Is My High School Student with Anorexia Ready for College? 6 Things to Consider

College is a big step in life. This is a time full of transitions both big and small -new city, new people, new routine, new living space, new foods, new eating environment  (shout out to the dining halls), etc. In this resource, we highlight 5 key factors to consider if your high school student with anorexia is ready for college life.

The newness of transitions can pose difficulties for anyone, but especially for those who are still in their recovery journey. One way this can be understood is that transitions can stimulate stress and anxiety. For those who are not fully recovered, it may be tempting or even default to lean back on old coping mechanisms –the eating disorder. 

Along with all of these new aspects, there is also a decrease in support, at least initially. It takes time to become accustomed to living further from friends and family and build a new support system. Thinking about the increased stress and lack of support that their child with anorexia might experience often leads parents asking themselves –Is my child with anorexia ready for college? 

In this blog, I’m going to talk about some key factors to think about when deciding if your child is ready for college. In order to make the safest decision for your child, it’s important to discuss this in more detail with your child’s treatment team.

Let’s discuss 5 key factors to consider if your child is ready for college:

1. Meal Autonomy 

At college, your child is going to be almost completely independent when it comes to food, aside from the preparation as they will likely have a dining hall on campus that they can rely on for ready, hot meals. But the rest – remembering, acquiring, portioning and finishing their meals is going to be solely on them. 

You won’t be there to set out their dinner, remind them to grab a snack before they head out the door, and provide them with the companionship of eating together–Of course, they will make friends, but eating with new people can be  anxiety-provoking for those in recovery so it’s not uncommon for them to choose to eat alone at first.

2. Meal Plan Compliance 

Now, this is assuming they have a dietitian who has given them a meal plan. If that is not the case, I’d recommend seeking an eating disorder dietitian appointment first to acquire guidance on what their meals and snacks look like.

For those who have a meal plan – How much of their meal plan are they completing on average (0-100%)? For goal percentages to aim for, ask your child’s dietitian as this may be an individualized goal.

3. Weight Restoration

Full weight restoration is a vital element of a full recovery from anorexia. It is not possible to be fully recovered both physically and psychologically if 100% weight restoration is not achieved -even if that person presents as doing significantly better. Biologically, they need to achieve full weight restoration.

Your child’s dietitian will be the one to establish a goal weight range based on weight history, growth charts, genetics, and other data they deem necessary. Your dietitian will consider aspects like their weight restoration % and average weight gain velocity (how much weight they are gaining each week) to help you determine if they are on a trajectory that would indicate applying to college is appropriate. 

If you do not agree with your child’s dietitian’s weight goal -talk about it with them! This is not uncommon and these conversations are both necessary and welcome by most dietitians -definitely welcome by Courage to Nourish Dietitians. It is a conversation I have personally had with many parents.

4. Motivation

The want to recover is a huge factor in determining if your child is ready for college. It is not uncommon for someone with anorexia to have no intrinsic motivation for recovery, especially in the beginning of the process -it’s hard to be motivated when the eating disorder’s goal is to keep you sick.Though once weight restoration is well on its way, it is common to see a shift in motivation along the way. Your child might actually want this now. 

Some signs to look for that show motivation include: following meal plan consistently, utilizing coping skills when having eating disorder behavior urges, attending their appointments with dietitian and therapist with little to no pushback, attending support groups, and letting you know what support they need to meet their goals.

5. Movement Patterns 

If excessive or compulsive movement is a behavior your child has experienced, it’s vital to assess what their current movement behaviors are. Are they following their dietitian’s recommendations when it comes to movement? Are they able to control their urges to engage in compulsive movement? To what degree? Does this create significant distress in them? 

Observe their movement behaviors and report these to their dietitian so that they can utilize this information to make an informed recommendation when it comes to college-readiness. 

6. Support System

Who is their support system? How accessible is this support system going to be when they are away at college? Of course, there are many ways to increase or change their current support to help them adapt to college. For example, you can find local providers for them to see weekly including a Recovery Coach, a non-clinical support professional who helps someone apply their recovery skills like creating a grocery list, meal planning, meal companionship, and encouragement. 

There are countless support groups (in-person or online) that can be a helpful tool to fill in the gaps between appointments with professionals during the week so stay accountable. 

Is My High School Student with Anorexia Ready for College? 

We hope this resource helped you understand the factors to consider if your high school student with anorexia is ready for college. Deciding on college readiness is a huge decision that should not be taken lightly as it can derail progress rapidly for someone who is not ready. You do not have to do this alone. An eating disorder dietitian at Courage to Nourish is here to help you determine what the best decision forward is. An eating disorder dietitian at Courage to Nourish is here to help you determine what the best decision forward is. We can assess college readiness, support meal planning for campus life, collaborate with your child’s treatment team, and help create a realistic support plan for recovery.

If you find this is something you or a loved one is concerned about, reach out and schedule an assessment. It can’t hurt to talk this over with a professional who not only understands the ins and outs of anorexia, but wants to help you. 

Contact Us

Courage to Nourish is a group of eating disorder specialized dietitians. We have in person locations in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia, Maryland. and College Park, Maryland. We offer virtual services across the state of Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Colorado and Georgia. We offer individual nutrition therapy. As well as support groups.