We left Parent’s Weekend at my son’s college delighted. He has so many opportunities…I hope he takes advantage of just 10% of them. But, there was something that struck me as a little odd. When President Hanlon, two alums, and a current student addressed hundreds of parents, they talked about their experiences at Dartmouth and about taking advantage of opportunities on campus, hiring Dartmouth grads and managing the workload. But the parents’ Q&A continually focused on students’ stress levels, mental health and access to support.
My son is working hard, very hard…but he has yet to call home and talk about “how hard it is.” The fact that he wasn’t complaining allowed me to walk away from Parent’s Weekend with a pep in my step…until I read this article.
Despite being confident that he is okay, I am giving this article to all my college consulting families and I am recommending they create a plan for how the student will manage the inevitable stress. It is not just about helping students find the right fit college, but it is also about making sure they are (more than) okay once they have matriculated.
