SUNY schools across New York say applications for their 64 campuses are down by 20 percent.
SUNY Chancellor James Malatras says the drop is one of the largest in the 73-year history of the statewide college system.
He blames the ongoing pandemic for the huge fall off.
SUNY officials say their community colleges have been hit the hardest -- with almost 20-thousand fewer students taking courses in 2020 than in 2019.