Mechanisms of Academic Stress Generation and Coping Strategies for Veterans Who Are College Students

Under the dual pressures of the expansion of higher education and intensifying employment competition, college students have become a high-stress group, especially the special group of veteran college students. This study uses qualitative research methods to interview and analyze 16 veteran college students. The study found that the formation of academic competition among veteran college students is influenced by various external factors and also reflects a mix of rational and irrational individual decisions, while poor management of time, human, and cultural capital exacerbates academic stress. It is recommended that the government establish special support policies for veteran college students, such as academic subsidy funds and priority employment recommendation programs; universities should optimize their management models, establish psychological counseling mechanisms and academic mentoring systems, and provide flexible course selection and personalized training programs; at the same time, compulsory courses on career planning should be offered, and admission adaptability assessments should be conducted to help veteran college students plan their academic and career development paths scientifically.

Veteran university students; academic pressure; thematic analysis; generative mechanism

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