This conceptual and theoretical paper has two goals: (1) to analyze the consequences of psychologizing resilience in higher education and (2) to describe the tenets of a "critical approach" of resilience in higher education and how they might be productive in addressing race/racism, inequality and social change. It is argued that the psychologization of resilience in higher education may aid the self-surveillance of the student which normalizes the ongoing oppression of already disadvantaged groups of students; the combination of neoliberal governmentality and psychologization frames resilience in essentialized and individualized ways that have many theoretical and political limitations. The paper suggests a critical approach that advocates an onto-political mode of resilience in higher education -- one that takes into consideration power imbalances and discrimination within our society. To illustrate the potential of this approach, the paper takes on Black resilience neoliberalism theory and how it can be critiqued and reframed.