As an Australian exchange student I eagerly anticipated studying at UCLA, my own taste of the American dream. However, I soon realized that behind the pride and prestige of UCLA, ever-present student loans loomed overhead.
This is not unique to UCLA – 60 percent of American college students borrow annually to pay costs associated with college, according to American Student Assistance. An outcome of America’s student loan situation is the mindset that success is vital – and the assumption that lack of academic achievement risks a life of low income and struggle, not to mention debt.
Some might think that debt hanging overhead and a culture that values high individual achievement encourages a good work ethic. However, these pressures, which stem from social, economic and political structures, seem to instead encourage pathological qualities in college students, including extremely escalated levels of anxiety. In line with this, findings by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America show that anxiety levels of students have increased significantly over the past three decades.
The American reality of student loans is in stark contrast to the university system in Australia, in which there are no mandatory up-front payments. Our government subsidizes a large portion of our university fees, allowing anyone, regardless of financial situation, to attend university as long as they achieved the marks. Whatever Australian students don’t pay accumulates as a student “loan” from the government, which is interest free. The loan is gradually taken out of graduates’ full-time wage through a tax once we graduate and earn more than a certain amount. My fees per year are around $8,000 for two degrees, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Science.
The major differences between the two systems are that Australian fees are subsidized, are not required to be paid up front, and outstanding fees that become “loans” from the government are interest free, with no repayment pressure. Student loans are very much out-of-mind for Australian students and as such I don’t even think of myself as being in debt. Additionally, I receive biweekly government payments to assist me with living expenses while I am studying, which equate to more per year than my annual tuition.
Obviously there are still some anxious, stressed out students in Australia – but likely not to the same detrimental extent as in America. Similar cultural values of high achievement, success and capitalism are evident in Australia, but Australian students don’t face the additional pressures of interest-accumulating debts.
Also contributing to the situation is the current uncertain economic climate. In the U.S., having a college degree may no longer be rewarded with guaranteed job prospects. Instead, getting and keeping a good job and ensuring a stable income and secure lifestyle is a somewhat daunting task. The stakes have been raised, with more competition for good jobs fostering more awareness and need for high achievement – driving healthy levels of stress and anxiety to dangerous levels.
Anxiety in college students is undeniable and proven to be detrimental for students. According to the ADAA, mental illness accounts for 62 percent of college withdrawals, of which 11 percent reported anxiety as their primary diagnosis. The link between high performance expectations and increased anxiety in students has been strongly established. Two researchers at the University of Tampa found that honors students experience significantly more anxiety, stress and need for perfectionism than their undergraduate peers.
With more than 40 million Americans diagnosed with anxiety, according to the ADAA,it is the most common mental illness in the country and an issue that needs immediate attention. Tackling anxiety in college students will have positive broader societal ramifications and may help decrease the number of graduates suffering from anxiety. Additionally, it will help reduce the $100 billion dollar annual cost of untreated mental illness, as reported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The good news is that the number of college students seeking help for anxiety has increased. But how many suffer in silence, fearful of the stigma attached to mental illness, and the ramifications it may have in getting a good job?
Once class is finished and the typically anxious wait for results begin, I will be on a flight back to Australia with many fond memories of my time at UCLA, but also a renewed gratitude for my supportive educational environment, as well as a new perspective on my, relatively healthy, study anxiety.
Purcell is an exchange student from Australia currently attending the University of Sydney.
