College enrollment fell for the spring 2021 semester to a level not seen for a decade due to the “severe impact” of coronavirus school closures, mandates, and lockdowns, national data showed.

The number of spring students dropped to 16.9 million from 17.5 million in 2020, a 3.5% dip, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse. The semester’s decline is “seven times worse” than 2020’s reduction in those seeking higher education, and researchers said it is the “largest decline in year-over-year percent change and student headcount since spring 2011.”