The Importance of Fit
Choosing a college is a personal, and sometimes stressful decision for students and their families. You want your son or daughter to have the best college experience possible, academically, socially and emotionally.
Yet of all the college guidebooks and admissions pamphlets families review during the application process, very few will comprehensively address the mental health resources you’d want to have in place for your child if and when needed. Many families never give it more than a passing thought.
Fast Fact
More than half of all parents say a school’s mental health services had little or no influence on their family’s college selection process.
When choosing a college, other considerations naturally take precedence. What major is the student thinking about? How do his or her SAT scores measure up? What are the costs of tuition and room and board? As the process moves forward, other criteria become part of the equation. A large number of these factors do in fact have the potential to significantly affect your child’s emotional health at college. Taking the time to focus on emotional wellness when looking at prospective schools — and thinking about your child’s transition — can be critical in preventing or addressing potential problems.
LEARN MORE
The Right Fit – What to Consider
Sources used in this article:
2008 Jed Foundation Parent Survey