The mental health level of college freshmen is at the lowest level it has been in 25 years, according to a survey conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute. In the Fall 2010 survey, "The American Freshman: National Norms," involving more than 200,000 incoming full-time students at four-year colleges, the percentage of students rating themselves as "below average" in emotional health rose. At the same time, the percentage of students who said their emotional health was above average fell to 52 percent, down from 64 percent in 1985.

University counselors say that the survey results reflect what they see in their offices: depressed students using psychiatric medication, often prescribed before they came to college. Brian Van Brunt, director of counseling at Western Kentucky University and president of the American College Counseling Association, testifies: "More students are arriving on campus with problems, needing support, and today's economic factors are putting a lot of extra stress on college students, as they look at their loans and wonder if there will be a career waiting for them on the other side."

In fact, many findings in the survey emphasize the degree to which the poor economy is weighing on students. Whether it is parental unemployment, the inability to secure a summer job, the increased need to take out school loans, or the importance of receiving financial aid, the students' responses pointed to high levels of stress as a result of the current economic situation.

And, if the obvious stressors of the recession and the pressures of high school weren't enough, there are other reasons we are seeing an increase in depression in college freshmen. Dr. Dan Gottlieb, in a February 7, 2011 interview on WHYY radio, discussed two of them. One reason could be that students are not having the college experience they had expected, and they are having difficulty coping with the disappointment. In addition, there are dramatic changes that occur in the brain during adolescence and post-adolescence, and this can have a great effect on one's mental and emotional state. And Dr. Gottlieb added that children are highly susceptible to absorbing their parents' stress -- financial or otherwise -- which can increase their own worries about college debt and job prospects.

Not all of the stressors are external. The decline in emotional health can also be correlated to pressure that the student puts on himself. At the same time that first-year students' assessments of their emotional health were declining, the ratings of their own drive to achieve, and of academic ability, reached a record high in 2010. About three-quarters of the respondents felt they were above average. Combine this with economic worries, plus a sense that this generation is likely to be less financially successful than that of their parents, and a perfect storm for anxiety and depression is created. Jason Ebbeling, director of residential education at Southern Oregon University says, "These days, students worry that even with a college degree they won't find a job that pays more than minimum wage, so even at 15 or 16 they're thinking they'll need to get into an M.B.A. program or Ph.D. program."

Another interesting finding that the study highlighted is a gender gap in many areas. Linda Sax, a professor of education at U.C.L.A. and former director of the freshman study, said the gap between men and women on emotional well-being was one of the largest in the survey. "One aspect of it is how women and men spent their leisure time," she said. "Men tend to find more time for leisure and activities that relieve stress, like exercise and sports, while women tend to take on more responsibilities, like volunteer work and helping out with their family, that don't relieve stress." For as much as men and women differed in their emotional well-being, there was an even larger gulf -- 39 percent of the women, and only 18 percent of the men -- when the survey asked about "frequently feeling overwhelmed." Furthermore, women make up 60 percent or more of the clients who seek out college mental health services. "Boys are socialized not to talk about their feelings or express stress, while girls are more likely to say they're having a tough time," said Perry C. Francis, coordinator for counseling services at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.

Now that we have the bad news, let's look at a few things that any student can do to alleviate stress and maintain a healthy mind and body.

• Exercise: studies have shown that regular exercise boosts mood and increases energy.

• Get enough sleep: we all know how we feel on those days when we don't get enough shut-eye. Chronic sleep deprivation aggravates depression, so forgoing that extra hour of poker (or study session in the library) might mean waking up in a better mood.

• Eat well: foods that give a long-lasting energy boost, such as whole grains, fruits & veggies, and proteins, are better than the usual college diet of beer and pizza.

• Drink in moderation: alcohol abuse used to mask feelings of discomfort or anxiety only exacerbates depression and makes the problems look worse the day after.

• Use counseling resources: the counselors are there for a reason -- use them!

• Understand that everyone has concerns: Dr. Mark Reed, a psychiatrist who directs Dartmouth College's counseling office, comments: "I don't think students have an accurate sense of other people's mental health. There's a lot of pressure to put on a perfect face, and people often think they're the only ones having trouble."

Free, no-obligation, proctored ACT and SAT practice exams are open to current students and to members of the community.  

The following exam dates are scheduled:

Penn Wynne Library
130 Overbrook Parkway
Wynnewood, PA 19096

Date:
Saturday, April 2, 2011
10:00 AM to 2:15 PM  

St. Paul's Church
120 N. Easton Road
Glenside, PA 19038

Date:
Saturday, April 2, 2011
9:00 AM to 1:15 PM  

This is a great opportunity for students to take the ACT or SAT in a simulated test center environment prior to sitting for the "real" thing.  Students will receive a detailed score report which includes an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses on the exam.

These free tests are offered by A+ on a no-obligation basis.

Space is limited, though, so call our office today at 215.886.9188 or 610.520.0537 to register.