Preliminary figures suggest that Lafond is not the only New Hampshire student whose college decisions have been affected by the pandemic this year. According to data provided by the University System of New Hampshire and community college officials, Granite State community colleges and four-year institutions are seeing a drop in enrollment this fall, including the state’s public institutions.

The trajectory follows a national trend in higher education amid a public health crisis that has forced colleges and universities to quickly rethink the student experience. A review of 629 schools by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that as of Sept. 10, undergraduate enrollment had fallen 2.5 percent across all types of higher education institutions, while total enrollment had dropped 1.8 percent.