5 Ways to Support Student Well-Being During the Transition from High School to College
One day it’s hall passes and homecoming. Next thing you know, the transition to college comes with syllabi, laundry, and figuring out how to book a doctor’s appointment.
And for many students, that last one is the surprise plot twist. They’re not just learning how to manage their time; they’re learning how to manage themselves, often without the familiar safety nets of parents, school nurses, or built-in routines.
For colleges and universities, supporting this transition from high school to college is a pivotal moment. When campus health, counseling, and student affairs teams support student well-being early—before small concerns become big barriers—students are more likely to stay engaged, succeed academically, and feel like they truly belong.
Below are five practical, high-impact ways institutions can support student well-being during the transition to college. Let’s dive in!
1. Start Health Education Before Students Arrive on Campus
Before the first dorm selfie and the first “where is my classroom?” lap around campus, students are already making health decisions—whether they realize it or not. During the transition from high school to college, many students go from having parents schedule everything to suddenly being the one who has to find the campus health center, fill out forms, and explain what’s going on.
Colleges can support student health early by sharing simple, confidence-building resources that answer the questions students are often too embarrassed (or busy) to ask, like:
- How to schedule an appointment at the campus health center or counseling center (and what to expect at the first visit)
- When to use campus care vs. urgent care (and when something is actually an emergency)
- How insurance, prescriptions, and referrals work—in plain language
- Common first-year health challenges, from sleep issues and stress to colds, nutrition changes, and homesickness
The key is meeting students where they already are—orientation presentations, welcome emails, short webinars, and even bite-sized checklists. When schools normalize these basics upfront, students are more likely to seek care sooner, not later, and that makes the whole transition to college healthier (and a lot less overwhelming).
2. Simplify Health Requirements and Documentation
Amidst the transition from high school to college, students are already drowning in paperwork: housing forms, financial aid, meal plans, parking passes, then—surprise—immunization records and health history paperwork join the pile.
What should be a straightforward “upload and move on” moment can quickly turn into a scavenger hunt through pediatrician patient portals, wonky PDFs, and half-completed forms.
When health requirements feel confusing or scattered, it’s not that students don’t care—it’s that the process is easy to miss, misunderstand, or procrastinate until the deadline is suddenly… tomorrow (sound familiar?).
Colleges can support student health (and reduce a ton of stress) by making documentation simple, centralized, and clearly communicated. The goal: one centralized place where students can:
- Upload immunization records and health forms without emailing ten attachments
- See exactly what’s required—and what’s still missing
- Get friendly reminders via email, text, and secure message before deadlines hit
- Track compliance status in real time (so no one is guessing)
A centralized, digital experience doesn’t just prevent missed deadlines. It sets the tone that campus care is accessible and student-friendly—right when students are forming their first impressions of the campus health center.
3. Normalize Mental Health Support Early
College is full of “firsts”—and the transition can bring a real increase in stress, anxiety, and homesickness as students settle into new routines and expectations. With so much change at once, it’s easy for students to wait too long before asking for help.
Colleges can support student mental health by making resources feel as normal as finding the library or the dining hall. The earlier students hear, “This is common, and support is available,” the easier it is to reach out before things snowball.
That starts with weaving mental health into orientation and first-year programming in practical, non-intimidating ways, such as:
- Explaining counseling services clearly what they offer, how to book an appointment, and what a first appointment is like
- Naming the common emotional speed bumps of the transition to college (stress, loneliness, imposter syndrome, relationship changes)
- Promoting peer support and crisis resources so students know they have options, day or night
When mental health support is normalized and easy to access, students are much more likely to reach out before challenges escalate.
4. Foster Collaboration Between Health, Housing, and Student Affairs
During the transition from high school to college, students don’t always seek help and disclose that they’re struggling. More often, the early warning signs show up elsewhere: a resident assistant notices they’ve stopped leaving their room, an academic advisor hears “I’m just really behind,” or a dean’s office gets a conduct report that’s really about stress boiling over.
Supporting student well-being requires coordinated teams, not silos. Strong campuses build pathways that connect students to the right care regardless of where concerns are raised.
Cross-department collaboration can look like:
- Residence life staff know how to refer students to medical, counseling, or wellness services when concerns pop up
- Health and counseling teams sharing guidance (within privacy rules) so advisors and case managers understand how to support students with ongoing conditions
- Student affairs reinforcing key resources and policies—from medical withdrawal processes to crisis protocols and after-hours support
When health, housing, and student affairs function like one coordinated team, students get a clearer path to care.
5. Use Data to Identify and Support At-Risk Students
With so many new responsibilities, students tend to focus on what feels most urgent. That’s when preventive care and early support can slide.
That’s where data can help colleges support student health without adding more work for already-stretched teams. Furthermore, with the right systems in place, small signals can become early nudges that point students in the right direction.
By looking at trends like missed appointments, incomplete health requirements, or unusually frequent visits, campus health and wellness teams can:
- Reach out proactively to students who may need extra support (or a simpler path to it)
- Tailor programming to what students are struggling with in the first-year transition – sleep, stress, anxiety, nutrition, illness spikes
- Plan staffing and resources around peak demand times, like move-in, midterms, and finals
Used thoughtfully, data isn’t just about tracking student outcomes—it’s about spotting troublesome patterns and removing barriers. It helps campuses deliver more personalized, timely care during the transition to college, while keeping the workload realistic for health, counseling, and student affairs teams.
Key Takeaways
The first year of college brings exciting change, but it can also add stress fast. If students aren’t sure where to go, smaller concerns often build quietly until they bubble to the surface.
When campuses make care accessible through clear information and coordinated support, students reach out sooner. That early connection can improve well-being now and reduce bigger disruptions in their higher ed journeys later.
