Over the past few years, mental health has become not just more visible but more central to the college experience. The transition to college has always been a big one, but today’s students are navigating academic expectations alongside social, emotional, and global stressors that simply feel heavier than they once did.
For some families, this topic is front and center because they already know what their child needs and want to understand what support will be available. For others, it’s about reassurance — knowing what resources exist if a student feels anxious, overwhelmed, or simply needs help adjusting during that first year away from home. Either way, understanding what a college offers can bring clarity and peace of mind.
That growing awareness is reflected in national trends and helps explain why mental health has become a routine — and important — part of college conversations today.
The mental health landscape on college campuses
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns among young adults have increased significantly. National surveys consistently show that more than 40% of undergraduate students report persistent anxiety, and roughly one in three report periods of depression that made daily functioning difficult. This doesn’t mean all students are in crisis — but it does highlight how emotionally demanding the transition to college can be.
At the same time, many students actively seek support while enrolled. Across campuses nationwide, approximately 30–40% of undergraduates use some form of counseling, wellness service, or mental health support at least once during college. For some students, this involves ongoing counseling. For others, it may be a single conversation during a stressful semester, midterms, or a difficult transition.
How colleges are responding
Colleges have taken note. Over the past decade — and especially since 2020 — many institutions have expanded mental health and wellness services well beyond the traditional counseling office.
Today, student support may include licensed counselors and psychologists, same-day or urgent appointments, peer listening programs, wellness coaching, group workshops, calming or reflection spaces, and partnerships with off-campus providers. On many campuses, these services are intentionally visible and integrated into student life.
Here are just a couple of examples of the depth and accessibility that colleges and universities may offer:
Barnard College
Barnard’s Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being serves as a centralized hub for student wellness. Counseling, physical health services, nutrition support, and stress-management programming are housed together in a single, welcoming space. The design and programming reinforce the idea that well-being is foundational to academic success — not separate from it.
University of Oregon
Oregon offers multiple entry points for support, including the Duck Nest Wellness Center, a space designed for rest and stress relief, and Let’s Talk, an informal consultation program that allows students to speak with a mental health professional without committing to ongoing therapy. These options help lower barriers for students who may be unsure about formal counseling.
Across campuses like these, it’s increasingly common to see entire buildings or dedicated spaces focused on student well-being — a visible signal that mental health is viewed as central to the student experience.
Research you can do before arriving on campus
Before setting foot on campus, parents can learn a great deal online. Helpful places to explore include counseling or student health websites, pages labeled “Wellness,” “Student Support,” or “Student Life,” and FAQs explaining appointment availability, wait times, and costs.
How easy this information is to find — and how clearly it’s explained — may reflect how integrated these services are into campus life.
Exploring mental health resources during a campus visit
Doing your research ahead of time also opens the door to a more intentional visit. Parents sometimes wonder whether it’s appropriate to ask about mental health support while touring a campus. It is — and admissions teams are increasingly accustomed to these questions.
In many cases, students are involved in these conversations, especially if they are comfortable discussing what support might look like for them. That can be empowering — helping them take ownership of how they would access resources if needed.
If families want to go a step further, it may be possible to arrange an informational meeting in advance with someone from a counseling center, wellness office, or student support division. Questions about access, wait times, types of support offered, and how first-year students are introduced to resources can often be addressed in a short conversation.
These meetings can be arranged by reaching out a few weeks before the campus visit. You can call or email the counseling or wellness office directly or asking the admissions office if they can assist in scheduling an informational meeting.
When we plan multi-campus visits at Custom College Visits, we often help families think through whether including a wellness-related meeting would be helpful — and if so, how to structure it within the day so it feels natural and unhurried.
There’s no single “right” way to approach this. Some families schedule conversations in advance; others simply gather information as part of the broader visit. The goal is to leave campus with a clear sense of how that college supports students not just academically — but emotionally as well.
A parent’s checklist: questions to consider
You don’t need to ask all of these — even a few answers can be helpful:
- How do students learn about mental health resources in their first year?
- Is there a wait time for counseling appointments?
- Are there same-day or urgent care options?
- What services exist beyond traditional counseling?
- Are services included in tuition?
Are there student organizations focused on mental health or well-being, such as Active Minds?
Understanding what support exists doesn’t mean expecting a problem. It means choosing a campus that’s prepared to support students in many ways— academically, socially, and emotionally — as they navigate one of the biggest transitions of their lives.