While many students enter college having some exposure to drugs and alcohol, the transition into college life can often increase the risk of substance abuse.

Common risk factors that contribute to addiction include:

• Family history of substance abuse
• Untreated mental health conditions
• Unresolved trauma

There are also several risk factors for substance use and abuse that are more prevalent in college settings such as:

• Affiliation with Greek life
• Academic stress
• Peer pressure
• Lack of parental oversight
• Indulgence in curiosity and experimentation 
• Self-medicating mental health issues

The greatest risks associated with drinking alcohol typically occur within the first six weeks of freshman year. During this time, students are particularly susceptible to engaging in dangerous underage drinking. This level of vulnerability is largely due to heightened social pressures and expectations to fit in and succeed in the new learning environment. As a result, college freshmen are at an increased risk of experiencing the adverse consequences associated with alcohol.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5+ drinks at once for men and 4+ drinks for women. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 49% of full-time college students ages 18–22 drank alcohol and 29% engaged in binge drinking in the past month.

While researchers have yet to define an exact number of drinks a person would have to consume to qualify as high-intensity drinking, the general consensus is that this pattern is at least twice the typical threshold of binge drinking. This means that high-intensity drinking consists of 10+ drinks at once for men and 8+ drinks for women.

Research shows that young adults who attend a 4-year college full time are more likely to report engaging in a high-intensity drinking and binge drinking than drinkers who do not attend college, attend a 2-year college, or attend college part time. 

Research shows that individuals often increase their alcohol consumption to celebrate, strengthen friendships. Examples in which college students are most likely to engage in binge and high-intensity drinking include:

• Holidays
• Sporting events
• 21st birthdays
• Spring break
• Post-exams
• Festivals
• Parties
• Other special occasions

Studies on the fluctuations in college-aged drinking patterns report that the maximum drinks consumed increases 18% over the course of Spring term and 31% upon returning to school in the fall. In contrast, the number of drinks per occasion decreased 29% in the summer.

According to a Gallup poll, young adults in the US report drinking less than in previous decades. The average number of drinks young adults report having in the past week fell from 5.2 in 2001–2003 to 3.6 in 2021–2023.

Death

Over 1,500 college students ages 18-24 die from alcohol-related injuries, including motor vehicle crashes. (NIAAA) 

Assault

Around 696,000 students ages 18-24 are assaulted by another intoxicated student. (NIAAA) 

Sexual Assault

1 in 5 college women and 1 in 16 men fall victim to sexual assault during their college years. (NSVRC) 

Studies found that 15% of female freshmen were sexually assaulted after becoming incapacitated. By their second year in college, 26% of women experienced incapacitated rape. Self-reported rates of rape among men are far less common, limiting the scope of alcohol’s impact on male victims of sexual assault. 

Academic Problems

About 1 in 4 college students report experiencing academic difficulties from drinking. Academic problems include missing class, getting behind in schoolwork, and performing poorly on a test or assignment. (College Drinking Prevention)

Future Unemployment

Research suggests that persistent drug use among academically achieving young adults may increase the risk for unemployment following graduation. After six years, around 13% of people working full-time jobs and 24% working part-time jobs met DSM-IV criteria for drug abuse or dependence during the past year.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

A 2019 study found that nearly half of participating college students met the DSM criteria for at least one substance use disorder (SUD).

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Roughly 14% of college students meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD). (NIAAA)