Study Notes the Emotional Fragility of Freshman Students

One of the reasons I’m a big fan of community colleges has to do with college readiness. And by college readiness, I don’t mean academic smarts or GPA potential. I am referring to the emotional strength needed to leave the cocoon of the family and move somewhere on one’s own. It’s a difficult transition for a great many 18 year olds.  For most teens, it’s the first time they’ve been on their own, and with the advent of social media, there’s often a lot of pressure to let loose and go crazy that first year.  Also, as parents, many of us may be more helicopter-ish than in years’ past.  But the world seems scarier in many ways, doesn’t it?

Whatever the reason, I have noticed that pressure and stress among freshman students is usually way higher than that of transfer students. During these crucial transition years, even 24 extra months can foster profound maturity, and help a student feel more grounded, focused, and self-confident when they head over to a four-year university.

And now a recent study seems to bear this out, examining the sometimes over-wrought and fragile emotional make-up of many freshman students.  So, if your son or daughter seems overly stressed or nervous, all the more reason to take it slow, and start building up with a community college transition.