It is common to find the average student slumped over their desk during the day, barely conscious, only to see them later studying up til all hours of the night. The loss of sleep, diminishing social lives and the disregard for old hobbies are all symptoms of the academic overachiever, all hoping to outpace their peers.
“Students are expected to have solved cancer as an extracurricular on their [college] application,” said Jazel Santana, GSB ’28. Increased pressure on high schoolers in recent years to exceed all expectations by overcommitting to extracurriculars, classes and other resume-worthy activities has become the norm, endangering their health, social lives and educational experiences. “During the [college application] process, I broke up with my boyfriend because it was so stressful. It definitely put a strain on my social life,” said Juliette Racht, GSB ’28.
No one knows this truth better than first-year college students, still “fresh” from the continuous grind of senior year finals and college supplemental essays. Having just climbed out of the whirlwind of the college application process, their mindsets are still set in competitive and overachievement mode.
“Colleges are so much more competitive than they were 30 years ago,” said Santana. One example is The University of California Los Angelos which has an acceptance rate around 8.8% in 2023, dropping from 14% in 2020. Columbia University’s acceptance rate also decreased by 2.2% in just four years.
While growing rates of academic pursuits may seem optimistic at first, it also means a rise in competition. Everyone feels the pressure to outpace everyone in every area, whether it be standardized tests, Advanced Placement and honors classes, sports requirements, on-campus and off-campus clubs organizations or volunteer work. Students become obsessed with over-committing to activities that will make their college resumes look more impressive, all to stand out more than the other scholars and “perfect students.” They feel that they need to academically outshine other students to be able to get into college at all. Unfortunately, this typically leads these academic overachievers to a mental collapse known as a “burn-out.”
The condition of being burnt-out is caused by students being labeled as academically advanced in their earlier school years, thus pressuring them to take on extreme amounts of workload and extracurriculars to keep up with these expectations placed on them by families and schools. Eventually, as they grow older, these students begin to struggle with perfectionism and hold themselves up to the same standards, which ultimately leads many to states of anxiety, stress and depression.
According to the survey the National College Health Assessment, 80% of college students considered themselves to have some form of “burn-out.”Another report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2018 claims that the environmental conditions in high-achieving schools leads to chronic stress and damages both students’ physical and mental well-being.
Some educators believe that credentialism is one of the leading causes of increased expectations and stress on high school students. In his novel published in 2014, “Excellent Sheep,” American author and essayist William Deresiewicz defines credentialism as the view of the purpose of life being the “accumulation of gold stars,” an obsession that many students feel towards their grades.
Fordham Professor of philosophy Lily Kerhulas introduced this idea to her first-year students, believing that the pressure of credentialism begins in high school: “College rankings, reputations and mission statements influence what students choose to write on their applications.”
Pursuing academic excellence and getting into top schools has redefined the high school experience and the college application process. The constant desire to add achievements to one’s college application leaves little room to experience and appreciate one’s teenage years. Ultimately, high schoolers are still kids and are losing their childhood experiences to the fear of failure and the desire to attain a good degree and career.
“Good grades aren’t enough anymore,” said Racht. “It sucks that this is how we are spending our time. It’s so unrealistic and draining when you can not have fun or have a social life.” The current generation of college students consists of mentally drained scholars desperate to impress their superiors and set up a good life for themselves.
Academic pressures can shape the majors that students, especially artists, consider as they apply for college, fearing that if they choose to pursue their passions, they may not achieve a higher-paying career than more conventional academic routes. “My concern is that students select what looks impressive rather than what they’re actually passionate about, especially when they may not know what they’re passionate about,” said Kerhulas.
Despite these pressures, educators and students are becoming more aware of the college application process’s impact on mental health and personal self-worth. Unlike credentialism, which is about grades and achievements, true success lies in individuality, time management and the ability to balance passions and a reliable academic route.
It is okay to slow down and to take a step back. College is full of opportunities and room to explore potential paths for one’s future. Understanding these truths can help save high school seniors from making the same detrimental decisions that will negatively impact their health as it did for the most recent bunches of first-year college students.
Cierra Rogers-Nervo, FCRH ’28, is a journalism major from San Diego
