The traditional residential college experience is transforming. Driven by rising costs, declining enrollment, and student demand for flexibility, small private colleges are rethinking their academic models. A 2022 McKinsey & Company survey found that 65 percent of higher education students want aspects of their learning experience to remain virtual, even post-pandemic. This shift signals a growing appetite for hybrid environments that blend campus life with scalable online access. What does a hybrid future look like for small colleges, and can it preserve the heart of the campus experience while offering students more?
