During the COVID-19 pandemic, students in the K-12 system and at higher ed institutions fell behind in their academic preparation due to a lack of in-person learning. But remote learning impacted more than just students’ reading and writing skills; today’s college students are on a delayed trajectory of socio-emotional behavior development due to the pandemic, as well. A new report from EAB and Seramount found, among college-readiness metrics, students are struggling to meet expectations in and outside the classroom, which could have effects on their lives beyond education. The research, which connects a decline in student readiness from K-12 to early career employment, may be relieving to some higher education officials who think they’re the only ones encountering these challenges, says Carla Hickman, vice president of research at EAB. But the findings only reinforce higher education’s role to prepare students for their next steps, regardless of K-12 experiences.