How Do Mental Health Issues Affect Community College Students?

Mental illness is still somewhat of a taboo subject, even though it affects millions of Americans of all ages. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 1 in 5 American adults suffer from some form of mental illness but only 41% of those with mental illness ever seek treatment. The stigma against mental illness makes it difficult for people who struggle with it to reach out for help, especially when they are young and may not be sure what’s going on.

Unfortunately, mental illness is very common in college students and it can impact more than just academic performance – it can affect quality of life as well. Keep reading to learn more about common mental health issues as well as the challenges they create for students and how to manage them.

Understanding Common Mental Health Issues

There are many different forms of mental illness and they affect people in different ways. Though mental health issues are vast and varied, there are some more common than others. The top mental health issues facing college students include the following:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating Disorders
• Addiction

Depression is not just one of the most common forms of mental illness overall – it also affects as many as 36% of college students on some level. This condition is characterized by low mood, sadness, hopelessness, and changes in sleep, weight, and appetite. Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults over the age of 18, but only 30% ever seek treatment. This condition causes irritability, stress, fearfulness, sweating, irregular heartbeat, and headaches.

Everyone experiences stress from time to time but, for many college students, stress is a constant companion. The pressure of maintaining good grades in multiple classes while engaging in extra-curriculars and keeping up with friends can be draining and, in some cases, it leads to anxiety, depression, or more serious consequences. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common causes of stress in college as well as its effect on your mental and physical health. You’ll also receive some tips for reducing and managing your stress.

Why is College So Stressful?

According to the National College Health Assessment, nearly 50% of undergraduate students reported feeling overwhelmed by their academic responsibilities. Furthermore, the National Institute of Health reports that 30% of college students experience profound depression, the symptoms of which are often confused with extreme stress. But what is it that makes college so stressful? Here are some of the most commonly reported causes of stress in college students:

• Living away from home for the first time
• Pressure to perform well on school work and tests
• The financial burdens of college
• The pressure to land a good job after school

Though college can be a great time to explore new things and to blaze your own trail, for many students it is their first time being away from home and that can be challenging. Living in an unfamiliar environment around unfamiliar people can be overwhelming for the first few weeks of school and some students take longer than others to develop a support network.

Though many people assume that community college is somehow less of a “real” school than traditional colleges and universities, students at community college must go through the same admissions process. Community colleges each have their own set of requirements for potential students which vary depending on a number of factors. The size of the school, its location, and the programs offered will all affect the admissions process.

Though each school is unique in terms of its requirements, the same basic rules apply for all college applicants. You’ll need to have some kind of standardized test score (either SAT or ACT) and a high school transcript. You may be required to submit letters of recommendation and some kind of personal essay. The admissions team will also want to know about any extra-curricular activities you’ve been involved in because they are looking to create a diverse, well-rounded student body. Keep reading to learn some simple tips for bulking up your community college application.

What Do Admissions Officers Look For?

When a college admissions officer looks over your application, there are several things they’re going to look for. First of all, they’re going to look at your high school transcript but, despite what you might have been told, your grades aren’t the only thing they consider. More important than the grades you get in your classes are the classes themselves as well as the difficulty of the high school curriculum as a whole. Admissions officers look to make sure that students take at least

There comes a point in every person’s life where you just feel ready for a change. Perhaps you’ve been a stay-at-home parent for the past few years or maybe you’ve been working the same job since you graduated high school. No matter what your current situation, it is normal to wonder if there might be something better out there for you.

Unfortunately, suddenly picking up and changing your life isn’t as easy as you might like – especially if you are considering a career change. With the cost of college tuition rising steadily, more college graduates enter the workforce each year with limited work experience and low wage expectations. In many fields, it’s impossible to get a job unless you have a degree but, even so, that degree may not be worth much.

So, what do you do if you want to change careers in the middle of your life and you don’t have the knowledge or experience to do it on your own? Consider going to community college. Many community colleges offer prerequisite classes that can prepare you to transfer to a traditional school if you have a particular career path in mind, or you can enter a vocational training program. Either way, choosing community college will save you some money and put you on the path to your new future. Keep reading to learn more.

Thinking of Changing Careers? You’re Not Alone!

Hundreds of years ago you would have been considered old at the age of 30. Today, however, people are

Many people make comparisons between community colleges and “real” colleges, perpetuating the idea that a community college education is somehow less valid than one from a traditional four-year university. Community college has long been stigmatized but more and more students are taking to social media to proudly declare their support for this type of education. There will always be people who look down on community colleges and the students who attend them, but the truth is that the line between community college and “real” college is becoming more and more blurry.

Overview of Recent Posts on Social Media

Both community colleges and traditional four-year universities are a type of higher education, but many people make an unfavorable comparison between the two. Though there are many who think that a community college degree is somehow less valuable than one attained at a private college or state university, many community college students are proud of their educational choices. Here are some posts from social media in the spring of 2017 that show a trend toward greater support for community colleges and the students who attend them:

On June 3, twitter user Alexis Isabel posted, “I hate seeing people be ashamed to be going to community college. College is college. I’m proud of everyone who is trying their best.”

On June 3, twitter user @TKVSH posted, “Ya’ll shaming people for going to a community college instead of a university?? In this economy?????”

On June 1, twitter user Brady Bates posted, “Why do people say ‘there’s nothing wrong