Abstract

Postsecondary student wellness continues to receive significant attention as wellness-related issues are found to peak during young adulthood, marking the age at which a substantial number of adults are enrolled in postsecondary education. In view of a strong association between student wellness and academic success, it has been suggested that up to 86 percent of students with a psychiatric disorder will fail to complete postsecondary studies. Moreover, anxiety and depression are leading causes of diminished academic performance and quality of life for postsecondary students. In light of growing evidence that student wellness–related issues are prevalent among postsecondary students, this review article focuses on three critical dimensions for postsecondary student wellness, namely, social, physical, and financial. This article serves four primary purposes: (1) the related literature sheds light on these important wellness areas; (2) a discussion of National College Health Assessment data helps illustrate the importance of further research in these three wellness areas, (3) promising practices are shared, offering practical “action items” that postsecondary institutions may wish to employ to further support students’ social, physical, and financial wellness, and (4) recommendations are provided to help enhance student wellness throughout their postsecondary years and beyond.