College freshmen face a wide range of challenges that touch nearly every part of their academic and personal lives. This descriptive study examined the school-related problems most commonly experienced by 355 first-year students in a higher education institution during the second semester of academic year 2024-2025, as well as the coping strategies they employed in response. Data were gathered using a validated and reliable researcher-made questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.83) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson's product-moment correlation. Results showed that students experienced school-related problems only 'sometimes' overall (M = 2.54), with difficulty in managing time well, difficulty in setting goals, and difficulty in handling emotions emerging as the top three concerns, all reflecting deficits in self-regulation. No significant differences in school-related problems were found across sex, family structure, or place of residence, suggesting that first-year stress is a broadly shared experience. Coping strategy use was reported 'often' (M = 2.78), with listening to music, laughing with friends, and watching television ranking as the most frequently used approaches. A significant difference in coping strategies was found between male and female students (t = 2.29, p = .023), while no significant differences emerged by family structure or place of residence. A significant positive correlation was found between school-related problems and coping strategy use (r = .441, p = .001), indicating that students who encounter more difficulties also tend to mobilize more coping efforts. These findings highlight the importance of integrating self-regulatory skills training and culturally responsive emotional support into first-year programs, ensuring that all students have the tools they need to meet the demands of college life.