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No matter on which side of the college admission desk we sit, our job title often includes "counselor," implying that we have a working knowledge of adolescent psychology, and the biological, emotional and social factors imbedded in this period of crisis and change. Yet often in the business-and the busy-ness-of our jobs, we lose sight of the unique needs of those we serve. If we remind ourselves of these needs, we may be able to see our work, our processes and our choices in new ways.
By definition, adolescence begins with the onset of puberty (often starting earlier now) and ends when adult responsibilities are assumed (often starting later). This is a very long period of enormous change and rapid growth, physically, socially, sexually, cognitively, emotionally, motivationally, and morally. Adolescents are moving from dependence to independence, from childhood and into adulthood, from parent-protected to self-regulated-and the college process intervenes, often for up to a year and a half, in the midst of an unfinished journey.
Erik Erikson, the seminal thinker on womb-to-tomb psychology, espoused that through adolescence, normal human growth moves through ages and stages, with certain desired psychosocial outcomes. In adolescence, he characterized the developmental task as Identity vs. Role Confusion. The young person asks, "Who am I?" and learns a sense of self in relationships, of fitting in individually, with a group and society, finding a place to belong and abilities to contribute to the common good.
Managing this stage requires balance and time for it to evolve. It is neither desirable to rush children into adulthood, nor to slow the pace and protect them from demands. However, this balance is often thrown out of whack by aspects of the college process. It can trigger regressions back through the previous developmental stages, thus creating its own kind of psychosocial crisis. During this college-centered developmental crisis high school juniors or seniors:
* cannot trust that things will work out in the end
* think that the college environment cannot be counted on
* confuse "need" and "want"
* sense a loss of control because the admission decision rests in a stranger's hand, and
* have naggings feelings of incompetence and uncertainty.
Establishing an Identity
Teens don't think, "Who am I?" on a conscious...