Abstract

In general, students experience extreme amounts of stress and anxiety during the school year, constantly focusing on their studies and exams. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new obstacles that people, especially students, had to face as a collective. This study analyzes the now larger gap that exists between social classes and how that affects students in terms of their technology access, living situation, and guidance. While disparities between social classes have been subject to much discussion before the pandemic, the current context has made the difference between social classes even clearer. The lack of resources among lower-income students is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and changed. Through an examination of online learning vs. in-person learning, social and economic effects of the pandemic, as well as interviews and data sets, I demonstrate the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on education and how this effect is more severe among lower-income students.