https://blog.globalhealthportal.northwestern.edu/2014/04/stress-among-college-students/
https://apnews.com/792c535e1567473e90d56547d2f4943c
I have no horse in the game but live local to Northwestern. There have been multiple suicides in the last 6 years. We know of one personally. Yes, every school encounters this but the outcry led to Northwestern adding counslers just for this purpose.
Every school has some stress level but something was very amiss at Northwestern. Google this and there are articles coming directly from the student newspaper.
As with other selective schools everyone’s coming from being a top student but at Northwestern, your just the “average” student at best. Your used to getting all “A’s” and now your seeing your first “C” ever and you worked really hard for it. First semester no less. Lots of self doubt. Quarter system is just as your getting used to it… It’s over and your starting another semester. Kids from very wealthy families mostly (not all), that just makes you feel inferior just because. Kids driving BMWers and you can bearly afford the train monthly pass… Lots for someone to get used to. High achieving, lots of talk about money and privilege. Stress… Yep.
But it’s a great school if you can get pass this. Every school has weeder classes… Add that into the mix.
For most selective schools kids have to have a different mindset. For my son (at Michigan), we took the pressure off grades and put it on learning. He knew his close to 4.0 high school was a thing of the past in engineering. And that’s OK.