Teenagers Who Feel Like They Don’t Fit In Less Likely to Attend College

[The Philosopher]

from newswise.com

High school students who feel they do not fit in are less likely to attend college — particularly girls who are gay or obese — according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin.

“Because social experiences in high school have such demonstrable effects on academic progress and attending college, the social concerns of teenagers are educational concerns for school,” says sociologist Robert Crosnoe.

Crosnoe has completed one of the most comprehensive studies of the long-term effects on teenagers who say they don’t fit in. He used national statistics from 132 high schools and spent more than a year inside a high school in Texas with 2,200 students, observing and interviewing teenagers. His findings will be published in his new book “Fitting In, Standing Out” (Cambridge University Press, April 11).

“Kids who have social problems — often because they are overweight or gay are at greater risk of missing out on going to college simply because of the social problems they have and how it affects them emotionally,” says Crosnoe, a Sociology Department professor and Population Research Center affiliate. “Not because of anything to do with intelligence or academic progress.”

http://www.newswise.com/articles/high-school-students-who-feel-they-do-not-fit-in-are-less-likely-to-attend-college-particularly-girls-who-are-gay-or-obese-according-to-new-research-from-the-university-of-texas-at-austin2">Click Here To Read More

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I had just the opposite experience.

I didn't fit in nicely into the cliques of Jocks/Cheerleaders, "druggies", Nobodies, the Brains, etc. I was proudly independent and there weren't too many like me in HS.

When I graduated, I fervently hoped that the social scene at college would not be a continuation of HS. I claimed my new life the first night of college. Small, independent, women's college. Nobody had an expectation of me other than what I presented and no expectation of me to change if I wanted friends. And we were a diverse group with almost nobody sharing a major. Maybe we became a clique in our right, I don't know.

Back to my original point: I didn't fit in, didn't have a great time in HS, but my strategy was to just wait it out. I preferred being alone as opposed to being someone I wasn't to please other people. Big difference between being alone and being lonely.

[vim876]

2. Likely...

this is in large part because daily harassment (and sometimes assault) can affect your grades a little. It can also be a contributing factor to mental illness. As a fat kid with a master's degree, I cannot say I am at all shocked. My only question is the effect on straight kids who suffered anti-gay bullying.