Photo courtesy of reporter Wesley Bartlett

As AP exams approach during the first week of May, San Luis Obispo High School students are reflecting on their grades and how they influence who they are.

Going to an Ivy League or UC has become a synonym for success, as many parents and students believe that it will help them in their futures. This idea has put a lot of pressure on students to devote their high school career to getting into prestigious colleges, which generally have low acceptance rates. This pressure on students is very taxing to student mental health. 

“Whenever I get a grade that is below an A for something that’s not curved, I will have a pretty severe breakdown, especially if it’s grade-jeopardizing. I really value my GPA, so it’s really important for me to get an A,” said Junior Kylee McNabb.

College has become the expected path to take after high school, and these expectations for students who might have interests outside of college can cause a lot of anxiety. The expectation of going to college is demonstrated by the number of applicants to colleges.  According to Usnews, the average college gets about 84,865 applicants per year. This shows the huge number of high school students who want to go to college after high school.

The belief that the college defines the student has created a competitive environment and a need to be in AP classes and extracurricular activities to better student’s chances of being admitted into colleges. The stress leaves little room to put attention towards activities and aspects of student lives outside of academic success.

The competition is difficult for students to handle,no doubt one of the reasons for the decline in student mental health. “Between 2009 and 2019, the percentage of teens who reported having “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” rose from 26 percent to 37 percent. In 2021, the figure rose to 44 percent,” according to the Washington Post.

The problem is worsened by the rapidly approaching AP tests, which leave some students anxious about studying for the exams. The test results can greatly assist in bettering college applications, which is why students devote time to study to get a four or five on the exam.

“I study from the moment I get home from school until I fall asleep every day to prepare for [my upcoming AP tests],” said McNabb.

Time spent on studying and extracurriculars takes away from students’ free time and leads to less socialization. It also imposes stress on students to get good grades and get into the colleges that they’ve been told they need and want to get into. These combined factors have led to an extreme decline in student mental health, something that parents and teachers need to acknowledge.

Sources:

Usnews.com

thewashingtonpost.com