Final answer:
College newcomers face multiple challenges including financial pressures, lack of support, social adaptation, academic rigor, and employment uncertainties, leading to stress, poor academic performance, and anxiety about the future.
Step-by-step explanation:
Newcomers at universities or colleges face several challenges, with five significant impacts that stem from financial pressures, lack of support, social adjustment, academic demands, and future employment uncertainties. First, increased tuition and debt can lead to financial stress, impacting students' mental health and possibly causing them to work long hours, detracting from study time. Second, the lack of structured support systems once present in high school transitions into self-driven accountability, which can overwhelm students not accustomed to such independence, leading to poor academic performance or dropped classes.
Third, social adjustments such as joining sororities or fraternities require adapting to new cultural norms, which can be stressful and time-consuming. Fourth, the increased academic rigor of college work can provoke anxiety and lead to burnout if not managed well. Finally, uncertainties about future employment can instill fear, often causing students to question their degree's value.
These challenges are further amplified for non-traditional students who may have additional responsibilities such as raising children or maintaining full-time employment while studying. Navigating these complexities can significantly impact students' overall university experience, influencing both their personal and academic achievements.