The COVID-19 pandemic affected many areas of education leading to long-lasting changes. In this study we analyze the viewpoints of 287 high school seniors that graduated in 2022 regarding how the pandemic influenced their choice to continue their education. Our findings show that the isolated and restricted academic environment experienced through the pandemic affected a small number of students' choice of higher education. Importantly, their heightened awareness and concerns for institutional constraint, their family(ies), and issues related to health appear to have influenced their choice of college location.