About
48% of college students indicated mental-health issues such as stress and
anxiety were among their biggest challenges during the fall 2016 term. That
could be a red flag for higher-education institutions, as students who reported
issues with mental health also had problems staying motivated, felt less
satisfied with their school, often didn’t feel as if they belonged, and were more
likely to consider transferring or even dropping out.
The
finding was part of the Student Panel survey conducted in December 2016 by NACS
OnCampus Research.
Half
of survey respondents pointed to time management as among their biggest
challenges last fall. However, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear,
time-pressed students were more apt to feel connected to their school and less
likely to be thinking about leaving.
Students
who took part in at least one school organization or activity also reported
feeling a greater sense of belonging to their institution.
More
than three-fourths of students said campus activities enabled them to meet new
people and 60% made more friends through activities. Almost half rated these
activities as very or extremely important.
