Mental health
fromPsychology Today
22 hours agoCollege Setbacks and Failure-How to Bounce Back Stronger
Setbacks in college are common, and self-compassion and supportive self-talk can help students recover and grow.
I paid off my student loans like three months into 'The Pitt,' and that was a really profound moment 'cause I thought I was gonna die with it.
Michelle Medintz spent at least $5,000 in 2022 alone, largely on books. She created a 'cozy corner' in her classroom with shelves filled with books, cushions on the floor, and stuffed animals. 'That doesn't make me a better teacher than my colleagues,' Medintz said.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes the largest overhaul to the federal student aid system in decades, limiting loan repayment and debt forgiveness options for borrowers.
Social anxiety and depression had other plans, leaving me in an ugly cycle of self-isolation and rumination. Terrified of rejection, I'd meet someone interesting during one of my English lectures and invite them out for frozen yogurt in my head.
Sam, a 24-year-old from Odisha, sought to study abroad for better job prospects. After filling out forms, he received calls from education agents offering free services to help with university applications.
Growing up with limited money, I always viewed college as a safety net, an investment that would set me up for immediate success. I started saving for tuition in high school, worked full-time in college to avoid student loans, earned straight A's, and did all I could think of to guarantee financial success. I felt financially secure for a short time, but everything changed when I graduated.
Although higher parental education is associated with stronger student outcomes over all, the report found significant variation in completion rates within each parental education category. Among applicants classified as first generation-defined as students whose parents did not complete a bachelor's degree-six-year completion rates range from 58 percent for students whose parents have no college experience to 78 percent for those whose parents both hold an associate degree, a 20-percentage-point gap.
While overall more people are choosing college, there are important shifts happening in where students are going and where they're not. Enrollment at private four-year colleges is down. Fewer people are enrolled in master's degree programs. But enrollment is up at four-year public universities and at community colleges. There, it's driven by students choosing short-term credentials tied to the workforce.
It can be scary to borrow large student loans to finance an expensive college degree. There is a market failure, however, every time a student does not attend their preferred college, study their preferred major, or pursue their preferred career because they are afraid of student loans. Students should be free to pursue their passions - not forced into second-best choices because of the cost of the degree or the prospect of a lower income in the future.