Fewer first-time freshman are enrolling in college amid distance learning, COVID-19 Amid COVID-19, fewer high school graduates are signing up for college courses. KFSN Share: Amid COVID-19, fewer high school graduates are signing up for college courses. "Our presidents and all of their staff, they're meeting virtually as a group and individually every week and trying to figure out how we can encourage students to enroll," said the State Center Community College District Chancellor Paul Parnell. A recent study found that far fewer high school graduates in the U.S. went to college last fall, declining by over 20%. In the Valley, community colleges say they're feeling the drop in enrollment across the board.