Briefly describe the psychological impact of attending college

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Thousands of studies reveal broad psychological changes from the freshman to the senior year of college. Students become better at reasoning about problems that have no clear solution, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of opposing sides of complex issues, and reflecting on the quality of their thinking. Their attitudes and values also broaden. They show increased interest in literature, the performing arts, and philosophical and historical issues and greater tolerance for racial and ethnic diversity. Also, college leaves its mark on moral reasoning by fostering concern with individual rights and human welfare, sometimes expressed in political activism. Finally, exposure to multiple worldviews encourages young people to look more closely at themselves. During the college years, students develop greater self-understanding, enhanced self-esteem, and a firmer sense of identity. The impact of college is jointly influenced by the richness of campus academic and out-of-class offerings and students’ engagement with those experiences. The more students study and interact with both faculty and diverse peers in academic and extracurricular settings, the more they benefit cognitively—in grasping the complex causes of events, thinking critically, and generating effective problem solutions. Also, interacting with racially and ethnically mixed peers—both in courses exploring diversity issues and in out-of-class settings—predicts gains in civic engagement. And students who connect their community service experiences with their classroom learning show large cognitive gains.