College Selectivity, Subjective Social Status, and Mental Health in Young Adulthood

Research on education and mental health has focused primarily on the benefits of higher levels of educational attainment. Other aspects of education, such as college selectivity, may also be associated with mental health, and higher subjective social status (SSS) is a potential pathway through which college selectivity and mental health could be linked. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study (a) examines whether college selectivity influences mental health independent of objective measures of socioeconomic status and (b) assesses the role of SSS in this relationship. Among college graduates, attending a more selective college is associated with higher ratings of SSS, which in turn are associated with fewer depressive symptoms and lower perceived stress and anxiety. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of college selectivity and SSS in the mental health of young adults.