

Survey findings include:

  • Forty percent of graduating seniors say they work. Of those who do, nearly half (49%) say they or their families depend on their income for living expenses
  • Four-in-ten (40%) say COVID-19 affected their plans to pay for college
  • More than a third (35%) who are planning to attend college now say they are less excited to go
  • Of those planning to attend college, their biggest concerns are the impact of COVID-19 on classes and academic quality (58%), dorm life (53%), athletics and school-sponsored events (44%) and dining halls (40%)

“It’s not surprising that the Class of 2020 has been reconsidering its plans in light of COVID-19,” said Jennifer Burk, President and CEO of JA Central Indiana. “I think what is surprising are the types of life-altering decisions being made now without a clear idea of what the coming weeks and months will bring. That’s why it’s imperative we get as much information as possible to teens to help them navigate these uncertain times.”

To help meet that need, Junior Achievement and the PMI Educational Foundation have teamed together on two educational initiatives to help teens better plan for the future. The first is the JA Economic Resources web site to help students and adults become educated consumers of economic information, featuring resources and information from PMIEF. The second is Project Management 4 All, a new online game that introduces teens to the concepts of project management and planning. A video that showcases project management careers complements the game.