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- Lower levels of anxiety
- Higher levels of Self-Esteem

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- Live longer and healthier lives
- More likely to have health Insurance and better health insurance coverage

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Jessica A. Gold is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University in St Louis and a staff psychiatrist at Habif Health and Wellness Center.
In a few short weeks, many students will arrive on campus for the first time. Like any transition, starting college can be stressful. For some, it is their first experience away from home or with this much independence

College is exciting in many ways and allows students to explore their identities outside the confines of their families as they grow into their adult selves. Yet, exploration often brings social pressures to conform, and college students can struggle with issues of work/life balance, impostor syndrome (doubting one's accomplishments, particularly in comparison to others' perceived successes), and the pressure to sleep less, socialize more, and experiment with drugs and alcohol.

Young adults in college, particularly international students who may live thousands of miles from home, may also feel disconnected from their prior social support system as they encounter new people, values, and life experiences.

In addition to the changes that are a part of normal development and major life transitions, college students are at risk for developing mental illness. The stress of school may exacerbate existing conditions, and the onset of some psychiatric disorders - including serious ones like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - typically happens before the mid-20s; some even peak during the college years. As such, prevention and recognizing the warning signs of deteriorating mental health are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

While the transition to college can be challenging, most students eventually acclimate to their new surroundings. As a mental health provider on a college campus, I compiled some tips to help you make a smooth transition to college and maintain balance and well-being as a student.

1. Prioritize Your Sleep

Seemingly every day I advise students to sleep more and work less. It often feels like there are not enough hours in the day for college students to do everything they want to do, whether that means going to class, studying, socializing, working, sports, or other extracurricular activities. In this atmosphere of constant activity, sleep is often the first thing to go.

In college, it is almost a badge of honor to "pull an all nighter." It doesn't matter how cool it may be or how many more hours you could spend studying by staying awake, getting enough sleep is critical to your health and well-being in college. Without good sleep, you are at risk of developing both physical and mental illness, and you also become less able to function in all those areas you wanted to excel in in the first place (in particular, school).

You can often improve your sleep by practicing better sleep hygiene. Below are some practical tips to help you get a better night's sleep.

Go to sleep and wake up at the same times every day

Don't drink caffeine too late at night

Avoid napping during the day

Use your bed only for sleeping

2. Exercise

Exercise can help with your sleep and also improve your overall wellness. Among students I see, their relationship with exercise varies significantly. Some students exercise to relieve stress, and even when they are very busy, will prioritize fitting it in. Others will let it be one of the first things to drop off when they get busy or overwhelmed.

If you are in the first category, be sure you are using exercise as a healthy coping mechanism and that you are not over-exercising to the point of hurting yourself or losing too much weight. If you belong to the second category, I recommend finding ways to incorporate exercise, even if it is just a walk around campus, when you are feeling stressed out.

3. Eat a Balanced Diet

Eating healthy in college can be a challenge when relying on dining halls instead of home-cooked meals, or when your finances limit your food options. The Center for Young Women's Health and Nutritious Life provide useful guides for how to evaluate your food options.

One key to healthy eating is to be aware that with odd studying hours and class schedules, you might get hungry. Get used to carrying healthy snacks that you like.

If you are a person who has struggled with eating, college can be a particularly triggering time. This is because restricting what you eat, binge eating, or purging is often about control and self-esteem. When you are stressed with school or sports, you can feel both out of control and bad about yourself.

If you notice you begin to resort to unhealthy patterns of behavior you had before college or you develop new ones, you should contact the student health center and they can help you get seen by nutrition, primary care, and/or mental health professionals. This is something you should do right away as eating disorders are some of the most dangerous illnesses we see.

4. Take Time for Self-Care

Yes, you are in college to learn and make new friends and experience new things, but it is easy to forget yourself in the equation. This can lead to worsening wellness and health overall. No matter how busy you are, you need to learn to schedule time to do something you will enjoy or that relaxes you. Some might enjoy a massage, going to a movie, or doing a hobby; others might prefer yoga or mindfulness. Students can greatly benefit from focusing on the here and now, particularly when anxious, and can improve their skills with meditation apps like Headspace.

5. Understand the Risks of Substance Use

College students struggle with the pressures to use and experiment with drugs and alcohol. This is particularly true given the normalization of binge drinking on college campuses, shifting attitudes towards marijuana use, and the prevalent use of JUUL and other e-cigarettes.

It is important that students understand the real risks associated with drug use and are making informed, not socially determined, decisions. For example, while students may think that marijuana is harmless, it carries many risks, particularly to mental health. As such, it is important that students monitor their behaviors and frequency/amount of use. It is also helpful for students to socialize outside of the parties and consider fun ways to be with their friends in substance-free ways.

6. Know About Sexual Health and Safety

When talking about health in college, sexual health cannot be neglected. Students should practice safe sex and understand methods of protection and birth control, as well as where and how to access STI screenings at a college health center.

Additionally, students should talk about consent and safety in intimate relationships. Sexual assault is, unfortunately, extremely common on campuses. Some schools have bystander trainings, which arm students with resources to help their peers in the moment. It can also help for students to familiarize themselves with reporting mechanisms on campus and their mental health treatment options, particularly for trauma.

7. Become Health Literate

One of the biggest struggles for students when it comes to wellness and managing their mental or physical health is that, for the first time, they have to do it completely on their own. This means they must make their own appointments, understand what is being said, ask their own questions, and take and refill their own medications.

Ideally, before arriving at school, health literacy should be something students talk about with their parents, especially if they are already on medication. Students can benefit from this conversation even if they don't have any health issues, as I cannot tell you the number of students who do not understand how to ask a doctor for a refill and simply run out of medication instead.

Understanding Mental Illness and How to Get Help

As a student health psychiatrist, I know that mental illness is not only common in college students, but the severity and need is increasing. If a friend in your peer group is struggling, it can also be difficult not knowing how to help them. Mental health challenges can be debilitating to you and your goals, as you may struggle socially and academically when your mental health worsens. Read on to learn more about how you can help yourself and your friends.

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Mental Illness

Besides changes in sleep and eating patterns, which are warning signs of worsening mental health, you may notice changes in behavior, such as not wanting to socialize or engaging in risky behaviors. You may also notice changes in mood and even speech, such as when someone is talking really fast or maybe they are "all over the place" in what they are saying. If you are noticing subtle changes to how you are feeling, track them using a worksheet like this one provided by Therapist Aid or on an app. If it feels like your mood is constantly changing or interfering with your life, get help! If you ever want to learn more, you can always turn to trusted resources like the National Alliance on Mental Illness or the American Psychological Association.

Know How, and Be Willing, to Get Help

Familiarize yourself with the resources available on campus that can help you cope with mental health challenges. A good place to start is the website of the student health center, which may have resources for dealing with crises and routine needs, such as therapy, psychiatry, group therapy, and online programs. Often, students struggling with their mental health wait too long to get help, coming in when their symptoms are already quite severe and more difficult to treat. It is better to use the system in a preventive manner. In the case of an emergency, however, familiarize yourself with the suicide hotline number (there is even a specific one for trans students) and other crisis resources.

Access Learning Resources on Campus

Many students, particularly those with learning disabilities or ADHD, require accommodations to better succeed in college. This may mean extra time on tests, or testing in a quiet environment, which can be key to academic success in college. For students who previously had high school accommodations, they should contact this office before school even begins to learn how the college can help. For others, particularly with new diagnoses, this is something they should be aware of, learn more about, and ask/advocate for. Often these centers can help with organization and tutoring in addition to testing and note-taking help.

This is not, by any means, a complete list of tips for a healthy college experience, but it is a start. It is my hope that focusing on these concepts will make the transition, much less stressful, and much more fun.

Additional Resources

National Association for Anorexia Nervosa

A nonprofit organization, ANAD strives to promote positive eating habits and behaviors and increase national awareness about the causes, effects, and treatment possibilities for people with eating disorders.

ULifeline

This online resource for college students seeking mental health wellness provides a wealth of information, such as tips on how best to help friends in crisis and ideas for developing better wellness habits.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

ADAA is dedicated to promoting the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, and related disorders. Its site offers insight into understanding depressive mental illnesses, provides links for those seeking help, and identifies mobile apps designed to help people living with depressive illnesses.

Active Minds

Active Minds is an organization dedicated to educating and changing the conversation about mental health on college campuses. The organization administers over 400 chapters on campuses across the U.S. that teach prevention techniques for students and faculty. The Active Minds website offers a list of resources for students in a crisis, and features a therapist/counseling search tool for locating professionals in your area.

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How to Maintain Mental and Physical Health in College | BestColleges.com

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Jessica A. Gold is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University in St Louis and a staff psychiatrist at Habif Health and Wellness Center. In a few short weeks, many students will arrive on campus for the first time. Like any transition, starting college can be stressful.

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-  Job security and Job Stability (college graduates have higher rates of employment and are less likely to be laid off.)
- Career Advancement (greater opportunity to move up to higher level positions.)

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by Becton Loveless

Earning a college degree is such an important step in life that it has become a central part of the "American Dream". Go to college, get a job, buy a house, raise a family. It may not always be that simple, but it all starts with your college education.

Earning a college degree is all about opening up opportunities in life. It prepares you, both intellectually and socially, for your career and your adult life. The benefits of a college education include career opportunities like better paying and higher skilled jobs, but studies have shown that it also leads to overall happiness and stability.

Many people know that they want to attend college, but don't know exactly why, or how it will enrich their lives. Below are some of the many benefits of earning a college degree.

1. Make More Money

For most people, the ability to earn more money is the driving force behind going to college. A post-secondary degree, whether it is a bachelor's, master's or PhD, is the most common route to careers that demand higher skills and offer higher pay.

Studies show that college graduates earn significantly more money throughout their lifetime than those with only high school education.

According to a national report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (sheeo.org), high school graduates earn an average of almost $30,000 per year. Bachelor's graduates earn an average of just over $50,000 a year. And those with a higher level degree (master's, doctorate or professional) average nearly $70,000 per year. This translates to a significant earnings gap over the course of one's life.

Earnings potential varies depending on what field you work in. For example, a master's degree in education or nursing won't lead to nearly as much wealth as a master's degree in engineering or business. But education and nursing are far and away the most in-demand professions out there. If you enter one of these fields, you're likely to find a good job somewhere - even if it doesn't pay as well a job in engineering or business.

There is still an income disparity in gender and race. White males tend to make more money than their non-white-male counterparts. But relative to all gender and racial demographics, earnings potential still increases dramatically with a college degree.

2. Benefits for You and Your Family

Obviously, higher income is a primary benefit of earning your college degree. But most jobs that require a bachelor's, master's, doctoral or professional degree tend to also provide more benefits. This can include health care, retirement investment, travel and other perks. These types of benefits are rarely offered for high-school-level jobs.

Part of the reason employment benefits are so important is because they offer stability for your family, especially in the case of health care. They are called benefits, but in reality, they are a vital part of anyone's salary. In some cases, the value of benefits even exceeds an employee's take-home pay.

The benefits of a college education also extend beyond generations. Families of college graduates are generally better off economically and socially. But it is also more likely that the next generation of children will attend college. So you can look at it as an investment in the future of your family.

3. Better Career Opportunities

Earning a college degree is the most common pathway to a better career. Entering college, not everyone knows what they want to do when they grow up. But most know they want to have a better job-not only one that will pay more, but one in which they are more satisfied and secure. That combination of benefits is why so many people make the investment of time and money to go to college.

Often times it's not necessarily what you study, but the fact that you studied something at all. Aside from training you in an expert field, college trains you to think analytically, understand complex subjects and communicate your own critical ideas about them. It also instills crucial skills like organization, self-discipline and the ability to complete tasks from start to finish. In other words, college helps mold you into a more professional individual.

Because college gives you a broad range of skills, many college graduates end up in fields that are not what they studied in school. College can open up unexpected opportunities that aren't always there for those who haven't engaged in a higher level of education.

In today's economy, employment options are shrinking for people who only have a high school diploma. A large majority of high school graduates work in the service industry, in low paying jobs that don't offer many opportunities for advancement. College graduates, on the other hand, tend to have skills that qualify them for a broad range of employment in fields that offer more upward mobility.

4. Job Security and Satisfaction

Having a post-secondary degree typically leads to better job security. Let's face it: if you don't have a degree, you're probably not as valuable to your employer. When push comes to shove it will be much easier to replace you with someone else who only completed high school.

In fact, an educated staff is so important to some companies that they will even pay for employees' tuition. This is how valuable a college degree can be. It is seen as an investment that will bring substantial rewards, not only to the employee, but to the company as well.

Data shows that in an economic recession, college graduates are less vulnerable to layoffs. The people who suffer the most from job cuts are lower level employees who only have high school diplomas. There are no guarantees, but if you have a college degree you will be less likely to suffer long-term unemployment.

As a college graduate, it is also more likely that you will enjoy your job. All the factors listed above-higher income, employment benefits and advancement opportunities-lead to better job satisfaction. But a college degree also gives you more freedom to pursue a career that interests you, maybe even inspires you.

5. An Investment in Your Future

Attending college is a major commitment of time and money, but it is also a down payment on success. Earning your college degree will help you realize your goals in your career as well as life in general. It requires a lot of hard work, but that work prepares you for a challenging and rewarding career and a more fruitful life.

6. Networking

It's quite easy to think of the benefits of a college degree in terms of future earnings and promotion opportunities. However, what's spoken of less frequently is the role that networking can play in these opportunities. People often get jobs based on recommendations made my friends, while in other cases, having a professional network can help people learn about upcoming job opportunities before others do. The truth is that creating a professional network can mean the difference between finding a job or getting a promotion, and those networks start forming in college.

On your way to a degree, you can either passively sit through courses before leaving for the day or become active with your fellow students. Colleges are filled with volunteer organizations and professional societies where you can meet others who are in your field. Through these contacts, you may learn about opportunities while you're still in school. This might include internship opportunities and other chances to get real world experience that will look good on your resume.

These same contacts may be able to link you to resources that will help you better understand your field. By connecting with these people, you can more quickly learn about your field while you're in school. They may provide access to resources that include books or even professionals that you can talk to who can help you learn more about the industry you hope to enter.

Of course, the most helpful aspect of making these connections is likely the recommendations they will make to their employers on their behalf. It's not uncommon in businesses for managers to first look internally for potential hires. Your professional contacts may be able to suggest you as a recommendation when businesses start hiring, giving you an advantage when it comes to being hired by a company in your field.

7. Personal Development

A college degree is helpful for many practical reasons, ranging from your increased competitiveness to the increased likeliness that you'll be promoted within your job. However, people underestimate the degree of personal growth that they'll experience as they're working through their degree. A college education requires students to overcomes all types of adversity and prepares them not only for the workplace, but for dealing with many of life's challenges.

Time management and organization, for example, are just two examples of the skills that you're likely to pick up during your time in college. Both are needed to successfully navigate the many courses you'll be taken while also successfully tackling the tasks before you. Test, quiz, and homework dates can all become confusing when you're dealing with multiple classes. Good organization can help you manage all of your responsibilities, and it's a skill that will be useful once you have your degree. Not only is it useful in the workplace, but it can help you manage your personal responsibilities at home. Even simple tasks like bill payments are made easier when you can properly track what is due and when.

Of course, on a larger level, the sort of personal development you'll experience will largely be related to overcoming adversity. College requires that you overcome one challenge after another, ranging from financial responsibilities to passing tests or completing projects. You'll need to be not only intelligent but disciplined in order to complete your schooling. These traits are often developed slowly throughout college. As you learn how to better respond to stress and adversity, you'll slowly find that you're better able to deal with adversity in a number of situations.

8. Higher Likeliness of High Quality Benefits

As the economy improves, companies find it harder and harder to attract top talent. The reason why is that, as the economy improves, businesses need to hire more. That puts highly qualified employees in high demand. In turn, these employees are more easily to say no to one company in favor of another.

This is especially true with a college degree, which prepares employees with a number of skills that make them more highly qualified. The more highly qualified, the more likeliness that they'll be in high demand. To lure these kinds of employees, businesses will often try to lure them incentives other than just good pay. These incentives include benefits packages that include more vacation time and better healthcare options.

One of the best parts of getting your college degree is the access it gives you to high quality benefits and perks. Employers will often offer to cover more healthcare costs or offer more vacation time to lure highly qualified employees. In other cases, they may offer better retirement investment options that will make life after retirement easier. These kinds of packages take some of the responsibility for saving for a rainy day off of the shoulders of these employees.

Individuals with a college degree are more often economically well off not only because they're paid better but because they have to worry less about sinking the majority of their money into healthcare or retirement funds. For many people, this paves the way for more easily preparing for a family and saving for a child's college. Even for people who don't plan to have families, the savings from better benefits packages makes it easier for them to save money for personal enjoyment, like traveling or investing into a hobby.

Some College Majors Promise Better Future Than Others

A degree in art might not lead to a career with a six figure salary but where would society be if everyone became an engineer. We need artists too, don't we? Does it really matter what college major you pursue? Well, a lot of people didn't think so until recently. Due to falling post-graduate employment numbers and rising cost of tuition, many people are beginning to rethink the value of certain majors and degree programs. Many researchers are now investigating which majors provide a descent return on investment and which don't. Not surprisingly, you could probably guess what researchers have discovered.

Without fail, students who major in STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and math - find jobs quicker, earn more money, and experience more job stability than students who earn degrees in liberal arts and humanities fields. In a tight job market, or during a recession, recent graduates with degrees in social sciences, humanities or liberal arts can find it challenging to find gainful employment.

While the answer to the dilemma seems very straight forward to most - earn a degree in a field with high earning potential - some argue that the answer isn't so simple. A few educators at Oregon State University, suggest that forcing people into a major, such as computer science, simply because it yields a relatively high financial return on investment may create shortages in occupation that are just as important to the economic future of our country. These same educators also assert that it's not fair to compare STEM majors head to head with more non-technical majors because students interested in degrees in the social sciences, humanities or liberal arts might be looking for personal rewards that are not financial in nature.

The reality is, not all degrees are equal. But you may be surprised to find how valuable different degrees actually are. A recent report published by the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI), a leading public policy program at Georgetown University, found majors yielding some of the lowest unemployment rates are chemistry, finance and nursing. While recent graduates of engineering, mathematics, and computer science programs demanded the highest starting salaries ($56,000+), unemployment rates in these job sectors were about average. It came as no surprise that anthropology, photography and film majors experienced some of the highest rates of unemployment just out of college, however, the report also showed that students who majored in architecture and information systems also experienced relatively high unemployment rates as well. Students who majored in fine arts has some of the lowest starting salaries of any group.

A study produced by the Employment Department for the state of Oregon corroborated the findings published by GPPI - job opportunities for nursing, engineering and computer science majors were substantially greater than those who majored in architecture, arts, and related fields.

Notwithstanding all the evidence, a tough job market, and the increasing cost of attending college, hoards of students are still enrolling in social science, humanities and liberal arts majors. In some state the number of students enrolled in social science, fine arts or humanities majors outnumbers students majoring in STEM fields 10 to 1.

Proponents of non-STEM majors argue that a good liberal arts education develops well-rounded students that can succeed in any number of jobs. Proponents of STEM majors point out that many students opt for liberal arts majors because they are not as difficult and require less work to get good grades. However, all agree that acquiring leadership, communication, analytical and problems solving skills in college is what's most important to future success - regardless of how it occurs.

Which ever educational path students choose to pursue, one thing is clear, they must be better prepared to face an increasingly competitive job market and turn their college education into a winning proposition.

Read also:
- Return on Investment (ROI) by Education Level
- The Value of a College or University Degree
- Are For-Profit Colleges Worth the Money?

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by Becton Loveless Earning a college degree is such an important step in life that it has become a central part of the "American Dream". Go to college, get a job, buy a house, raise a family. It may not always be that simple, but it all starts with your college education.

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- Have more advanced levels of moral reasoning
-Have more effective problem-solving skills and a better ability to deal with complex problems

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- Greater knowledge of current events
- Less likely to be incarcerated

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6. Higher Quality of Life For Their Children 

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6. Higher Quality of Life For Their Children 

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- Have children who are more likely to graduate from college
- Provide better health care for their children

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- Higher levels of marital satisfaction
- More social self-confidence

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It's a right of passage for most any 18-year-old. By the time you're in your senior year of high school, you've probably already applied to the college of your choice, and summer begins the countdown of your first taste of independence. What you'll find in the fall is that there are many social & emotional benefits of college.

More Health Conscious

Did you know that college graduates exercise more and that fewer of them smoke? By increasing their brain power, students increase emotional development. Because of this, students develop the capacity to make better choices in the long run. Even if you are not majoring in a health-related program, they have learned to make a responsible decision about the health of their body and mind. College will support student ability to evaluate long-term goals. Yes, college students are known for their partying, but come graduation, their social and emotional learning has peaked, setting the stage for the next phase of their lives. They are more equipped to appreciate the value of healthy eating, exercise, and saying no to cigarettes and drugs.

Increased Self Esteem

Even the high school student with the lowest self confidence graduates college with increased self-esteem. Why? Because the school climate in college promotes academic, social, and emotional growth. Social interaction is the key to survival when they're away from their parents for the first time. This allows them to learn effective social skills that, once mastered, opens up a whole new world. The social and emotional learning (SEL) that students get from college is priceless. American Institutes for Research show that students engaged in SEL programs before college have an easier time in college and in the job market; but for those who have not been enrolled in that type of learning program in elementary school, college provides a natural education through social interaction. The effort is collaborative for academic and social behavior.

Increased Self Awareness

Self awareness is another long term benefit of being enrolled in a college education program. Suddenly, a student is on their own and their emotional development blossoms. Students develop a better sense of who they are, and when faced with a choice, will make the responsible decision. Effective SEL can start in elementary school, but often doesn't. Typically, social and emotional learning begin to take places when they are forced to take care of themselves. College is a great learning program to support student development. This is a middle ground between being taken care of by their parents but quite being out on their own. This is where self awareness develops, and this helps the student mature and develop into the adult they are meant to become.

Gain Independence

In the long run, independence is one of the most important things to learn. Being dependent on someone or something does not allow for personal growth, and holds you back. College provides students with the social interaction they need to feel confident on their own. Discerning the difference between friendships versus individuality in high school is exceptionally difficult for young students. When they learn they can do things on their own, and can also develop a network of people to support them when needed, they grow by leaps and bounds. Students engaged in academic social and emotional learning in SEL programs at a young age have a huge advantage. However, the American Institutes for Research reveal that there is a collaborative for academic social growth when combined with going to college. Even those without the early learning develop a strong sense of self, independence, and emotional and social growth from the school climate in college.

Become Worldly

Students who go to college become more worldly. They may not have even left their home country, but being immersed in a school climate, filled with students from different places across the globe, enriches emotional development. In the long run, being worldly provides students with effective social skills that will serve them well in the work force. Social interaction with students from other cities and other countries. Students develop curiosity about different cultures, which increases their social and emotional learning. Living in dorm rooms with people different from themselves will support student enrichment long term. Over time, and throughout life, college graduates will be able to make a responsible decision when it really matters, whether it's about jobs, promotions, spouses, finances, and more.

Good at People Reading

Another academic social and emotional benefit of college is the increased ability to read people. Students engaged in an education program of higher learning are bound to interact with a diverse group of other students. This type of SEL has been documented by the American Institutes of Research. Some states offer SEL programs in elementary school, providing a collaborative for academic social learning which carries through life. The ability to read people helps significantly in all aspects of life, such as interviewing, managing, dating, and more. SEL is a learning programming that can be taught or absorbed through being in the right environment. College is proving to be that environment, producing intellectually smart adults who are also socially and emotionally intelligent.

Gain Networking Skills

College is a person's first real stab at networking. Most students go through elementary school and high school with the same kids, and even if they've moved or went to a new high school, the networking is minimal due to the structure of classes and school climate. College friendships versus high schools friendships are much more layered and complex. In high school, social interaction is limited to lunch and in the hallways between classes, which can stifle emotional development. In college however, students develop social and emotional learning through networking with fellow students in dorms, study halls, cafeterias, libraries, and more. Sometimes there is a couple of hours between classes, depending on class scheduling. This is where academic, social, and emotional education comes into play. It's not in the classroom, but rather on campus. Students engaged in networking can make connections that last for a lifetime.

Master Making a Good First Impression

They say the first impression is the most important. College provides students with long term skills in making the best first impression through trial and error. While students are enrolled in an education program that fosters learning a certain profession, in the long run they are learning effective social skills for making responsible decisions toward how they will make that first impression. Social and motional learning takes place as the mind matures, using its environment as its learning programming. Unlike SEL programs, where social and emotional learning are taught in class to support student growth, there's more of a collaboration for academic and social learning in college.

Aim to Change the World

Emotional development leads to empathy. While we are all born with empathy, it can take a seat on the back burner as other emotions take precedence. Students can be self serving at a young age until they are enrolled in an education program that provides them with the tools they need to excel in social interactions. Students engaged in SEL programs in elementary school learn effective social skills that put them ahead of their peers. This classroom approach of learning programming with academic, social, and emotional instruction can be hugely beneficial, but just by being in college, students are engaged in social and emotional learning without even realizing it. Those who have experienced social and emotional learning are the ones who are concerned with changing the world. Suddenly, their focus shifts off themselves and onto others as a whole.

Experience Greater Job Satisfaction

In the long run, college graduates experience reaching greater satisfaction in life when obtaining the career they are most passionate about. While a degree increases the chances of getting hired for career jobs, having solid social skills serves you better. Getting the job is half the battle. Being able to keep the job is what matters more, and that's all about being emotionally and socially educated. The school climate in college fosters that development, and allows for students to make the responsible decision during crucial times. College students develop an innate ability to read their bosses, peers, and subordinates to help them better navigate the workforce long term. In that way, they can write their own ticket as to which jobs they get, which promotions they get, how long they stay at a job, and so on.

Respect Tradition

For most college students, they are following tradition, easily one of the biggest social & emotional benefits of college. Their parents went to college and set a good example for them to want to pursue higher education. Parents who support student growth offer a collaborative for academic social and emotional learning by encouraging college enrollment. The American Institutes for Research are highly aligned with the importance of social and emotional education, whether in the classroom or through social interaction, such as at college. When a student makes the responsible decision to go to college, they are setting the groundwork for their own children to emulate them in pursuit of higher learning and a higher standard of life. In the long run, that's what it's all about. Living the life that makes you the happiest.

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It's a right of passage for most any 18-year-old. By the time you're in your senior year of high school, you've probably already applied to the college of your choice, and summer begins the countdown of your first taste of independence. What you'll find in the fall is that there are many social & emotional benefits of college.