Keeping College Students In School When Trouble Arises

I’m posting this just after Labor Day, about the time when I start hearing from worried parents who have sent their children to college. The “Dream School” can be anything but, once the freshmen move in and start to experience college life.

Students who are well supported through high school- from tutors to prep classes to schedule management – can stumble, or worse, once they are on their own. I’ve seen 3.9 high school students struggle to maintain a 2.0 average once they hit campus. I’ve seen many who were able to hide an alcohol or drug problem by living at home see that exacerbated in the dorm or fraternity house.

Most often, successful high schoolers turn into college challenges because they need to learn vital life skills. Many also need to be diagnosed properly to determine whether they are suffering mental health challenges or just temporary homesickness because of a first-in-a-lifetime transition. A professional needs to help them work through any issues, to help them stay in school and turn the situation around.

As a Concierge Therapist, I’m often asked to see students on campus, wherever they may be attending, to ensure continuity if possible. They don’t necessarily need to withdraw to enter therapy. That’s important because studies show that if a student drops out, even for a single semester, there’s a 70 percent chance they won’t come back to finish a degree.

I can be a liaison between parents. Positive outcomes are possible. Students can keep going after intervention, with better-self esteem, better grades and, most importantly, better skills to serve them for life.