Parents typically handle every aspect of their kid’s health care, whether it’s booking appointments, talking to the doctor or doling out prescription medications. Maybe this works fine — until that kid leaves home to go to college or work and ends up in an urgent care in the middle of the night with raging flu symptoms or a broken wrist.

An estimated 3.9 million students graduate from high school in 2025, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education . In my experience, most of them are not ready to handle their health care as adults.

Many of these graduates will join the 18.4 million students already in college as of the spring semester. Nearly 72% of college students say they have seen a medical provider in the past year, according to the Spring 2024 Nation

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