Describe three of the six main categories of nontraditional students. Discuss at least two factors that college students should consider when working with each of these groups
What will be an ideal response?
Describe three of the six main categories of nontraditional students, and include at least two factors to consider when counseling each:
• First-year students
• First-year college students may especially need help during their initial months in college.
• Commonly reported crises in the first year involve difficulties in social adjustment manifested as feelings of homesickness and loneliness
• Friendsickness – psychological pain because of the disruption in established friendship networks
• Other areas of assistance for first-year students include: learning how to study, getting along with roommates, and establishing a routine.
• Graduate students
• Graduate students, regardless of their background, must manage multiple roles as students, researchers, colleagues, and sometimes spouses.
• Often deal with issues of intimacy and even generativity
• Groups, particularly support groups, are one major way college counseling centers can assist graduate students
• Brief workshops and seminars may bring graduate students together, promote a sense of camaraderie, as well as provide helpful information on thriving in a stress-filled environment
• Technology may also be an effective way of connecting with graduate students
• Older students
• Older nontraditional students tend to be highly motivated, prefer interactive learning, have family and financial concerns, view education as an investment, and have multiple commitments and responsibilities that are not related to school
• Senior students – come to campus for many purposes, which include obtaining degrees and finding personal enrichment
• The overall number of nontraditional students will increase because of business downsizing, the rapid advance of technology, and increased opportunities for professional development
• Part-time students
• Part-time students comprise almost 40% of students in higher education
• They are at a distinct disadvantage relative to those who are enrolled full time because:
• They come from minority and low-income family backgrounds
• They are not as well-prepared for college as their full-time peers
• They are highly concentrated in 2-year colleges and nondegree/certificate programs
• Many of them work full time while enrolled and are not enrolled continuously
• College counselors and student personnel professionals must make special efforts to stay in contact part-time students
• First generation students
• First-generation college students are students who are the first in their family to enter college
• They represent 27% of all graduating high school students and have special needs, one of which is family support
• Needs of first-generation students:
• Mastering knowledge of the college environment
• Becoming committed to role of student
• Deciphering values-systems of second-generation students
• Understanding student-life services and study skills
• Minority culture students
• Minority culture students in the U.S. are mainly African American, Native American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, or multiethnic individuals
• For African American students on predominantly White campuses, three themes may help them succeed:
• Adopting expanded definitions of student centeredness that are consistent with African American expectations,
• Remaining mindful of the complexities of maintaining strong ties to family and friends at home
• Encouraging participation in student organizations that provide support for the shared concerns of African American students (Guiffrida & Douthit, 2010)
• Student athletes
• Student athletes are less likely than others to seek help through counseling (Watson, 2005)
• Areas that may be difficult for student athletes (Watson, 2005):
• Being seen by others as “problem students”
• Being a first-generation students
• Becoming dependent on a coach or a team based on one’s sports-oriented environment
• Experiencing stress from dual roles of student and athlete
• Counselors can help by teaching time management and social skills, helping to transition to college life, helping identify and express feelings, and confronting and correcting irrational thoughts
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Describe and give examples of the five social class categories and the limitations of such categorization.
What will be an ideal response?
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a. client guardedness, testing of helper, sense of safety, sense of trust, disclosure by client b. disclosure by client, sense of safety, sense of trust, client guardedness, testing of helper c. testing of helper, sense of trust, client guardedness, disclosure by client, sense of safety d. sense of safety, sense of trust, disclosure by client, client guardedness, testing of helper
Research support for REBT
a. is unconvincing regarding the validity of REBT predictions about beliefs and emotions b. is not clear in terms of whether observed changes in belief are specific to REBT c. shows that recent studies are major improvements over previous ones d. All of the above