New research from the National Bureau of Economic Research links fully virtual K-12 instruction during the 2020-21 period to fewer students applying for and enrolling in college. The paper reports that FAFSA submission rates fell by 4.2 percentage points when schools went remote and first-year college enrollment declined by 2.5 percentage points. The study also finds reduced ACT participation, with test-taking dropping by 4.8 percentage points, and notes that FAFSA and college-going participation did not meaningfully rebound even after in-person operations resumed. Researchers attribute at least part of the effect to weakened expectations among students about whether college was feasible or worthwhile. The strongest impacts appear in higher-poverty schools, underscoring continuing recruitment and financial-aid outreach needs for first-generation and low-income students.