According to a recent survey, many US college freshmen this year are positively overwhelmed with work and are definitely low on emotional health. They all struggle to finance their higher education in spite of which you can find an encouraging, positive attitude. More than seventy percent of the students strongly believe that obtaining a higher education degree will help them with their earning power according to the University of California researchers.
John Pryor, the lead author, feels that students are extremely optimistic about their higher education experience in spite of being concerned and stressed out about our struggling economy. As compared to last year’s statistics, there was an increase of over 3 percent students who feel that they enjoy an above average emotional health according to the American Freshman: National Norms study. Pryor feels that this is an alarming situation.
Study also revealed that men showed higher emotional health levels as compared to women. Since the year 1985 from when this study has been conducted annually, this year shows the lowest emotional well being level.
According to Pryor, UCLA Higher Education Research Institute’s director, the reasons for this are not really clear. The result however strongly indicates that the stress of new social and academic environments combined with the discouraging economy is taking its toll on them. He went on to warn that this could spur them to take poor decisions in terms of alcohol consumption and management of time.
According to the American College Health Association’s mental health chairman Marcus Hotaling, the findings are not surprising. He said that in the year 1985, those facing mental health issues did not get into college.
Today, due to enhanced medications, reduced stigmas and better treatment options, they are able to continue with their higher education. People are open to discussions on mental health now, he said. Every student today is also aware that help is at hand whenever they require and are also aware of what they are dealing with.
71.2 percent freshmen rated their academic abilities above average and more than 75 percent of them said they had a great drive to succeed. Both the stress as well as optimism portrayed in the studies is embodied by at least 1675 students according to the Harvard University Dean of Freshmen Thomas Dingman. He said that most of them feel there is not much room for error because they come with high expectations and want to succeed.
Many freshmen feel that the pressure they go through in school continues on to college as they have to strive to retain their scholarship money by keeping up their GPA. Some freshmen are extremely happy with their college and get actively involved with activities on campus in spite of their heavy work load. Most however feels that if you do not know how to manage both, you may end up hugely stressed.
This study involved 279 four year universities and colleges spanning a total of 201,818 full time students.