A third of the nation's college students say they've considered stepping away from their studies within the past six months. That's according to a new Gallup poll, which found more students in 2022 are dealing with emotional stress. Other reasons some have thought about stepping away include COVID-19, skyrocketing costs, and the difficulty of the schoolwork. Education expert Jean Burk says most of those problems could be solved if students were better prepared for college, but they're not.
“High schools are not preparing them for school,” Burk explained. “I think a lot of kids are just breezing through class barely cracking a book, and then they get to college and all of a sudden, you’re faced with six or seven hours of studying per class per day.”
She says if students were better prepared academically, their stress levels would drop. She adds that a gap year between high school graduation and the start of college is okay. Students who withdraw in the middle of their higher education, however, are often stuck with debt and without the degree.