Depression and college choice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you be willing to let your DC attend a highly competitive college? Knowing that such an environment can exacerbate their anxiety and depression?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you go about choosing and applying for colleges if your DC deals with depression or other mental health issues? Thanks

Sometimes parents not respecting your college choice can lead to worsen depression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you be willing to let your DC attend a highly competitive college? Knowing that such an environment can exacerbate their anxiety and depression?

No.

I'm the PP with the DD at Univ. of Chicago. I think the fallacy here is revealed with the word "knowing." I was very worried that my DD's depression/anxiety would blow up from the combo of the (arguably) competitive nature or (unarguably) difficulty of the UChicago curriculum (combined with the weather, which the top PP here did not mention, but other PPs have mentioned).

I was wrong. DD derives pride (self esteem) that she is hanging in there with some serious braniacs. She's not straight A, and she did have to drop one class to get a less rigorous courseload, and at one point got an old tutor of hers to facetime with her and teach her one class because both the prof and the TA were hard for her to understand. But she's doing it. Spilled water on her computer keyboard two weeks ago, ubered to the computer store, got it done; I wasn't involved. Suddenly he she's good with money, where she was a huge consumer before. The change from dependent to independent is honestly, unrecognizable. A year ago, and even last summer, I was SO involved and so worried she would not fledge.

That said, I am not saying to ignore fit, just to not assume fit or lack of fit yourself, but to listen to your kid. Also, I am a UCLA grad and would never knock the idea of having an east coast kid go out west. I went to grad school in Boston and have lived in NoVA twice. Living in different parts of the US is such a great experience, and sunshine can only make things better.