Table of Contents
Overview
Gen Z students bring unique strengths and equally unique challenges to today’s college campuses. While they are the most educated, diverse, and digitally connected generation, they also report historically high levels of stress and mental health concerns. This blog explores the factors shaping Gen Z’s well-being and offers actionable strategies higher education leaders can use to support their success—on campus and beyond.
Born between 1995 and 2010, Gen Z represents nearly a quarter of the U.S. population. And on today’s campuses, these students bring resilience, diversity, and a digital-first mindset. However, they also face unprecedented mental health challenges.
A 2024 Steve Fund/Harris Poll survey found that 51% of college students rate their mental health as fair, poor, or terrible, while 40% report being very or extremely stressed about maintaining it. These numbers highlight why student well-being must be seen as mission-critical for engagement and retention. For colleges seeking sustainable solutions, virtual mental health support for Gen Z college students can help reduce stigma, remove barriers, and provide care when it’s needed most.
Let’s take a closer look at a generation of college students that could be described as “Gen Ztressed.” Who are they? And how can higher education leaders help them succeed?
What makes Gen Z different than other generations?
Gen Z isn’t just a younger version of Millennials. They are distinct in ways that matter deeply in relation to higher education and mental health support.
- Digital Natives: Nearly every Gen Z student owns a smartphone. Among U.S. adults aged 18–29, 98% have one, and 62% say they’re online almost constantly. Digital tools shape how Gen Z learns, communicates, and experiences stress.
- Most Educated Generation: Gen Z has higher high school completion and college enrollment than previous generations. Yet they expect tangible returns, with 57% saying their college investment should pay off within five years.
- Most Diverse Generation: Gen Z is also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation. About half of all undergraduates are students of color. One in four identify as LGBQ+, and roughly 5% identify as transgender, nonbinary, or another gender minority.
- Mental Health is Normalized: Use of counseling and therapy is now common. More than one-third of students received mental health care in the past year, and 65% accessed support before college. Gen Z expects mental health resources to be available.
What Do Today's Students Expect From Their College Experience?
What Stressors Do Gen Z College Students Face?
Why are so many Gen Z students “Gen Ztressed?” The current generation of college students has been significantly impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic amplified existing challenges for Gen Z college students. Lockdowns fueled social isolation, information overload, and digital fatigue. Beyond the pandemic, research highlights a variety of unique pressures that have created an ongoing strain on mental health:
- Ongoing Crises and Societal Stressors: Current events have a profound impact on students. In 2024, 18–34-year-olds were the most likely to say mass shootings are a significant source of stress (68%), and issues like climate change have been found to be a widespread cause of distress for youth in the U.S.
- Financial Pressures: The stress of finances is an unfortunate reality for the majority of students. Nearly 80% of students say their finances are stressful. One in three who considered stopping out cited cost as a reason. Basic needs insecurity, including food and housing, affects 59% of students.
- Uncertainty About the Future: While many students come to college feeling optimistic, almost half report feeling unprepared for life after college.
- Lack of Belonging: For many Gen Z students, the most significant challenge of college is finding a sense of community. Around two-thirds of students feel lonely at least some of the time, and one in four often feel isolated. According to a study by Active Minds and TimelyCare, students who feel lonely are over four times more likely to experience severe psychological distress.
- Academic Pressure: Stress also shows up in the classroom for Gen Z. Two in five undergrads say their mental health significantly affects their academic performance. According to the Healthy Minds Study, about 75% of students lost at least one day of academic productivity in the past month.
How Colleges Can Support Gen Z Students
So, what do Gen Z college students need to thrive academically, personally, and emotionally? It takes more than one-off programs and services. They need integrated support systems that reflect the reality they’re living in today.
1. Help Students Build Career Capital
Gen Z students are career-focused. They want majors that lead to clear job outcomes and question the value of degrees without practical application. Students are more engaged when the path to good jobs is visible. That could mean enhancing access to paid, credit-bearing work-based learning and aligning advising with employers’ shift toward skills-based hiring.
2. Evolve Academic Models
Gen Z expects flexibility. One of the effects of the pandemic was normalizing more flexible formats for classes. Consider hybrid, HyFlex, synchronous online, and asynchronous options. Adapt academic delivery to meet students where they are.
3. Ease Financial Friction
Recent national data from Gallup and The Lumina Foundation indicate that cost and emotional stress are the leading reasons students consider stopping out. By pairing clear ROI messaging with practical options for support, colleges and universities can help alleviate these stressors. With basic needs insecurity affecting more than half of students, campus leaders need to examine the resources they have and identify how to help students remove barriers outside the classroom to staying enrolled. Affordability and retention are deeply connected.
4. Foster Campus Belonging
Create inclusive, connection-driven environments. Programs that build belonging have measurable impacts on persistence. In one study by Tyton Partners, students who felt they belonged were significantly more likely to say they’ll re-enroll, with the link strongest for first-year students.
5. Expand Access to Care
Students cannot afford to wait weeks or months for mental health support. When campus resources can’t provide quick and easy access to support, the result is a snowball effect, where a student’s issue worsens or negatively impacts their academic performance.
By eliminating long wait times, reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental care, and being available the moment a student needs care, virtual mental health support for Gen Z college students can complement campus resources and ensure that students receive the right care at the right time.
At TimelyCare, our outcomes show the positive campus impact of expanding access to care:
- Nearly 8 out of 10 (77.2%) students say they are more likely to remain in classes, improve their grades, and graduate – or all of the above – after using TimelyCare services.
- 81% of students who sought help through TimelyCare reported mental health improvements (91% for students using TalkNow).
- More than half of all TimelyCare sessions occur outside business hours.
Virtual care provides the flexibility and immediacy Gen Z demands—bridging the gap between need and access.
Supporting Gen Z’s Mental Health and Success
The challenges Gen Z faces are real—but so are the opportunities to meet them with the support they need. Higher education leaders can transform what student support looks like in an era defined by both digital connection and unprecedented stress.
By investing in scalable, trusted solutions like TimelyCare, campuses can not only reduce the impact of stress on Gen Z college students but also empower them to thrive, both academically and personally.
Ready to Support Gen Z on Your Campus?
Want to learn how expanding access to care can improve outcomes for your students? Contact our TimelyCare team to set up a time to discuss the challenges facing your campus and how a virtual care solution can make a difference.
Key Takeaways
- Gen Z is the most diverse, educated, and digitally connected generation—but also one of the most stressed.
- Mental health support is no longer optional. It’s expected and essential to student success.
- Flexible academics, financial support, career prep, and belonging all play key roles in well-being.
- Virtual care through platforms like TimelyCare helps reduce barriers and supports retention.
FAQs
Gen Z has grown up amid global crises, digital overload, and societal shifts. These factors, combined with financial strain and academic pressure, contribute to widespread stress.
Inclusive programming, peer networks, and intentional onboarding experiences all help students feel seen and supported.
Yes. Virtual care meets Gen Z’s expectations for flexibility and immediacy while complementing campus resources. TimelyCare’s impact data shows high satisfaction and improved outcomes.
