We are deep in the mix of decision season - where colleges are informing excited young adults of their potential new home for the next four years. For many, this process is both exciting and daunting. 2020 was wrought with uncertainty, testing (no pun intended) even the most dedicated of students. While the work may seem complete when a student experiences the joy of being accepted to their schools of choice, for many students, the hardest part is still to come.
There are a number of reasons that selecting a school might prove the most difficult decision yet, but none are more important than the fact that this decision has so many ramifications for the student’s overall wellness. That is, the environment in which the student selects can play a role in how they experience stress, happiness, academic success, and social support.
So what factors go into this decision, and how do parents & other supports help guide the student? They include academic, social, and economic, but, perhaps surprisingly, other factors often are more important, such as specific institutional characteristics, size, and whether or not the student knows someone who attended and/or attends the school.
One factor that is often overlooked but can be the most important, is mental and emotional health and support. To most students, this seems like it might be the least important part - “I can figure out how to make friends, and find support if I need it; I will be living with a whole floor of people” I am told by many students. The unfortunate reality is that it is not nearly that simple. COVID has created the most unstable mental health environment that colleges have ever experienced, and many schools are not equipped to provide the resources that more students than ever before will need. This year, 82% of first year college students reported strong feelings of anxiety and 62% of students reported that their emotional health was worse than before COVID-19 started. As students are going into their first semester of college after a year of chaos, loss, and dramatic life change, emotional health and support has become even more important, the experiences of the students will be unprecedented - making this decision is even more important.
I support my students’ school decisions by helping them evaluate not just the school and their various programs and supports, but by assisting them in determining the other aspects of the culture of the school - what type of area is it physically located? Is it urban, rural, or somewhere in between? How enmeshed is the school with it the said environment? Do the hobbies, activities, and points of interest of the student align with what the school and its surrounding area can provide?
This year the goal of the student and their family when making a decision about college should be centered around helping to create a “whole” student. Promoting the school which your student chose because they love the beach, or because they love college football might be the best bet this year, not because you want them to neglect the other important aspects of being in college, but because this year, more than any other, the students need to love and participate in something that truly makes them happy. Sure, other factors such as education, size, and finances are important, but after 2020, we want to ensure that students are going into an environment where they can create balance and wellness first. Then and only then, can it be followed by getting a great education.
This year being accepted to college might be the easy part. It’s time to make some hard decisions.