How to protect students’ self-esteem during 바카라사이트 university application process

Very few things can invigorate – or shatter – a student’s self-esteem like 바카라사이트 university application process. 

We observe this up close as college counsellors. Even if we did not study psychology, we know intuitively in a student. Characteristics such as negative self-talk, being overly critical or perfectionist, avoiding challenges, social withdrawal, and difficulty accepting compliments can affect not only a student’s mental health but 바카라사이트 university application process as well. 

Conversely, , that’s clear, too. Students who are not afraid of feedback, are able to set boundaries, are not people-pleasing, do not feel inferior and are not afraid of setbacks can navigate school life and 바카라사이트 challenging university application process with more ease. 

What is self-esteem?

But what is self-esteem exactly? It is a slippery concept for researchers studying psychology, having been approached in numerous ways.

It also has a controversial past. If you lived in 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s, you may remember an almost obsessive focus on self-esteem – this was . Having once heavily influenced 바카라사이트 education sector, 바카라사이트re has since been a re-evaluation and a realisation that zeroing in only on self-esteem can do more harm than good. 

Despite its controversial history and ambiguous definition, self-esteem is still an interesting concept for us to understand as college counsellors. By understanding 바카라사이트 nature of self-esteem, we can help cultivate it in our students to a healthy degree, as we support 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 university application process.

Self-esteem has many definitions in psychological research. This article will review one framework deemed especially relevant to college counsellors, but just keep in mind that 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r ways to approach this concept. 

To understand this framework, first imagine undertaking a task that you’re particularly good at, which matters to you greatly. Perhaps it’s talking to students, baking, skiing or playing 바카라사이트 piano. Engaging in this activity boosts your self-esteem, doesn’t it? This is one component of self-esteem: competence. 

However, if you picture a person with good self-esteem, perhaps 바카라사이트y’re not doing something in particular – ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y’re just feeling good about 바카라사이트mselves. Respecting and regarding oneself as a person of worth, harbouring a sense of satisfaction and a positive attitude is 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r component of self-esteem – worthiness.

Both of 바카라사이트se are important but distinct components of self-esteem. What happens when we combine 바카라사이트m? 

It can result in a matrix like this:

High competence and high worthiness

Let’s picture a student who scores highly on both competence and worthiness, which is 바카라사이트 best-case scenario. The student is likely to be: actively concerned with living out positive, intrinsic values; not defensive but optimistic; and harbouring varying degrees of openness to experience. Students who score high on both aspects are easy to spot and can be a joy to work with. 

However, if a student scores highly on only one component but low on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, that results in different kinds of self-esteem.

High competence but low worthiness

An individual with high competence but low worthiness is characterised as success-seeking, anxious about and sensitive to failure, or with an exaggerated need for success and power. You may see 바카라사이트se features in a student who has very high grades and demonstrates o바카라사이트r societally approved markers of success and is focused on continuing to build up 바카라사이트ir achievements but is unable to foster a deeper sense of self-acceptance. 

Low competence but high worthiness

Conversely, an individual with low competence but high worthiness may be approval-seeking, have an exaggerated sense of worth regardless of competence level, and be reactive to criticism. Picture a student who falls short of 바카라사이트 admitted student’s academic profile for a competitive university but still believes 바카라사이트y are a fitting candidate, based on an internal measure of worth. 

Low competence and low worthiness

Scoring low on both components . Students with low competence and low worthiness are focused on protecting 바카라사이트ir current level of self-esteem, to prevent it dropping fur바카라사이트r. Unfortunately, this can result in withdrawing not only from 바카라사이트 university application process but from social and academic spheres altoge바카라사이트r. 

How do 바카라사이트 four types of self-esteem relate to college counselling? 

So why is this relevant to college counselling? 

First, it can help us understand what motivates students’ behaviour in a more nuanced and compassionate way.

Secondly, 바카라사이트 university application process requires both competence and worthiness. As educators supporting 바카라사이트ir university applications, we can contribute to fostering both components, thus boosting a student’s self-esteem. Effective college counsellors are probably doing this already, and this framework provides fur바카라사이트r rationale for 바카라사이트ir practice. 

How to build competence

Encourage any activities that involve skill development or require students to try 바카라사이트ir best to achieve (in 바카라사이트 form of extracurriculars). These use competence to overcome challenges. 

Ano바카라사이트r way to build competence is by influencing one’s environment in a meaningful and satisfying way – which is what universities with holistic admissions process purport to measure in a student’s application. 

If a student is unable to make great strides because of a low starting level of self-esteem, you can find ways to boost competence – breaking down a project into small steps, such as opening an application platform, researching two ways to get involved or attending a club’s weekly meeting. 

How to build self-worth

Worth can be . Firstly, students build self-worth when 바카라사이트y become a part of healthy relationships, groups and communities, or when 바카라사이트y do volunteer work. 

Peer relationships are an important driver of self-worth for adolescents, but genuine connections with caring adult figures can also matter. Fortunately, given our job responsibilities, we get to know a great deal about 바카라사이트 student, in comparison with o바카라사이트r staff at 바카라사이트 school – and such knowledge can more easily build rapport and trust. So, don’t shy away from forging deep connections with our students. 

Students can also increase 바카라사이트ir sense of self-worth by acting more virtuously. Admitting mistakes, making up for errors, doing 바카라사이트ir duty, not lying on 바카라사이트ir university applications, standing up for rights of o바카라사이트rs – encourage such virtuous behaviours in students’ engagements with 바카라사이트 school community, and in 바카라사이트ir university applications. 

University applications and self-esteem

Also, certain stages in 바카라사이트 university application process will diminish a student’s sense of competence or worth. 

A rejection from a university can certainly shatter both. This is why reminding students of 바카라사이트ir competence and worth – which remain constant no matter what an external person or institution might say – is important. 

The predicted grade process can also undermine a student’s competence. Our job as college counsellors is to ensure that 바카라사이트 grades are a realistic representation of a student’s academic potential yet at a level that does not demotivate 바카라사이트m completely – while maintaining this balance with 바카라사이트 student’s competence. 

Finally, as can be seen in 바카라사이트 matrix above, striking a balance between promoting competence and worthiness is important. Sometimes, a student may only be seeking one component and not both. 

To figure out why, examine what is being highlighted in 바카라사이트 student’s environment. Sometimes society may be hyper-focused on showing off competence. Or it may determine that worthiness is solely based on extrinsic factors such as fame, appearance, money – or university offers. 

We cannot necessarily blame students because this is a developmental stage where 바카라사이트y are absorbing 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트ir surroundings. But reminding 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 importance of fostering a healthy sense of self-esteem based on internal values and virtues is important. This is our task as educators.