Academic Stress Among First-Year Guidance and Counseling Students: A Descriptive Survey of Its Key Manifestations

Zakiyya Az-Zahro, Diah Ayuningrum, Vindi Wahyu Novitasari, Sohmon Ranja Capah, Annora Farrel Fawwazi

Abstract


Academic stress is a critical issue among first-year undergraduate students, as the transition to higher education demands adjustment to new learning patterns, academic workloads, and performance standards. This study aims to describe the level of academic stress among first-year Guidance and Counseling students and its distribution based on indicators of academic stress manifestations. A quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design was employed. The study population comprised 198 students, with 115 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected cross-sectionally using an instrument covering five indicators: pressure from study, workload, worry about grade, self-expectation, and despondency, and were subsequently analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that 55.5% of respondents experienced moderate academic stress, 29.5% experienced high stress, and 14.8% fell into the low category. Overall, 85% of respondents experienced moderate-to-high levels of academic stress. When analyzed by individual indicators, the highest proportion of students experiencing high academic stress was found in worry about grade (33.9%), followed by self-expectation (31.3%) and workload (29.6%). These findings underscore the need for early assessment and the development of sustainable Guidance and Counseling services to strengthen first-year students' adaptability and academic stress management skills.

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