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The sophomore slump is a real and well-documented phenomenon. Studies have shown that the second year of college is when students experience the most stress and are likely to lose interest in school. A 2009 report in the journal of the National Association of Colleges and Employers foud that many sophomores were adrift in a no-man's land: not pampered like freshmen, but not advanced enough in their studies to feel connected to academic departments, as juniors and seniors do.
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The offerings at a sophomore orientation are different and more serious than what students might get freshman year... In place of goofy team-building activities, there are sedate dinners with faculty and "major fairs" like career fairs without suits and ties.
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Not everyone is a fan of sophomore orientations. When student leaders at Williams launched theirs in 2009, a classmate, Raphael Menko, wrote a column in the campus newspaper arguing that it was "a colossal wast of money and a refuge for thosewho want to fool themselves into thinking that they are still first-years and need the safety net and structure that intrinsically comes with freshman year."</p>
<p>These days, though, Menko is less miffed. "I think I was the only student who complained about it," he says. "And it was a really fun party. I still have the water bottle they gave me."
<p>Sophomore year in engineering can be a challenge. Freshman year is basically more of the same from high school; math, physics, chemistry, etc., maybe some seminar type classes. </p>
<p>Starting with your sophomore year you get into statics, dynamics, thermo, etc. Although somewhat basic, these classes throw a lot of new concepts at the student. Sometimes it takes a while for these new ideas to sink in. Meanwhile, more material is being thrown at you. Sophomore year can be quite a challenge.</p>
<p>Junior year is now studying these new concepts in much more detail but you’re over the hump. </p>
<p>Sophomore year can also be a new challenge as far as living arraignments are. Both of my kids were in the dorms their freshman year. After that they both had off campus apartments. That means cooking, cleaning and all the rest of the stuff that goes with being independent.</p>
<p>Both of mine went through some of these issues when they were sophomores. The “new” has worn off, and it seems like a loooooonnnng time until reaching upperclass student status. My youngest is a junior this year, and so far the year has started out MUCH smoother than last year. Although she was REALLY ready to be done with freshman dorm-living, it was an eye-opening experience to see how a bunch of girls really can be pretty darned lazy and inconsiderate to others in their apartment. She’s in a living-learning apartment and is the “apartment leader”, so she’s feeling much better about her situation.</p>
<p>For many students, sophomore year is a crucial time to decide on a major, since there may be institutional deadlines to declare a major, and many majors must be started early enough to avoid delaying graduation. Because different majors’ course plans diverge more than in freshman year, sophomores must start “pruning” majors from their list of possible majors and must eventually decide on one (or rarely two).</p>
<p>Ugh. Glad we’re not having these issues…knock on wood. Major is definitely decided, and we’re well down the road. Hopefully she stays enthusiastic. I think the new boyfriend actually helps. :)</p>
<p>So glad to see this article and thread. As a parent of an engineering sophomore, I can relate. DS’s first semester as a freshman was exciting for him, but he felt that he wasn’t measuring up to other students around him. Spring semester his confidence was greatly improved and he did well. This year, as a sophomore, he again feels that he is not measuring up- course work is increasingly challenging. He is also living apartment style- cooking and cleaning- and working 10 hours per week. He also wants to find an internship this summer, but I’m not sure that rising juniors are as desirable as rising juniors. So, he is putting alot of pressure on himself. Thanksgiving break is coming at a good time. I plan to nurture and FEED my boy next week. </p>
<p>I hope, like HPuck noted, that 3rd year engineering studies will offer a chance for all this difficult content to sink in and his confidence will grow. </p>
<p>These sophomores are really stuck in the middle… most are only 19- tired of being teenagers, but not yet independent adults. Most have little money, no cars, families are adapting to their absence… it is a time of feeling stuck in the middle. This thread helps my perspective in dealing with and supporting my sophomore.</p>