Student success isn’t one-dimensional. It’s personal. It’s practical. And more often than not, it’s happening on a tight schedule between classes, jobs, and late-night study sessions.

That’s why this takeaway from our recent national college student survey stood out loud and clear:

Nearly nine out of 10 (87%) of incoming students say they plan to work—either part-time or full-time—while enrolled in college.

The students headed to college campuses this fall across the country are driven. They’re determined. And they’re doing a lot more than just showing up to class. But all that drive comes with a cost and a call to action for the colleges and universities focused on supporting the success and well-being of students.

How Many Students Work While in College?

For today’s students, working during college isn’t the exception. It’s the norm. And the reasons run deeper than just covering books and tuition.

Here’s what we know about college students:

• 74% of part-time and 40% of full-time college students are employed while enrolled
• Nearly half of working students clock 30+ hours a week, often while managing a full course load

Financial pressure, family responsibilities, and future job aspirations all intersect in complex ways. This reality is especially pronounced for students from historically marginalized backgrounds. They are more likely to work longer hours and face greater financial and mental health challenges.

When Does Working Help or Hurt Student Success?

Working during college can be beneficial. It builds real-world skills, fosters discipline, and may even support academic success. However, there’s a clear tipping point when students work more than 20 hours per week.

Here’s how this amount of hours can become detrimental to student success:

• Students face higher risks of burnout, disengagement, and mental health concerns
• Some students begin identifying more with their jobs than with their academic identity, leading to disconnection from campus life
• Sleep, social connection, and self-care are often the first things students deprioritize

Students aren’t asking for an easier experience. They’re asking to be seen as whole people navigating more than a syllabus, the dining hall, and campus life. By integrating flexible, around-the-clock support like TimelyCare, campuses can empower students to balance their responsibilities without sacrificing well-being.

Hear how virtual support can better align with student schedules than relying on only on-campus resources.

The Digital Double Bind: Why Tech-Savvy Students Still Feel Drained

Incoming college students have more tools at their fingertips than ever: AI, smart devices, infinite content, and 24/7 group chats. They’re tech-savvy, curious, and eager to learn. But that constant digital connection is also exhausting.

In a recent national survey by TimelyCare, 72% of students reported feeling at least occasionally overwhelmed by digital life. Over one-third (34%) often feel digitally exhausted, and nearly half (49%) say technology sometimes makes them feel more isolated, even as it helps them connect.

This is the digital double bind: today’s students are surrounded by smart tools designed to help them thrive, but those same tools can become a source of burnout, distraction, and self-doubt. So how do we help students use tech intentionally and protect their mental well-being?

Why Constant Connection Drains Students

From the moment they wake up, students are navigating a barrage of messages, notifications, class pings, social DMs, calendar reminders, and algorithm-driven content, all before breakfast.

For Gen Z, this isn’t a novelty. It’s the norm. But even digital natives need a break. As one student put it:

“Sometimes it feels like if I’m not replying or posting, I’m disappearing. But staying plugged in just drains me.”

Marcus, a first-year college student, knows that feeling all too well. Eager to explore campus life, he joined every club, connected with everyone on social media, and signed up for every mailing list. Before long, his phone was buzzing nonstop, his inbox was overflowing, and his stress levels were climbing.

Small Shifts, Big Gains: How Students Can Take Control of Tech Use

Marcus and other students are realizing that they need a digital detox. His solution wasn’t to abandon technology, it was to take control of it:

At TimelyCare, we’re committed to supporting students on their academic journeys. One of our latest innovations is the academic confidence score, launched in February 2025. This tool provides insight into how students perceive their academic abilities and strategies for success. It also helps evaluate the impact of our Success Coaching program and fosters data-informed conversations about student outcomes.

What is the academic confidence score?

The academic confidence score was developed out of the Sense of Social Fit Scale, a psychological tool developed by Stanford’s SPARQtools. This scale evaluates how supported and connected students feel within their academic environments.

In the full Sense of Social Fit Scale, students respond to prompts such as:

• “I feel like I belong at this school.”
• “People like me are welcome here.”
• “I fit in with the students on this campus.”
• “I know how to do well at [insert school name].”

Responses are rated on a Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These results help measure a student’s sense of belonging, which research shows is critical for persistence, engagement, and well-being.

TimelyCare is interested in the impact that success coaching may have on the academic components of a student’s sense of belonging, which we conceptualize as “academic confidence.” Therefore, we have implemented these questions from the scale at the start and end of each success coaching session:

• Pre-session: “I know how to do well at [insert school name].”
• Post-session: “Now that you have completed your session and have had an opportunity to visit with a Success Coach, how would you rate the following statement…I know how to do well at [insert school name].”

This structured approach allows us to measure shifts in self-perception and track the impact of our coaching.

Early results: Confidence is rising

After just four months of data collection, the results are clear. Students’ academic confidence improved over the course of a success coaching visit, with average scores increasing from 4.2 to 4.4. Moreover, this change was statistically significant, meaning it is not likely to be attributable to random chance (p<.05). This finding highlights the measurable value of our Student Success Coaching program in helping students feel prepared to succeed.

Why academic confidence matters

Academic confidence shapes more than just classroom performance. It influences persistence, wellness, and long-term achievement.

Student success is at the core of every college or university’s mission. However, achieving this goal requires more than traditional methods of support, particularly in today’s higher education landscape. Academic administrators and professionals constantly face the challenge of improving retention, fostering engagement, and creating a dynamic campus environment. The growing complexity of student needs calls for innovative strategies, and success coaching has emerged as a powerful tool to bridge this gap. By providing personalized, holistic support, success coaching empowers students to overcome barriers and achieve their academic and personal goals.

Continue reading to learn more about which groups of students can benefit most from success coaching and explore how this proactive approach can help colleges enhance retention rates while fostering a thriving student community.

What is success coaching?

TimelyCare’s success coaching is a highly adaptive, student-centered service designed to address many challenges that hinder academic achievement. Unlike traditional advising or counseling, success coaching takes a holistic perspective. It factors in influences such as financial wellness, emotional well-being, academic preparedness, and career aspirations. Grounded in data and real-world applications, success coaching aims to help students break through obstacles, foster self-confidence, and gain clarity in navigating higher education.

Whether it’s guiding students through organizational skills, helping them manage time effectively, or exploring post-graduation opportunities, success coaching meets learners where they are in their academic journeys.

Who stands to gain the most from success coaching? 

Although success coaching benefits all students, certain groups stand to gain the most due to the unique challenges they face. These include first-generation students, non-traditional learners, student veterans, and students from historically marginalized communities.