Operation Varsity Blues, the recent college admissions scandal that has rocked the nation, has raised many debates around ethics in college admissions. While media attention surrounding this scandal has faded somewhat from the headlines, the negative racialized experiences of Black students (e.g., such as seeing nooses and Confederate statues around campus, having one’s status as a student being called into question by police and culturally insensitive fraternity and sorority functions) remain a prevalent yet under-reported issue.
Several psychological studies suggest that these experiences may cause Black students to question the legitimacy of their success and the extent to which they belong on majority-White college campuses. These aspects of self-doubt are key elements of what is known as the impostor syndrome, the tendency of high-achieving individuals to discount and question the validity of their success. Despite objective markers of achievements, individuals who experience impostor syndrome often attribute their accomplishments to factors beyond their control as opposed to their actual intellect, and work extremely hard to refute fears of failure and phoniness.
Indeed, impostor syndrome is not specific to the experiences of Black college students. However, recent research suggests that Black students may be more vulnerable to experiences of impostor syndrome, particularly in the context of negative racialized experiences, given their minoritized and marginalized status both within academia and society. It is essential that administrators begin to implement strategies to proactively combat impostor syndrome among Black college students within higher education. Left unchecked, impostor syndrome can lead to a myriad of negative consequences, including social isolation, increased burnout and inappropriate career choices.
To this end, we offer three suggestions for administrators to consider relating to impostor syndrome within areas of mental health, academics and campus experiences.
First, impostor syndrome is important for administrators to address, in part because of the wide range of negative mental health consequences associated with internalized beliefs of being a fraud. For example, among students of color, scholars have found impostor syndrome to positively predict a range of negative mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression, anxiety and interpersonal sensitivity.
Of course, experiencing impostor syndrome does not mean that an individual will develop mental health problems. However, a growing body of research has documented that impostor syndrome may uniquely and disproportionately influence students of color, especially within the college context. Despite this evidence, significant disparities exist to the extent that students of color pursue and utilize mental health services that may serve to reduce impostor syndrome.
Administrators are encouraged to evaluate how their respective campuses are proactively working to minimize gaps in treating students of color. For example, in addition to working to dispel stigma against Black students seeking counseling, consider what efforts are being made to make students of color familiar with services being offered on campus. Moreover, administrators should reflect on how the demographics of counseling staff reflect the diversity of the student body being served.
