Many college
students are in peril of not graduating within four years right from the first
week of their freshman year. While money is often the culprit, some students experience
difficulties settling into campus life and eventually decide to either drop out
or transfer.
In an
article in The Washington Post,
admissions directors noted today’s freshmen are not as prepared to live
independently as previous generations. This may be the first time they’ve had
to share a room with anyone. They’re not as proficient at planning out their
day and dividing their time among numerous responsibilities and activities.
Some
students, especially if they’re among the first in their families to attend
college, fear they’re less capable to handle classwork than their peers. That
may cause them to forgo fun activities in order to spend all their time on
studying, leading to academic burnout.
Social
media can provide students with a lifeline back to their families and hometown
friends when they need a little emotional boost, but it can also be a retreat
to hang out with high school buddies instead of pushing themselves to meet new
people and engage in new experiences. Social media can also set up too-high
expectations and unrealistic comparisons.
Admissions
directors also point to collegiate marketing messages and entertainment media
as portraying the college experience as the “best years” of anyone’s life.
“The
truth is college years are not the best of your life,” said one director. “They’re
just incredibly unique. There’s a big difference.”
