The Higher Education Series, which was introduced late last week, is a series of questions designed to look at the impacts of the pandemic on post-secondary education in the United States over the next several years. Questions like these have enormous influence on the decisions of policy makers, university and college presidents and administrative staff, as well as students and faculty members. Asking questions surrounding employment, enrollment, financial aid, and student well-being, this series aims to target the future implications of the pandemic on the short and long run economic health of America. The ability to maintain strong educational institutions that provide the next generation's thinkers and leaders is imperative. However, it is currently challenged by school closures, massive changes in teaching styles and platforms, lack of access, and increasingly apparent inequality. With many colleges and universities unsure on how to proceed entering the next school year, answering questions such as these could help create safer and more accurate models for how schools and higher education institutions should open and run.

Currently, this series is comprised of ten questions, with possible additions in the future when more data becomes available to analyze and answer them.

Here are the Higher Education Series questions:

1) What will the percent difference for inflation-adjusted tuition between public and private universities and colleges be in the 2020-2021?

2) If the current political presidential administration is elected in November of 2020, will all public schools (post-secondary and lower) be open by January 2021?

3) What percentage of recent college graduates will be unemployed in the first and second quarters of 2021?

4) What mean percentage of students will be served by counseling services in US baccalaureate institutions in the school year 2020-2021?

5) How much money will the federal government spend in millions on student loans in the 2020-2021 school year?

6) What will total enrollment for recent US high school graduates be in US colleges in 2021?

7) What will the Cohort College Participation Rates (%) for the lowest family income quartile for dependent 18-to 24-year-olds be in 2021?

8) Will the nominal salaries of tenured professors in the US decrease in the school year 2020-2021 from reported salaries in 2019-2020?

9) Will four or more Ivy League colleges and universities in the United States increase their overall acceptance rates by over 3% in the 2021-2022 school year (class of 2024)?

10) What will state expenditure from state and local tax revenue on higher education per capita be in 2021?

The complete set of questions can be found here.

Huge thank you to Tamay and Gaia for their support and advice, and to all the users who have contributed predictions and suggestions on the series already.

Happy predicting!