Impacts of the COVID-19 Transition to Remote Instruction for University Students

In March 2020, 234 students (77.50% female; 63.09% second-year, 28.33% third-year) enrolled in a psychological statistics course at a public university described their experiences during the first week of the COVID-19-related transition to remote instruction. Qualitative responses indicated 13 common concerns including financial, housing, and food insecurity; social life concerns; distress; sleep difficulties; and academic problems. Students with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to experience financial instability, food insecurity, and difficulty focusing academically.