Self-Efficacy in College: 5 Research-Backed Tips for Building Confidence and Success
- Gina Wilt
- Aug 14, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 23, 2025
College is exciting — but it can also be overwhelming. Between figuring out your schedule, meeting new people, and making big decisions about your future, it’s easy to doubt yourself.
That’s where self-efficacy — your belief in your ability to succeed — comes in.
Research shows that self-efficacy is one of the strongest predictors of college success and persistence, often more important than GPA or test scores (Baier, Markman, & Pernice-Duca, 2016). Even better, it’s a skill you can build — starting today.
Why Self-Efficacy is the Secret to College Success
In a study of over 230 first-year students, college self-efficacy and mentorship were the strongest predictors of staying in school, while high school GPA and standardized test scores had little impact.
Students with strong self-efficacy are more likely to:
Stay in college despite challenges
Manage stress more effectively
Take career-building opportunities like internships or leadership roles
Want to see how this applies to your future? Check out our College-to-Career Roadmap to connect your academics with long-term goals.
Student Story: From Struggling Freshman to Confident Scholar
Jasmine, a first-year college student, almost dropped her biology course after failing her first quiz. “I thought it meant I just wasn’t smart enough,” she said.
But with a peer mentor’s help and a focus on small wins, she raised her grade to a B and gained the confidence to join a pre-health club and apply for internships.
Her lesson? “Once I realized I could learn how to learn, everything changed.”
The Link Between Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Persistence
High academic stress can erode self-efficacy if unmanaged (Vuong, Brown-Welty, & Tracz, 2010). When stress peaks, self-doubt follows. But the good news: you can protect your confidence with intentional strategies — like practicing active recovery and mindfulness.
5 Research-Backed Ways to Build Self-Efficacy in College
1. Stack Small Wins to Build Momentum
Psychologist Albert Bandura called this mastery experiences—and they’re the single most powerful way to grow belief in your abilities (Bandura, 1997). Every time you set a goal and achieve it, even if it’s small, you add a brick to your “confidence foundation.” Over time, those bricks stack up into a wall that can withstand bigger challenges.
In practice, this could mean:
Completing your readings before class instead of the morning of
Answering one question in a lecture, even if you’re nervous
Learning a new feature in a software program for a group project
Volunteering for a small role in a club event to test your leadership skills
Why it works: Your brain needs evidence to believe “I can do this.” Small wins give you that evidence over and over again.
✅ Action: Finish an assignment early, speak in class, or attend a new club. Keep a “wins list” in your phone or journal to track progress—and review it before exams or big presentations for a boost.
2. Find Mentors and Supportive Peers
Mentorship is one of the biggest confidence multipliers for college students. In Baier et al.’s research, students with mentors had significantly higher persistence rates and a stronger sense of belonging (Baier, Markman, & Pernice-Duca, 2016).
A mentor doesn’t have to be a formal advisor — it can be a professor who encourages you, a club leader who shows you the ropes, a professional college or career coach, or an older student who’s been through what you’re facing now.
Supportive peers matter just as much. Having friends who celebrate your wins, push you to aim higher, and remind you of your strengths when you forget can make all the difference.
Practical ways to build your network:
Attend professor office hours to discuss class topics or your goals
Join student organizations related to your major or interests
Get involved in peer mentoring programs through your campus
Volunteer in community or service-learning projects to meet like-minded people
✅ Action: Visit office hours, join student organizations, or connect with upperclassmen. Need structured guidance? Explore our Career Coaching for First-Year Students.
3. Reframe Challenges as Opportunities
When a test, project, or situation feels overwhelming, it’s natural to think, “I’m not cut out for this.” But research shows that students who interpret challenges as opportunities to learn develop stronger self-efficacy over time (You, 2018).
Reframing is a skill. Instead of labeling something as a failure, ask yourself:
“What can I learn from this that will help me next time?”
“What skills am I building by pushing through this challenge?”
“How have I handled something similar before—and what worked?”
For example, bombing a class presentation isn’t proof you’re bad at public speaking — it’s a training session for improving how you prepare, structure your slides, and manage nerves.
✅ Action: Replace “I can’t do this” with “I can’t do this…yet.” That small word keeps the door open for growth.
4. Learn the Stress-Recovery Cycle
Some stress is unavoidable — and actually necessary — for growth. But your brain and body need downtime to integrate learning and keep confidence high. Without recovery, stress builds into burnout, and burnout chips away at self-efficacy.
The key is learning to cycle between focused effort and intentional recovery. Research in performance psychology shows that breaks improve memory, focus, and problem-solving ability (APA, 2021).
Examples of recovery activities:
A 20–30 minute walk between classes
Short guided meditation before bed
Cooking a favorite meal with a roommate
Watching a show that makes you laugh
Calling a friend just to catch up
✅ Action: Take a daily 20–30 minute break for activities that restore energy—walking, meditation, or social time. Find tips in the U.S. Department of Education – College Success Resources.
5. Link College to Career Early
It’s easy to think career planning is something you’ll “get to later,” but connecting what you’re learning now to your future goals can supercharge your motivation and self-efficacy. When you can see how your hard work today leads to a bigger opportunity tomorrow, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Ways to start linking college to career now:
Attend a career center workshop in your first year
Set up an informational interview with someone in a field you’re curious about
Join a professional student organization to see what’s trending in your industry
Look for internships, research assistant roles, or volunteer opportunities early—these experiences count more than you think when applying for jobs
Why it matters: Employers consistently rank adaptability, communication, and problem-solving as top skills (NACE, 2024), and you’re developing these every semester — even in classes outside your major.
✅ Action: List three skills you’re learning this semester — teamwork, problem-solving, or public speaking — and note how they apply to future jobs.
Why Self-Efficacy is a Career Skill, Too
Employers prize adaptability, confidence, and problem-solving—the same traits self-efficacy develops (National Association of Colleges and Employers).
Graduating with both a degree and a strong belief in your abilities makes you stand out in interviews, on the job, and in future opportunities.
How NextReady Studio Helps Build Your College Confidence
Clarify strengths, values, and goals
Craft a personal narrative linking college to career
Launch with tools, strategies, and confidence to succeed
With you every step,
College & Career Success Coach | NextReady Studio
For students (and parents too!): Get NextReady Daily with simple daily actions to stay organized, motivated, accountable, reduce stress, and build toward ongoing, sustained college success!
References
Baier, S., Markman, B., & Pernice-Duca, F. (2016). Intent to Persist in College Freshmen. Journal of College Student Development, 57(5), 614–619.
You, J. W. (2018). Testing the three-way interaction effect of academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and task value on persistence in learning among Korean college students. Higher Education, 76(5), 921–935.
Vuong, M., Brown-Welty, S., & Tracz, S. (2010). The Effects of Self-Efficacy on Academic Success of First-Generation College Sophomore Students. Journal of College Student Development, 51(1), 50–64.
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2024). Career Readiness Competencies.
