Chris '10 entered his freshman year like every other Princeton student: ready to face the challenges that awaited him. But by sophomore year, everything seemed to be going wrong. Relationship issues, family financial problems, the nights he spent partying instead of studying, a recent diagnosis of bipolar II, not to mention a Princeton workload, had all finally taken a toll on him. He was in danger of failing out. "It was a difficult situation," Chris said. "I didn't know what to do."
With the end of fall semester rapidly approaching, he sought the advice of his residential college dean. In that meeting he was offered two choices: He could stay at the University and try to make the best of a bad situation, or he could take a leave of absence and start his sophomore year again. It's a choice that many Princeton students have to make. And Chris represents the 40 to 60 of those students each year who decide to take time off for psychological reasons, according to Hilary Herbold, associate dean of undergraduate students. While the psychological reasons behind taking time off vary from student to student, the decision to do so is almost always a difficult one. The University says it is committed to helping these students achieve success at Princeton, and, thanks in part to support networks, that goal is realized. Many of the students interviewed for this article requested anonymity to protect their privacy.
Tipping points
From the grief of a parent's death to a severe case of anorexia, students may choose to take time off for a host of different reasons. To appropriately handle the different circumstances, Herbold said, she and other administrators group students into three informal categories.
The first category includes students who may have been struggling emotionally but have been able to function in the community. Herbold says these students may be doing well academically, but feel that they are not getting the most out of their college experience.
The most populated category — and the one Chris was grouped in — is the second one, which includes students who are not a risk to themselves but face serious psychological issues that prevent them from functioning well as a student. Like Chris, Jessica Bates '10 faced academic and psychological difficulties. She has struggled with depression since the death of her mother when she was 16. At Princeton, coping with her depression made it difficult to hand in her work on time and resulted in poor grades. "I was feeling overwhelmed," Bates said. She took two years off after the middle of fall semester of sophomore year but has since returned to pursue her degree.
Herbold said that fewer than five students a year find themselves placed in the third category — the students who pose an imminent danger to themselves or others, who are the highest concern for administrators. Actions that may put students into this category include attempted suicide, life-threatening drinking habits or severe anorexia. Legally, only students in this category can be asked to leave the University; any other student must voluntarily withdraw.
"There is a certain point in which you are really too sick to be a student, and actually being a student can be making you sicker," Herbold said.
'A Weighty Decision'
During a mental health crisis, applying to take time off is fairly simple, but making the decision to do so can be harder. To ease the difficulty, University administrators step in to help students with what Butler College Dean David Stirk called a "weighty decision" that will affect their future success at Princeton.
The decision-making process can include input from Herbold, a director of student life, a UHS counselor, the dean of the residential college, the student and even some family members. One student said the University paid for her dad to fly from Texas to Princeton to sit in on the meeting. Herbold stressed that the University counselors cannot reveal information, even to the family, without the student's permission.
The college office is the first stop for many when they consider taking time off. For the first time, this year all students are expected to see the director of student life in their residential colleges. In previous years, underclassmen went to the dean of their college, while upperclassmen approached class deans and department representatives. Deans say that the administrators do not advocate a particular choice from the onset, but help students figure out which option is best for them.
These options can include helping students find coping mechanisms. "Sometimes the conversation is about, 'Under what conditions could you stick it out?' " Dean of Mathey College Steve Lestition said. He added that he often has to inform students that they have a right to take time off in the first place.
According to University policy, students are allowed to take up to three years off without forfeiting their guaranteed readmission. Beyond those years a student may return to Princeton, but their admission is not guaranteed. Most students only take one year.
But many Princeton students, who are used to doing well academically, worry that even one year is too long of a detour from their educational plans. They may even feel a sense of shame or embarrassment about having to take a break, several deans said, because it is not part of the typical Princeton experience. "I thought it would mess everything up," Bates said. "I went straight through elementary [and] high school, so I thought college would be just like that."
Students who take time off must also come to terms with the fact that they will graduate with another class. The idea that their friends in the same year will leave them behind can be particularly painful. "Being a member of a class, for instance, 2010, has a real meaning here that is important to people," Stirk said. He added that class identification seemed to be more important at Princeton than at NYU, where he worked before coming to the University.
Saying goodbye to friends is one of the hardest parts about taking time off, and students often feel anxiety about whether these friendships will continue upon their return. "[My friends] were definitely shocked," Chris said. "[And] they were definitely supportive ... They told me, 'Hey, we will be here next year.' "
But these concerns should not deter students who need a break from Princeton from taking a leave of absence, students and administrators said. Students who choose to take time off can benefit from a new perspective or motivation toward academics, medical attention and a chance for self exploration. "If you need it, I definitely recommend it," Chris said. "It's better to find yourself sooner rather than later."
Being Ready
To help them find success upon their return, students are usually given a set of recommendations by their dean and a counselor at UHS about what they should do during their time away. These recommendations typically include things like weekly counseling, getting psychiatric help or taking a college course. "We are invested in you coming back, and we are invested in you succeeding," Herbold said.
The goal of these recommendations is to try to help students develop strategies for successful completion of their Princeton career and beyond, said Dr. John Kolligian, director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
In order to return to Princeton, many students must be given a psychological exam on campus by a counselor at CPS. During the interview, students are asked general questions about how things are going and if they completed the recommendations. "It's fairly subjective," Kolligian said. "We are making an assessment, based on what a student is telling us, of how they are doing."
Based on the personal examination and written recommendations from counselors at home, CPS makes a recommendation to the student's dean, who ultimately authorizes the return. While students who take time off are often insecure about the certainty of their readmission, Herbold stressed that usually students are only denied readmission if they pose a significant risk to themselves.
Despite the benefits that the break can provide, the transition back to the University can be awkward for some students. Students often have to "renegotiate" their old friendships and try to develop new ones, Kolligan said. "It's kind of tricky when you're first introducing yourself for the first time in your RCA group," Sarah '11 said. She took a year off after Fall Break of her freshman year. Since her return, she has kept up some of her previous friendships but has made more friends in her new class.
Now that Chris is back to finish his sophomore year, he says that he does not get to see his old friends because he is not partying like he used to, and they don't live near him. But the streamlined social life and time off from Princeton has given him the time and motivation to earn a B+ average in his classes this semester.
"I am completely different person since last year," Chris said. "I wish I didn't have to take year off. But I'm glad it was an option."
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