RECOVERY RESOURCE

Eating Disorder Recovery College Readiness Checklist

Starting college is one of the biggest transitions in young adult life and can be particularly challenging for people with eating disorders.

Moving on to college means dramatic shifts in routines, structure, and support and then throw in the academic and social pressures, it’s understandable why this period of transition can be destabilizing. It’s impossible not to consider the impact of such a novel landscape when it comes to food and eating – dining halls, cafeterias, late night studying and unpredictable schedules – all especially unsettling for individuals working on eating disorder recovery.

With all the excitement of preparing for college it is only natural for some worries to emerge, especially if the individual getting ready to embark on this next milestone has recently been in treatment for an eating disorder. Going to college is a huge transition and for many young people, attending college means facing new challenges for the first time truly independently.

This resource is a checklist that we encourage individuals in recovery to review with their support system to determine college readiness. We advise familiarizing yourself with these features of recovery well in advance of college start and potentially using this guide as part of your treatment planning as you’re preparing physically and psychologically for this big transition.

For more on this topic, read our blog post on College Readiness and Eating Disorder Recovery.

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An eating disorder is not a life sentence.

Treatment should be targeted, fast-moving, and short-term.