essay on school pressure

Under Pressure: An essay on school stress and mental health

Immense pressure built into school isn’t consistent with supporting students’ mental health.

I was in my Psychology class taking notes on anxiety when I felt like I had just read my life story. Mid-assignment, I started shaking and had difficulty continuing my work. My thoughts began to spiral: If I didn't write my notes, I would fail the test. If I failed the test I wouldn’t graduate. If I didn’t graduate I wouldn’t go to college, wouldn’t be accomplished, and soon enough, would have failed at life.

This account from a Kentucky student is just a fraction of the plethora of tales that the subject of mental health in schools is incomplete without. Unfortunately, I can relate, because education is one of the most powerful tools we need to change the world. We all want to be accomplished–but now, the biggest milestone we have is surviving it. 

Throughout America, schools give awards for best attendance, but they come with no recognition of the mental toll it takes to be present in the classroom. Academic accomplishment is presented as the Holy Grail–yet for students, the pursuit of schools' measures of success often feels like pushing ourselves to the breaking point. That leads to losing sight of the connections that make school meaningful. In the United States, almost 1 in 7 kids and teens have a mental health condition, and nearly half go untreated. According to recent studies, in Kentucky alone, at least 16% of children ages 3 to 17 have depression or anxiety. Schools aren't meeting the mental health needs of students, but this problem–as well as the students experiencing it firsthand–isn’t being understood or approached correctly. The immense pressure built into school isn’t consistent with supporting students' mental health.  

Somewhere a student is sitting in detention for interrupting class with excessive fidgeting, talking, and physical movements. For this student, having ADHD becomes a punishable offense; they are seen as unruly and wayward. 

In another school, a student is barred from attending Prom or after-school activities—a common punishment for students with too many unexcused absences. Is this fair for students with depression, who can face challenges gathering up the strength just to get out of bed, much less to have the capacity to attend a school that doesn't accommodate their needs? 

Elsewhere, a student not participating in class or activities because of a sense of hopelessness and lack of energy is written off as lazy, rather than having their specific needs met as a student with Bipolar Disorder. 

And when common conditions such as anxiety and depression remain stigmatized and punished in schools, what about students with experiences that remain deeply misunderstood by the general public? Students with such diagnoses often struggle to find understanding and support within the structure of school. 

More in school support and friendly environments are both pertinent needs for students with diagnosable and treatable mental health conditions, as well as ways of tending to overall student mental well-being. We can start now by enhancing awareness among our peers, the staff, and ourselves. Some research shows that academic-related stress negatively impacts mental health, physical health, and school performance. The pressure doesn’t help.

Today, it is a normalized and regular occurrence for  students to be forced to stand in front of their class, despite being petrified, often unable to utter a full sentence. Anxiety is seen as "stage fright,” to be casually confronted and overcome; the complexities of mental health are continuously overlooked in the school building. Little do they know how that simple act reinforces the idea of feeling worthless and not good enough in that student's mind by subjecting them to all that anxiety and worry. Then, that can spiral into the affirmations from classmates who feel pity for you, the blank stares and whispers, the cackles, and then, their own self-pity. Even after numerous presentations, it never gets better. It's always the same ambiance, the same fear, and the same high expectations that seem improbable to meet. Having encountered this countless times, I can assert that the way we approach mental health in school needs to change.  

I hope that one day in America every student will see school as a place to be heard, and won't look at school as a place where dreams are deferred, where we are destined to be misunderstood. What we need is understanding as the basic foundation of awareness. Knowledge of the existence of mental health conditions, without the ability to discern whether school stress worsens it, makes it powerless. It is only when we have sufficient understanding of a problem that we can begin to acknowledge and fix it. The understanding of whether stress from school exacerbates a student’s mental health challenges isn’t easy to acquire, but it’s where we have to start. 

Introduction

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Social Impact Oct 2, 2018

How peer pressure can lead teens to underachieve—even in schools where it’s “cool to be smart”, new research offers lessons for administrators hoping to improve student performance..

Leonardo Bursztyn

Georgy Egorov

Robert Jensen

Peer pressure can play a huge role in the choices that students make in school, extending beyond the clothes they wear or music they listen to.

Think, for example, of a student deciding whether to participate in educational activities, such as raising their hand in class or signing up for enrichment programs. While these efforts may be good for a college application, they also could affect how classmates perceive the student. Pressure to not seem like a nerd could make kids refrain from taking part. So why, exactly, do some kids shy away from showing effort in front of their peers? In a recent study, Georgy Egorov , a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at Kellogg, and his collaborators considered two possibilities. In some schools, perhaps kids face a social stigma for publicly making an effort to excel. The researchers called this culture “smart to be cool.” But in other schools, perhaps high achievers are popular, and students feel pressure to do well; in other words, it’s “cool to be smart.” Perhaps counterintuitively, this type of school culture could also cause kids to avoid participating if they do not view themselves as smart and don’t want to reveal their poor grasp of the material. “If social pressure rewards high performance, then they might want to shy away from engaging if they feel unprepared,” Egorov says. The researchers used a mathematical model, as well as a field experiment at three high schools, to confirm their prediction that the reason why students shy away from showing effort can differ depending on which of these two school cultures is predominant. Given that, it is important for administrators to know which culture is stronger at a particular school when designing policies, Egorov says. For example, in a cool-to-be-smart school, students might be more likely to attend an after-school program if it is called “enrichment” rather than “extra help.” But in a smart-to-be-cool school, kids might find it more socially acceptable to seek “extra help” to avoid failing a class than “enrichment,” which suggests trying to excel. Overall, the research suggests that the reasons why some students fail to take advantage of educational opportunities can differ greatly depending on the school’s overall culture. “Many schools have kids who are underperforming,” Egorov says, “but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s all the same mechanism at work.”

An Alternate Explanation

The starting point for this research was an influential 2006 paper by Harvard economist Roland Fryer. Fryer was interested in underperformance among minority students, and looked in particular at the role of peer pressure. He found that in some types of schools, African-American and Hispanic students become less popular as their grades increase, while white students become more popular as their grades go up. In situations where studying hard is stigmatized by one’s peers, Fryer concluded, underperforming students may be deliberately trying not to appear engaged in school. But what about schools that have the opposite culture, where kids are admired for being high achievers? Do students there also deliberately downplay a desire to excel? And, if they do, are they doing it for the same reasons as students in smart-to-be-cool schools? To find out, Egorov and his collaborators, Leonardo Bursztyn at the University of Chicago and Robert Jensen at the University of Pennsylvania, first created a mathematical model to represent students in a school.

The reasons why some students fail to take advantage of educational opportunities can differ greatly depending on the school’s overall culture.

The model allowed for two types of school culture, one that rewarded high achievement and one that rewarded a lack of effort. The model also allowed students to choose to sign up for an educational activity, with their choice either being made public or kept private, as well as their performance on it being made public or kept private. Importantly, the researchers also introduced a lottery to the model. Among the students who signed up, some of them would “win” the chance to participate in the activity. The team showed that when the probability of “winning” the activity changed, interesting differences emerged. In the smart-to-be-cool school, one would expect that if signing up and participating in an activity were done publicly, fewer kids would do it because they wouldn’t want to seem like they are trying hard. But what happens when the chances of winning the activity increase? In making their decision, students are weighing two types of benefits: the social perks of their classmates’ approval if they do not appear to be trying to excel vs. the economic perks of getting a better education. When the chances of winning are low, the student is socially stigmatized for signing up and probably will not even receive the educational reward. But if the chances of winning are high, the net benefits increase. While the student still faces disapproval from peers, at least she is more likely to boost her economic prospects. And, under these circumstances, the model predicts that more students would likely sign up. “You are more likely to sign up if at least you get something for that,” Egorov says. In this “public” scenario, increasing the chances of winning would have the opposite effect at a cool-to-be-smart school. Students there benefit socially from signing up: showing they want to participate makes them fit in with the high achievers. So when the probability of winning is low, students can sign up to signal that they are smart without running a big risk that they will actually have to do the activity in public, which could reveal that they are low performers. If the chances of winning—and therefore having their performance made public—are high, they are less likely to sign up. Egorov compares the situation to a teacher asking a question in class. If a low-performing student raises his hand when no one else is doing so, his chances of “winning” participation—that is, being called on by the teacher—are high. So the student is unlikely to take that risk. But if ten other kids have already raised their hands, a low-performing student might do the same to fit in with smart peers, since the teacher probably won’t call on him anyway. “Raising your hand is safe,” Egorov says. “You try to pool with the high performers at low risk.”

Striking Differences

To test these predictions, the team visited 11th-grade classrooms at three high schools in Los Angeles: one that previous research hinted would have a smart-to-be-cool culture, and two others that the team suspected might have a cool-to-be-smart culture. (A subsequent survey of students indeed confirmed that the schools had the predicted cultures.) To run their experiment, the researchers gave 511 students a form that offered the chance to enter a lottery to win a real SAT prep package, which would include a diagnostic test to identify strengths and weaknesses. Some forms said that the sign-up decision and test results would be completely anonymous; others hinted that the results might be visible to classmates. The team also varied the probability of winning the lottery for the package. Some forms said the student had a 75 percent chance, while others listed a 25 percent chance. As expected, fear of peers’ judgment seemed to drive decisions. In both types of schools, when the students’ choice and test results were private, about 80 percent signed up. But in the public scenario, that figure dropped to 53 percent. If the experiment had stopped there, the researchers might have assumed that effort and achievement were stigmatized in all the schools. But when researchers analyzed the results based on whether the probability of winning the lottery was high or low, a very different picture emerged. As their model predicted, changing the chance of winning in the public scenario revealed substantial differences between the two types of schools. In the smart-to-be-cool school, sign-up rates rose from 44 percent to 62 percent when the probability of winning the lottery increased, suggesting that students were willing to risk social stigma only when they thought they stood a good chance of accessing the SAT prep package. But in cool-to-be-smart schools, sign-up rates showed the opposite pattern, dropping from 66 percent to 40 percent.

Tailored Policy Solutions

Egorov is quick to point out that the experiment was done at only three schools, so the findings should not be generalized across schools based solely on their student demographics or other observable factors, such as school location. But, he says, the results suggest that administrators should understand their school’s culture when designing policies. For example, making class participation mandatory in a smart-to-be cool school could reduce the stigma of raising one’s hand. But in a cool-to-be-smart school, the same policy could provoke struggling students to disrupt class so they can avoid participating.

James Farley/Booz, Allen & Hamilton Research Professor; Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences

About the Writer Roberta Kwok is a freelance science writer based near Seattle.

About the Research Bursztyn, Leonardo, Georgy Egorov, and Robert Jensen. Forthcoming. “Cool to Be Smart or Smart to Be Cool? Understanding Peer Pressure in Education.” Review of Economic Studies .

Essay on Academic Pressure

Students are often asked to write an essay on Academic Pressure in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Academic Pressure

Understanding academic pressure.

Academic pressure is the stress students feel about schoolwork. It can come from parents, teachers, or even from the students themselves. It is often about getting good grades, passing exams, or getting into a good college.

Causes of Academic Pressure

There are many causes of academic pressure. One of them is high expectations from parents and teachers. Another is fear of failure. Sometimes, students also put pressure on themselves to do well. They may compare themselves with others and feel the need to do better.

Effects of Academic Pressure

Academic pressure can have both good and bad effects. On one hand, it can motivate students to work hard. On the other hand, it can cause stress, anxiety, and even depression. It can also lead to a lack of sleep, which can affect a student’s health.

Managing Academic Pressure

To manage academic pressure, students should set realistic goals. They should also take breaks and do things they enjoy. Talking to someone about their feelings can also help. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them.

In conclusion, academic pressure is a common issue faced by students. While it can drive students to do better, it can also cause stress and anxiety. Therefore, it’s important to manage it effectively.

250 Words Essay on Academic Pressure

What is academic pressure.

Academic pressure is the stress that students feel due to school work. It can come from many places. These include tests, homework, grades, and the fear of not doing well. This pressure can be very hard for students.

One cause of academic pressure is the need to get good grades. Many students feel they must get high marks to please their parents or get into a good college. This can make them feel stressed. Another cause is a lot of homework. When students have too much work to do, they may feel overwhelmed. They might worry that they will not finish all their work on time.

Academic pressure can have many effects on students. It can make them feel tired, anxious, or sad. They might lose interest in things they used to enjoy. They might not sleep well. In some cases, it can even make them feel sick.

Dealing with Academic Pressure

There are ways to deal with academic pressure. One way is to manage time well. This can help students feel less overwhelmed. Another way is to talk to someone about the pressure. This could be a teacher, parent, or friend. They can offer support and advice. It’s also important to take breaks and do things that are fun. This can help reduce stress.

In conclusion, academic pressure is a common problem for students. But by understanding its causes and effects, and by finding ways to deal with it, students can reduce their stress and enjoy their school years more.

500 Words Essay on Academic Pressure

Academic pressure is the stress that students feel when they are trying to do well in school. This pressure can come from many places. It can come from parents, teachers, or even the students themselves. They might feel the need to get good grades, pass exams, or get into a good college. This pressure can be very hard to handle.

The Sources of Academic Pressure

One of the biggest sources of academic pressure is the desire to succeed. Students often feel like they have to get good grades to make their parents happy. They might also feel like they need to do well to get into a good college or get a good job. This pressure can be very strong, especially if the student feels like they are not doing well.

Teachers can also add to this pressure. They might give a lot of homework or have high expectations for their students. This can make students feel like they have to work very hard to meet these expectations.

The Effects of Academic Pressure

Academic pressure can have many effects on students. It can make them feel stressed and anxious. This can lead to problems like not being able to sleep, feeling tired all the time, or even getting sick more often. It can also make it hard for students to focus on their work.

This pressure can also affect a student’s mental health. It can make them feel like they are not good enough or like they are always failing. This can lead to feelings of sadness or even depression.

There are many ways to deal with academic pressure. One of the best ways is to talk about it. Students can talk to their parents, teachers, or a counselor about how they are feeling. This can help them feel less alone and can also help them find solutions to their problems.

Another way to deal with this pressure is to take breaks. It is important for students to have time to relax and do things they enjoy. This can help them feel less stressed and can also help them focus better when they are working.

Academic pressure is a big problem for many students. It can come from many places and can have many effects. But, it is important to remember that there are ways to deal with this pressure. Students can talk about their feelings, take breaks, and find ways to manage their stress. By doing these things, students can handle their academic pressure and succeed in school.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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• Essay on Academic Performance
• Essay on Academic Interests
• Essay on Academic Integrity

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• Indie 102.3

What’s Making Teens So Stressed At School? Here’s What Their Teachers Think — And How The Students Responded

Academic stress is a big deal.

A national survey this year cited school pressure as the number one stressor in teens’ lives. For our ongoing series Teens Under Stress , Colorado Matters host Avery Lill sat down with several high schoolers and teachers to talk about it.

Most of the students said their academic stress is ever-present. One compared it to trying to find something in a sandpit. It’s hard to find what you’re looking for. It’s tough to get out of the pit, and the sand gets all over you. 

The teachers know teens are stressed about, as one put it, "everything" — including, sometimes, teachers themselves.

These are select moments from both conversations. They have been condensed and edited for clarity.

The teacher spoke with us first.

Amy Paa-Rogers is from Boulder. She’s taught in public middle and high school for 28 years. She's taught International Baccalaureate classes, Advanced Placement economics and freshman government. 

Young Han Lester teaches high school English at a charter school in Denver. He’s been a teacher for six years.

Matt Borgmann teaches history and economics at the IB program in Palisade, Colorado.

Lori Goldstein recently retired after teaching middle and high school science for 29 years. Now she’s on the Adams 12 School Board in Thornton. 

What’s stressing out their students at school?

Borgmann: Can I just say everything? I deal with a lot of 12th graders primarily, and it's just that point in their life where they actually do have to think of life outside of high school. I think the expectations of that creates some pressure for all of them, and in different ways. Some kids are leaving their parents who are willing to just let them go, and so they don't have a lot of guidance. Or (they have) parents that are trying to overly guide them.

Paa-Rogers: Expectations from their friends, from school, from the academics, from teachers, from their parents. I think there's that little triangle of, "My friends, I don't want to let them down, and I chat with them all the time, and I want to make sure that I kind of keep up my image or my persona."

Lester: I would also definitely say, I see students react pretty frequently to just anytime they feel like someone is telling them what to do or how to be. I think that always is a little stressful, trying to meet those kinds of adult commands.

Borgmann: I might not be a fan favorite for this one, but sometimes it's just teachers. Teachers that are not organized, and kind of throw things at kids last minute or, "Oh, it's the end of the semester, we didn't get through this, so let's hurry up and get this done." And a lot of these kids, with so much on the table they're really trying to plan things out. They're trying to be organized, and you just have so many factors that are outside of their control that contribute to them being unorganized.

Goldstein: I think that you have a sense of competitiveness too. You have on one end the low socioeconomic (students) … you have the high (socioeconomic students), and you have that friction between the two populations — basically the haves and the have-nots. And then thinking about, "Well, what am I going to do when I get out of high school? Am I going to be able to afford to go to college? Am I going to be able to get into college because I'm DACA?" and that sort of thing.

Paa-Rogers: Or, "If I get in and I can't pay, then how do I save face in front of my friends?"

In looking at this over time, it seems like in more recent years it's almost like they don't want to ask for an extension on a due date, especially the really high-achieving kids that are doing the AP and IB classes. It makes me sad because it's like they've internalized the stress so much that they don't feel like they can ask for help. Like the healthy thing for you to do is maybe not do the assignment. Try missing those 10 points and just see what that does. It's going to be fine.

That part has changed a lot, that they're afraid of failing. I think that's a bigger picture of our society of how everything is public because you put everything out on Facebook or Snapchat or wherever.

How students’ background, race or ethnicity, and identity affect the way they experience academic stress .

Lester: I teach at a school where I'm pretty sure the majority of our teachers are white and the majority of our students are not. And I do think that causes some stress for the students. From kindergarten through 12th grade, if the majority of the people with power, the people presenting themselves as your guides for the future,  if those do not reflect you, there's a lot of ways that can cause stress. 

(It can leave students wondering), "Should I really assume this person actually does know what they're talking about? Sure, this works for them. Does it work for me? Can I trust this person's motives when they tell me that I need to change my behavior, that I should change my attitude? Are they actually doing that because that is what is best for me or are they doing this because they're doing what authority always does to me?"

Borgmann: My mind first went to our athletes. I think about a kid who has always been kind of the athlete and nobody recruits them (for college sports). How do you turn around and tell your peers like, "Oh, well actually, nobody wants me."

And I don't think it's any different for academic kids. You know, they've always been top of the class and they want to get into these schools and then they get a letter that says, "No, thanks." What do I put on my Snapchat? What do I put on my social media? Who do I tell, who do I not tell, and how am I going to handle that?

So what’s a teacher to do? How do you help kids manage academic stress?

Goldstein: I think it's important in any system that every student has at least one adult in that building that they can connect with to guide them, whether it's going to college or with dealing with the stresses at home or with your peers.

Lester: I think a lot of behaviors that are really easy to write off as misbehavior are really, actually, student stress responses. So a lot of the time whenever I find myself being tempted to think, "Why aren't they trying harder?" or, "Why are they acting out?" I try and kind of stop and wonder, what are the circumstances that make this behavior adaptive? Because this is this person's attempt to solve whatever they perceive as the problem in their life.

Paa-Rogers: I try to establish individual relationships with kids. And a lot of times the kids in my class that are like super stressed will sort of self-identify and send me an email or stop by my office. And in some sense, that's really helpful because then I can work with them or adjust due dates or things like that. But sometimes kids keep so much inside that you can't really tell. I try to be flexible, try to be approachable. Sometimes we do a little mindfulness stuff.

Borgmann: I'll second what was said about relationships. I think that's the number one thing.

If you need help, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also reach the  Colorado Crisis Services  hotline at  1-844-493-8255  or text “TALK” to 38255 to speak with a trained counselor or professional. Counselors are also available at walk-in locations or online to chat.

Then the teachers left the studio and the teens took their place .

Kyler is a high school senior at a Boulder public school.

Paola is a junior. She’s also from Boulder, but goes to a different public school than Kyler.

Liliana is a senior in Palisade on the state’s Western Slope. Matt Borgmann is her teacher. She’s in an International Baccalaureate program.

Rodrigo is a junior at the charter school in Denver where Young Han Lester teaches.

How did the teachers do in describing their academic stress and its causes?

Kyler: I feel like they did a pretty good job. Personally, for me, the rigor of the class is that it's necessary for there to be stress and it's necessary for there to be hard tests and stuff like that. Especially (what the teachers said)  about the need to communicate with the students. I full-heartedly believe that, because having a connection with your teacher and being able to communicate is really vital in reducing the amount of stress.

Paola: Just building off of that point, self-advocacy is definitely a stress reliever. Just having that connection with that teacher, and being able to directly go without hesitation, is just so much better. Knowing that the teacher will be able to help you is a stress reliever for me.

When you visualize stress, what does it look like?

Paola: My stress visualization would probably be like a ball of just elastics. It's like all munched together and kind of intertwined between each other.

Liliana: Visualizing wise, maybe like a pit of sand, you know? You try and find something in there, but you don't know where it is and it's hard to get out and it's always stuck to you, I guess. 

I will say there's physical manifestations of it. Like my shoulders are always tight, my jaw is always clenched. Sometimes you forget that it's there and you forget that that stress is there, but it's still with you. And you know, sometimes you notice it and try and release it, and it just doesn't work. Then you can't stop thinking about it. And then there are other moments where, you know, you just kind of forget that your shoulders are tight and that your jaw is clenched until you end up with a migraine.

It's hard for some students to detach themselves from persona and social media and all the things that we have to deal with. And I think teachers are getting better and better at understanding that, because that's not something that really almost any of them grew up with.

Rodrigo: Academic stress is like the “Jaws” theme . It just happens, and then once I pay attention, it's kind of too late. A lot of times I'll put it off like, "Oh, I have time to catch up on my homework," and then I will procrastinate for a month. And then once it actually hits me, "Oh yeah, this is due tomorrow," so I will do it the night before. And it's not the best thing.

What kind of extracurriculars are you involved in?

Liliana: There are some basics like National Honor Society. We have a Future Business Leaders of America chapter. I'm involved in marching band. I'm doing choreography for our musical, I work on quite a few political campaigns and I'm the chair of a voter registration organization here on the Western Slope. 

(She gets four or five hours of sleep a night.) I know that sometimes sacrificing my health is not the best thing to do, but it needs to be done for me to uphold the responsibilities that I've committed myself to.

Rodrigo: I'm part of National Honor Society. I am not part of any clubs or anything. I held down a job for half of my years of high school. I probably did one of the major flaws you're not supposed to do — I prioritized work over school, so I’d work a few hours and then go home tired and fall asleep immediately, not do homework, and then be confused in class. 

How do race and ethnicity, socioeconomics and identity affect stress at school?

Paola: My school is predominantly white and sometimes it is kind of hard going into class realizing that you are the only student of color. So like one of the teachers mentioned, minorities need more role models they can actually connect to in order to succeed.

Liliana: In kindergarten through now, I have never had a teacher of color, especially those of my own (Hispanic) ethnicity, other than a Spanish teacher. It has definitely affected me. I think that definitely some stress comes from not seeing teachers who look like me and who have had similar cultural experiences to me.

Rodrigo: I got to agree with that. I come from a single-parent household. My mom did come to this country when she was about 20 and she doesn't have a full high school education. She did leave high school in Mexico. So education-wise, there is such a big disconnect. Because in the United States, we're taught different things based on how much money your school is getting. And I’ve noticed that pretty commonly when I was super young. I went to schools that weren’t really funded, right? Teachers were there just to be glorified babysitters.

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The Pressure of High Expectations on Students Essay

Student years are often associated with a great deal of pressure on the learners many of whom tend to experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety related to their academic performance and high demands of the educational institutions and their communities. The students are pressured to be excellent athletes, have perfect academic records, and also act as if their achievements do not require much effort. In the article posted in New York Times in 2015, Julie Scelfo argues that due to the extremely high standards practiced in the communities of different prestigious educational institutions in the United States, many students tend to break down under pressure and commit suicides.

In the United States, the rate of suicides among students is rather high. To be more precise, according to the data provided by Emory University, about one thousand suicides are committed on the territories of the college and university campuses annually (par. 1). In fact, the research pointed out that suicide is recognized as the third leading cause of death among the teenagers over 15 years old and young adults of 24 and younger (Emory University par. 1). As a result, it is possible to conclude that college and university students are put in the conditions and environments that push them towards the decisions to end their lives.

The high levels of pressure experienced by the students are proved by the reports of the American Psychosocial Association; they point out that at least one-third of all students of universities and colleges suffer from severe depressions restricting their daily functions and academic performance for at least one year during their education periods (Novotney 36). As a result of their overwhelming levels of anxiety and depression, 30% of the students looking for the help of counselors report having thoughts about or having attempted suicides (Novotney 36).

Finally, dealing with the emotional pressure, the high academic standards, and a multitude of tasks and issues, the students are also expected to demonstrate what is known as “effortless perfection” (Yao par. 3). In other words, the students are forced to put up fake exteriors and look happy regardless of all the problems they face. It is only logical that many of the highly accomplished students attempt suicides and thus confuse the general public that does not expect the cheerful, fit, and popular high-performers to be deeply miserable on the inside.

To sum up, the culture of the colleges seems to have little to no appreciation for the extreme effort it takes the learners to be well-rounded and successful in many different areas. In that way, it can be said that there exists the need for a change in this culture for the safety of the learners.

Works Cited

Emory University. “Suicide Statistics.” Emory Cares 4 U . 2016. Web.

Novotney, Amy. “Students under pressure.” American Psychosocial Association , vol. 45, no. 8, 2014, p. 36.

Yao, Amy. “‘Never Let Them See You Sweat’: The Myth of Effortless Perfection.” The Huffington Post . 2013. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, May 6). The Pressure of High Expectations on Students. https://ivypanda.com/essays/students-and-pressures/

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1. IvyPanda . "The Pressure of High Expectations on Students." May 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/students-and-pressures/.

Bibliography

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Ask a Psychologist

Helping students thrive now.

Angela Duckworth and other behavioral-science experts offer advice to teachers based on scientific research. To submit questions, use this form or #helpstudentsthrive. Read more from this blog.

Why Students Give In to Peer Pressure. Here’s How to Help Them Resist It

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This is the second in a two-part series on social belonging. You can read the first one here .

How do I help students fight peer pressure?

Young people recognize when they’re giving in to bad influences, but they struggle to resist. Here’s something I wrote about the topic for Character Lab as a Tip of the Week :

My 12-year-old son came home from school one day, his head hanging low. A kid had been teasing him, and he lashed out in return. Things escalated until he found himself in a fistfight on the playground, other kids egging him on. He knew “it probably wasn’t the best thing to do.”

I was disappointed in my son—hadn’t I raised him to be a better person than that? When I asked him why he did it, he said, “Sometimes I care more about my ego than about myself.”

This motivation to protect and enhance our sense of self is what psychologists call self-integrity .

Life is full of threats to self-integrity. You didn’t get a promotion. A friend slighted you. Even when there’s no actual threat, your mind drifts to possible ones: Maybe I’ll choke under pressure at the next game. Maybe I’ll fail the big exam. And so on.

When our self-integrity is threatened even momentarily, we are more likely to conform to others who offer validation, even when their views are wrong, reckless, or hateful.

We might think that people who engage in destructive or anti-social behavior lack character, that they’re bad seeds who have a history of disciplinary problems. But research finds that’s often not the case. One of the strongest predictors of teens’ bad behavior isn’t their attitude but social norms—what they think other teens endorse, especially the ones they want to be like. In this study, the teens who conformed most to anti-social norms were the ones who, like my son, worried about being accepted.

That’s why punitive approaches to disciplinary problems in school, especially suspension, do more harm than good. Punishment doesn’t help teens feel like they belong. What’s the alternative? Activities that affirm the self, that help people to get in touch with their core values and live them out in word and deed.

Don’t jump to the conclusion that bad behavior reflects bad character.

Do consider the possibility that bad behavior comes from a desire to belong and be seen. Help the young people in your life reflect on their most cherished values . Then they can join volunteer groups, sports teams, and other extracurricular activities that allow them to express and act on those values. In my son’s case, he became an avid member of a sports club, where he learned and lived out the values of effort and teamwork—and found a powerful source of self-integrity and belonging.

The opinions expressed in Ask a Psychologist: Helping Students Thrive Now are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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School Stress Takes A Toll On Health, Teens And Parents Say

Patti Neighmond

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill.

When high school junior Nora Huynh got her report card, she was devastated to see that she didn't get a perfect 4.0.

Nora "had a total meltdown, cried for hours," her mother, Jennie Huynh of Alameda, Calif., says. "I couldn't believe her reaction."

Nora is doing college-level work, her mother says, but many of her friends are taking enough advanced classes to boost their grade-point averages above 4.0. "It breaks my heart to see her upset when she's doing so awesome and going above and beyond."

And the pressure is taking a physical toll, too. At age 16, Nora is tired, is increasingly irritated with her siblings and often suffers headaches, her mother says.

Teens Talk Stress

When NPR asked on Facebook if stress is an issue for teenagers, they spoke loud and clear:

• "Academic stress has been a part of my life ever since I can remember," wrote Bretta McCall, 16, of Seattle. "This year I spend about 12 hours a day on schoolwork. I'm home right now because I was feeling so sick from stress I couldn't be at school. So as you can tell, it's a big part of my life!"
• "At the time of writing this, my weekend assignments include two papers, a PowerPoint to go with a 10-minute presentation, studying for a test and two quizzes, and an entire chapter (approximately 40 pages) of notes in a college textbook," wrote Connor West of New Jersey.
• "It's a problem that's basically brushed off by most people," wrote Kelly Farrell in Delaware. "There's this mentality of, 'You're doing well, so why are you complaining?' " She says she started experiencing symptoms of stress in middle school, and was diagnosed with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in high school.
• "Parents are the worst about all of this," writes Colin Hughes of Illinois. "All I hear is, 'Work harder, you're a smart kid, I know you have it in you, and if you want to go to college you need to work harder.' It's a pain."

Parents are right to be worried about stress and their children's health, says Mary Alvord , a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association.

"A little stress is a good thing," Alvord says. "It can motivate students to be organized. But too much stress can backfire."

Almost 40 percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school, according to a new NPR poll conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. In most cases, that stress is from academics, not social issues or bullying, the poll found. (See the full results here .)

Homework was a leading cause of stress, with 24 percent of parents saying it's an issue.

Teenagers say they're suffering, too. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that nearly half of all teens — 45 percent — said they were stressed by school pressures.

Chronic stress can cause a sense of panic and paralysis, Alvord says. The child feels stuck, which only adds to the feeling of stress.

Parents can help put the child's distress in perspective, particularly when they get into what Alvord calls catastrophic "what if" thinking: "What if I get a bad grade, then what if that means I fail the course, then I'll never get into college."

Then move beyond talking and do something about it.

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework.

That's what 16-year-old Colleen Frainey of Tualatin, Ore., did. As a sophomore last year, she was taking all advanced courses. The pressure was making her sick. "I didn't feel good, and when I didn't feel good I felt like I couldn't do my work, which would stress me out more," she says.

Mom Abigail Frainey says, "It was more than we could handle as a family."

With encouragement from her parents, Colleen dropped one of her advanced courses. The family's decision generated disbelief from other parents. "Why would I let her take the easy way out?" Abigail Frainey heard.

But she says dialing down on academics was absolutely the right decision for her child. Colleen no longer suffers headaches or stomachaches. She's still in honors courses, but the workload this year is manageable.

Even better, Colleen now has time to do things she never would have considered last year, like going out to dinner with the family on a weeknight, or going to the barn to ride her horse, Bishop.

Psychologist Alvord says a balanced life should be the goal for all families. If a child is having trouble getting things done, parents can help plan the week, deciding what's important and what's optional. "Just basic time management — that will help reduce the stress."

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The Dangers of Putting Too Much Pressure on Kids

ImagesBazaar / Riser / Getty Images

Many parents want to help their children be the best they can be. However, some, parents put their children under too much pressure to perform. Being under such intense pressure can have serious consequences for kids.

A 2013 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 64% of Americans say parents do not put enough pressure on children to do well in school .   Children might be less likely to perform at their best if they don't get enough pressure from their parents.

However, some kids might be under too much pressure. Adults have also expressed concerns that kids today "can't be kids anymore" because they are pressured and expected to constantly perform well—such as getting into the most prestigious schools or getting the best scholarships.

School isn’t the only place where parents put pressure on kids. Parents might also put lofty expectations on their kids to perform well in sports, music, theater, or other activities.

"High-pressure parents" might insist that their kids practice constantly and perform well in competitions.

Parents have different opinions and approaches to encouraging their kids. While high expectations can be healthy, placing constant pressure on children can be harmful. When kids feel like each homework assignment is going to make or break their future or that each soccer game could determine if they get a college scholarship, that pressure can have negative consequences.

When It's Harmful

Kids who feel that they are under enormous pressure to do well from parents and adults can experience consequences in multiple areas of their life, from their mental health to their sleep. Here are just a few of the consequences of putting kids under too much pressure to perform.

• Higher rates of mental illness . Kids who feel like they’re under constant pressure can experience constant anxiety. High amounts of stress can also place children at a greater risk of developing depression or other mental health conditions.
• Higher risk of injuries . Athletes who feel a lot of pressure might continue to participate in sports despite injuries. Ignoring pain or returning to a sport before an injury has healed could lead to permanent damage.
• Increased likelihood of cheating . When the focus is on achievement rather than learning, kids are more likely to cheat. Whether it’s a young child catching a glimpse of a classmate's answer on a test, or a college student paying someone to write a term paper, cheating is common among kids who feel pressure to perform well.
• Refusing to participate . When kids feel the goal is to always “be the best,” they’re not likely to participate when they aren’t likely to shine. A child who isn’t the fastest runner might quit playing soccer and a child who isn’t the best singer in the group might stop performing with the choir. Unfortunately, that means kids won’t take opportunities to sharpen their skills .
• Self-esteem problems . Pushing kids to excel can damage their self-esteem. The constant stress to perform interferes with children’s identity formation and causes them to feel like they’re not good enough—or even that they will never be good enough.
• Sleep deprivation . Kids who feel constant pressure to do well in school might stay up late studying and struggle to get enough sleep.

What You Can Do

There are some things that you can do as a parent to help your child without placing too much pressure on them.

• Encourage your child to do their best. Focus on the process, rather than the end result.
• If you find yourself placing too much pressure on your child, ask yourself why their performance, test score, or success matters to you.
• Talk to your child about the sport/assignment/performance they are working on. Set aside your feelings to make room for your child to express theirs. Giving your child the space to be seen and heard will encourage them rather than make them feel they have disappointed you.

Pew Research Center. Americans say kids need more pressure in school, Chinese say less.

Rogers MA, Theule J, Ryan BA, Adams GR, Keating L. Parental Involvement and Children's School Achievement: Evidence for Mediating Processes .  Canadian Journal of School Psychology . 2009;24(1):34-57. 

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time.

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Peer Pressure — Influences of Group Pressure on Individuals

The Impact of Peer Pressure on Students’ Academic Performance

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Published: Apr 29, 2022

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Teenage Stress

Addressing the pressures teens face in today’s fast-paced world..

Posted December 8, 2015 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

Teens are under more stress today than ever before. Sound like an exaggeration? Despite the fact that I am often prone to hyperbole, consider this: being a teenager is not easy.

Adolescence has always been a tricky developmental period defined by fundamental yet somewhat difficult changes (physical, cognitive, and social) experienced by teens as they make their way from childhood toward adulthood. These transitions trigger changes in the way the teen sees him/herself, and the way that others see and treat him or her. They are no longer children, but not yet adults, and this series of transitions not only has an impact on the individual experiencing the transitions, but also on parents, peers, and society as a whole.

Adolescence has always been an awkward stage where teens struggle to build their own identity , seek autonomy, and learn about intimacy and sexuality in relationships. These things all cause a certain level of angst, but they are not really new.

What is new is the environment that we live in, and it is this fast-paced, perpetually plugged-in society that sets the tone for the messages and expectations that teens receive every day. Due to varying pressures around school, work, families, relationships, social media , and the seemingly endless series of transitions involved in simply being an adolescent, teens today are indeed under more stress than ever before.

There are certain contexts that inevitably make being a teen even more difficult. Living in poverty, or being in an abusive home, for example. Other, more recent issues, such as society’s pressures on young people to grow up fast, have their lives completely figured out by the time they start middle school, and today’s technological and social innovations that have transformed family life, make the experience of teen transitions exponentially more difficult.

So, why are teens so “angsty” today?

School: Today, kids are expected to know what they want to do—where they want to go to school and in which field they'd like to work—earlier than ever before. They are also expected to do well, and are put on “success” tracks even in elementary school. They have to do well because it is assumed that all kids will/must go to college, and not just that, but they must get into the best college if they want to “succeed” and be competitive in today’s job market. This is a lot of pressure on teens.

Work: Most teens work to earn money, which they like, but it takes time away from other things like academics, extra-curricular activities, volunteering, spending time with family and friends, having fun, and simply enjoying life.

Expectations: Whether it is real or not, teenagers' perceptions are that they are expected to be successful or good at everything . Teens today feel a lot of pressure from parents, teachers, coaches, other family/friends to not fail. Failure has somehow gone from being viewed as a learning opportunity to being clearly unacceptable. This puts even more pressure on teens.

Social Connections: Given the fact that the overwhelming majority of teens today are tethered to a smartphone or other device that keeps them linked on social networking sites, teens justifiably feel “on” all the time. Their every move is judged by their peers, whether their peers are their true, real live friends, or the 1,254 “friends” on Facebook or followers on Twitter. So, the pressure is always on to be cute, clever, sexy, smart, popular, etc., and because social networking sites are the modern-day hangout spot, where teens spend a huge chunk of each day, it can be exhausting.

What can parents do?

• We, as parents of teens, must communicate. A recent study from the Pew Research Center asked a national sample of adults which skills are most important for children to have to succeed in the world today. The answer: communication. As parents, we should take our own advice and talk to our teens about expectations, goals , and ask teens about what they think, what they want, and how they feel.
• This, of course, means that we should also be prepared to listen. Really listen. Teens need to know that although we clearly want what is best for them in their future lives, what’s best doesn’t necessarily have to equate to what we want. We should hear what they have to say and consider how they envision their future.
• Our teens also need unconditional love, acceptance, and support, and we should be explicit in communicating this to them. We often assume that they know this (and they probably do), but they really need to hear it.
• Parents should also help their teens to set realistic expectations and keep things in perspective. No, it’s not the end of the world as we know it if our teen, for example, has not decided what she is majoring in during her freshman year of college. Nor does it make you a horrible parent to think that it is OK for our teens to fail at something… after all, failure presents an opportunity for growth! If we allow our children to fall, they can learn from their mistakes (called natural consequences) and pick themselves back up.

Sara Villanueva, Ph.D. , an associate professor of psychology at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, is the author of The Angst of Adolescence: How to Parent Your Teen and Live to Laugh About It .

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Essay on Peer Pressure: 100, 200, and 450 Word Samples in English

• Updated on  
• Mar 2, 2024

Have you ever done something just because your friends or peers have done it? Say, watched a movie or TV series, visited places, consumed any substance, or academic achievement. This is a classic example of peer pressure. It means you are influenced by your peers or people around you.

Peer pressure can be both positive and negative, but mostly, it has negative effects. Peer pressure often occurs during adolescence or teenage years when individuals are more susceptible to the opinions and actions of their peers. Sometimes, peer pressure can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, we must deal with peer pressure in a civilized and positive way. 

On this page, we will provide you with some samples of how to write an essay on peer pressure. Here are essay on peer pressure in 100, 200 and 450 words.

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• 1 Essay on Peer Pressure in 450 Words
• 2 Essay on Peer Pressure in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Peer Pressure in 100 Words

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Essay on Peer Pressure in 450 Words

‘Be true to who you are and proud of who you’re becoming. I have never met a critic who was doing better than me.’ – Jeff Moore

Why do we seek recognition? Why do we want to fit in? Why are we not accepting ourselves in just the way we are? The answer to these questions is almost the same; peer pressure. Peer pressure is the influence of our peers in such a way, that we wish and try to do things in the same way as others did. 

Negatives and Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure can have positive and negative effects. Positive peer pressure can result in better academic performance, personal growth and development, etc. We can be a source of inspiration to our friends or vice versa, which can result in better academic growth, adopting healthier lifestyles, and engaging in community service. For example, you are part of a group collaborating on a community project that demonstrates the constructive influence of peer interaction. This can encourage a sense of purpose and shared responsibility.

Negative Peer Pressure is the opposite of positive peer pressure. In such cases, we are influenced by the negative bad habits of our peers, which often result in disastrous consequences. Consider the scenario where one of your friends starts smoking simply to conform to the smoking habits of his peers, highlighting the potentially harmful consequences of succumbing to negative influences.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure can be dealt with in several ways. The first thing to do is to understand our own values and belief systems. Nobody wants to be controlled by others, and when we know what is important to us, it becomes easier to resist pressure that goes against our beliefs.

A person with self-esteem believes in his or her decisions. It creates a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. When you believe in yourself, you are more likely to make decisions based on your principles rather than succumbing to external influences.

Choosing your friends wisely can be another great way to avoid peer pressure. Positive peer influence can be a powerful tool against negative peer pressure.

Building the habit of saying ‘No’ and confidently facing pressure in uncomfortable situations can be a great way to resist peer pressure. So, it is important to assertively express your thoughts and feelings. 

Peer pressure can have different effects on our well-being. It can contribute to personal growth and development, and it can also negatively affect our mental and physical health. We can deal with peer pressure with the necessary skills, open communication, and a supportive environment. We must act and do things in responsible ways.

Also Read: Essay on Green Revolution in 100, 200 and 500 Words

Essay on Peer Pressure in 200 Words

‘A friend recently started smoking just because every guy in his class smokes, and when they hang out, he feels the pressure to conform and be accepted within the group. However, he is not aware of the potential health risks and personal consequences associated with the habit. 

This is one of the many negative examples of peer pressure. However, peer pressure can often take positive turns, resulting in better academic performance, and participation in social activities, and physical activities. 

Dealing with peer pressure requires a delicate balance and determination. Teenagers must have alternative positive options to resist negative influences. Developing a strong sense of self, understanding personal values, and building confidence are crucial components in navigating the challenges posed by peer pressure.

Learning to say ‘No’ assertively can be a great way to tackle peer pressure. You must understand your boundaries and be confident in your decisions. This way, you can resist pressure that contradicts your values. Also, having a plan in advance for potential pressure situations and seeking support from trusted friends or mentors can contribute to making informed and responsible choices.

‘It is our choice how we want to deal with peer pressure. We can make good and bad decisions, but in the end, we have to accept the fact that we were influenced by our peers and we were trying to fit in.’

Essay on Peer Pressure in 100 Words

‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

‘There are many ways in which we can deal with peer pressure. Everyone has their personal beliefs and values. Therefore, they must believe in themselves and should not let other things distract them. When we are confident in ourselves, it becomes easier to stand up for what we believe in and make our own choices. Peer pressure can be dealt with by staying positive about yourself.’

Ans: ‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges,, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

Ans: Peer pressure refers to the influence of our peers or people around us. 

Ans: Peer pressure can have both positive and negative effects on school children. It can boost academic performance, encourage participation in social activities, adopt healthier lifestyles, etc. However, peer pressure often results in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, unsafe activities, or other harmful behaviours.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Peer Pressure Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on peer pressure.

Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. Because if a person is a peer pressuring you for a good cause then it is motivation. Motivation is essential for the growth of a person. While peer pressure for a bad cause will always lead you to a disastrous situation.

Therefore it necessary for a person to not get influenced by the people around them. They should analyze the outcome of the deed in a strict manner. So that they no may commit anything harmful for themselves. As this world is full of bad people, so you need to be careful before trusting anybody.

Advantages of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is advantageous in many ways. Most importantly it creates a sense of motivation in the person. Which further forces the person to cross the barrier and achieve something great. Furthermore, it boosts the confidence of a person. Because our brain considers people’s opinions and makes them a priority.

Many salesmen and Entrepreneurs use this technique to influence people to buy their products. Whenever we are in a social meet we always get various recommendations. Therefore when a person gets these recommendations the brain already starts liking it. Or it creates a better image of that thing. This forces the person to buy the product or at least consider it.

This peer pressure technique also works in creating a better character of a person. For instance, when we recommend someone for a particular job, the interviewer already gets a better image of that person. Because he is recommended by a person the interviewer trusts. Therefore there is a great chance of that person to get hired.

Above all the main advantage of peer pressure can be in youth. If a young person gets influenced by an individual or a group of people. He can achieve greater heights in his career.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Peer Pressure

There are various disadvantages of peer pressure which can harm a person in many ways. If any person is not willing to perform a task then the peer pressure can be frustrating to him.

Furthermore, peer pressure should not be in an excessive manner. Because it lands a negative impact on the person. A person should be of the mindset of listening to himself first. While considering opinions in favor of him.

Peer pressure in youth from a bad company can lead a person to a nasty situation. Furthermore, it can also hamper a student’s career and studies if not averted. Youth these days are much influenced by the glamorous life of celebrities.

And since they follow them so much, these people become their peers. Thus they do such things that they should not. Drugs and smoking are major examples of this. Moreover most shocking is that the minors are even doing these things. This can have adverse effects on their growth and career.

It is necessary to judge the outcome of a deed before getting influenced by peers. Furthermore, peer pressure should always be secondary. Your own thoughts and wants should always have the first priority.

Q1. What is peer pressure?

A1 . Peer pressure is the influence on people by their peers. As a result, people start following their opinions and lifestyle. Furthermore, it is considering a person or his opinion above all and giving him the priority.

Q2. Which sector of the society is the peer pressure adversely affecting?

A2 . Peer pressure has adverse effects on the youth of society. Some false influencers are playing with the minds of the youngsters. As a result, the youth is going in the wrong direction and ruining their career opportunities.

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Pressure to do well at school

Pressure to do well at school has been shown to increase stress and anxiety in students, leading to poorer physical, social and emotional health. Students can feel pressure from their parents, school, teachers, society or themselves to achieve higher grades and academic success.

Recognising the signs of stress and anxiety in our students, helping them to develop practical coping skills, working in partnership with parents, reinforcing the importance of balance, and establishing realistic expectations are all helpful approaches schools can take to support students who feel pressure to do well academically.

Top tips for supporting your students

• Set clear and realistic expectations for class work, exams and assessments. Share help-seeking strategies students can use if they feel overwhelmed.
• Remind your students that a growth mindset, where failure is seen as an opportunity for growth and learning, is a key aspect of success in secondary school.
• Share with your students practical self-management strategies they can use to manage stress and anxiety, such as breathing and minfulness exercises, positive self-talk and practising gratitude. ReachOut.com has lots of helpful ideas to get them started.
• Provide opportunities for your students to set realistic and achievable short-, medium- and long-term learning goals. Involving parents in this process can help align their expectations with their child’s.
• Have open and honest conversations with your students around managing school work and study stress. Developing effective structures around time management, study and exam pressure early on in secondary school can make a big difference to students’ long-term wellbeing. Check out the following resources to share with students for ideas.

Classroom activities

Releasing the tension.

One of the body’s reactions to fear, stress and anxiety is muscle tension. Feeling ‘tense’ can produce muscle aches and pains, and may leave some people feeling exhausted. This exercise uses progressive muscle relaxation to help students notice, release and manage muscle tension and reduce stress.

Check-in line

Sometimes students can’t explain how they are feeling. Using a continuum removes the pressure and enables students to convey visually how they are coping.

Emotional awareness and self-regulation

It’s essential for students to be able to identify their emotional experiences and to control their emotional responses to external events. Being able to cope with difficult situations and to assess different responses enables them to move forward.

Self-care hand

When students learn to look after themselves, it builds their self-confidence and helps them to focus more on the positive things in their life. There are some steps students can take to encourage the habit of self-care.

Ways to chill for cheap exercise

Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive. This activity provides students with an opportunity to discuss different low-cost ways to chill out, and provides teachers with ways to create self-care opportunities for students at school.

Resources for students

ReachOut works with young people across Australia to develop content. You could share some of these resources with your students.

Practical strategies to help students with time management

Studying means managing a bunch of competing deadlines. It can be overwhelming and sometimes may feel impossible. Learn more about developing strategies for planning your time that will help you to stay calm, organised and on top of everything.

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Practical tips to help manage your time and pressure

Sometimes it feels like the list of things we need to get done is never-ending. It’s really easy just to neglect, or straight out forget about, some of the stuff that needs doing. ReachOut’s handy tool will point you in the right direction and help you to get stuff done.

ReachOut works with parents across Australia to develop content that helps them to support their young person. You could share some of these resources with your parent community.

School, education and teenagers

Your child may feel under pressure to perform well in exams, maintain a healthy social life, and start making tricky decisions about the rest of their life. It’s normal for teenagers to go through rough patches at school, but if you’re worried about your child, there are things that you can do to help.

Quick quiz for parents to take to understand whether their expectations align with their child’s

There's so much expectation around exam results. Take ReachOut’s quick 10-question quiz to find out if you and your teen are on the same page, and what you can do to make things easier for you both at results time.

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Here’s How Ivy League Schools Evaluate Student GPAs

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One of the main gates on the Brown University campus, decorated with the University crest. (Photo by ... [+] Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images)

A stellar GPA is one of the building blocks of a successful Ivy League application, and as the school year winds down, many students are anxiously seeking to give theirs a final boost. While most students and families understand the importance of a 4.0, few are aware of how top colleges evaluate student GPAs or what they look for when reviewing student transcripts. Though your GPA may seem to be a simple metric, nothing could be further from the case—colleges consider more than just the number, accounting for complexities such as diverse grading systems across schools, trends in grade inflation, and level of course rigor.

Here are three important facts to keep in mind about your GPA as you choose your courses:

1. Your GPA doesn’t directly compare to that of students at other schools.

One common misconception among college applicants is that they can compare their GPAs with those of students attending different schools. However, the GPA is not a universal metric but rather a reflection of an individual's academic performance within their specific educational environment. As a result, comparing GPAs from different schools is like comparing apples and oranges. For instance, some schools offer a plethora of AP, IB, and honors courses, while others may have limited options or offer none at all. Additionally, the weight assigned to AP versus honors versus regular classes varies from school to school. So, your GPA may not hold the same weight as those of your peers at different schools, even if you all have 4.0s.

Admissions officers understand that schools vary in their rigor, curriculum, and grading policies. Therefore, they evaluate your GPA in the context of your high school, considering the courses offered and the academic challenges presented. Instead of fixating on how your GPA compares to your friends’ from other schools, focus on challenging yourself and taking advantage of all the opportunities available to you at your school.

2. GPAs across the country are inflated—and colleges know it.

The last few years have seen surges in high school student GPAs nationwide. While GPA inflation has been on the rise over the last decade, average ACT composite scores are steadily declining. “For the 1.4 million ACT test-takers in the high school class of 2023, the average composite score on the exam was 19.5 out of 36, the lowest score since 1991,” according to The New York Times . The parallel differences, coupled with academic differences across schools, suggest that GPA must be considered in tandem with multiple other factors. Simply put, an A no longer means what it used to on a transcript.

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Ivy League and other top colleges are well aware of this trend and evaluate student GPAs alongside other metrics such as standardized test scores and AP exam scores in order to better understand a student’s academic skill sets. While some Ivy League and other top schools remain test-optional , they still place emphasis on course rigor and the context offered by your high school profile in order to understand the grades on your transcript.

3. Colleges will recalculate your GPA.

Given the abundance of variables in GPA calculations, colleges often recalculate the metric to create a standardized baseline for comparison between students across different schools. The recalibration may involve adjusting for variations in grading scales or the weighting of honors, International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The University of California system, for example, calculates students’ UC GPAs by converting grades to grade points (an A is equivalent to 4 points, a B to three points, etc.) for classes taken between summer after 9th and summer after 11th grade, and adding one point for each honors class, and dividing by total classes taken to yield final GPA.*

Other colleges also take additional factors that impact academic performance into consideration, and envelop GPA into a broader, holistic consideration. For instance, the Harvard University lawsuit over affirmative action revealed that Harvard rates students on a scale of 1–6 (with one being the most desirable) in academic, extracurricular, athletic and personal categories. A student’s GPA and test scores are folded together into an academic score which “summarizes the applicant’s academic achievement and potential based on grades, testing results, letters of recommendation, academic prizes, and any submitted academic work.”

This process aims to provide a fair and equitable evaluation of students from different educational backgrounds. Keep in mind that Harvard considers not only your grades, test scores, and academic rigor in this score, but also “evidence of substantial scholarship” and “academic creativity,” which can make the difference between a 1 and a 2 in the scoring system. These systems underscore the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity, showcasing your unique personality and creativity, and seeking to maximize opportunities to improve your performance within the academic landscape of your institution.

By understanding the complex way by which colleges evaluate students’ GPAs, you are better equipped to present a comprehensive and competitive picture of your academic achievements on your transcript and stand out in the competitive Ivy League admissions landscape.

*Variations exist for in-state versus out-of-state students and by high school. Be sure to calculate your GPA following the UC issued guidelines.

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The Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) program, adapted from MBSR by Brown University cardiovascular health expert and mindfulness researcher, Eric Loucks Ph.D., is a clinically tested approach to reduce high blood pressure and improve other risk factors such as stress, poor diet and inactivity.

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MB-BP is not provided in the course of a professional relationship between a healthcare provider and a patient. The Mindfulness Center is not recommending a course of treatment for your particular circumstances or making a diagnosis through the use of MB-BP. The Mindfulness Center’s faculty and staff are not physical or mental healthcare providers and cannot diagnose or treat physical or mental health conditions. Do not disregard or delay in seeking medical advice or treatment because of any information you receive through MB-BP. Your healthcare provider should be consulted regarding matters concerning medical conditions, treatment, and needs of you and your family.

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• Explore cravings and their management, and how behaviors like overeating, inactivity, alcohol consumption and medication adherence can lead to high blood pressure
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• Individuals with systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg or higher, or diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg or higher (i.e. elevated blood pressure or hypertension)
• Health-conscious individuals eager to address behavioral risk factors for poor cardiovascular health (stress, diet, physical activity, alcohol intake, medication adherence, etc.)
• Qualified or certified MBSR teachers looking to take a mindfulness adaptation that focuses on physical health outcomes

"The program gives participants the tools to make heart-healthy diet changes that can lower their blood pressure and decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease."

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“ Since the mindfulness course, people close to me notice that I recover from stressful situations much faster. I’ve had doctor appointments where my blood pressure was much lower and very close to my target, which hadn’t happened since my hypertension diagnosis many years ago. ”

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Harvard ratchets up pressure on the last pro-Palestinian campus encampment in Greater Boston

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Now that police dismantled the encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the immediate Boston area's last pro-Palestinian camp sits in Harvard Yard. How long it will last remains to be seen, as the school's administration turns up the pressure on the ensconced students to leave.

Administrators say the encamped students rejected a request to put an end to an encampment at the college on Friday. A Harvard spokesperson said interim President Alan Garber's interaction with students was a conversation and "not a negotiation of protesters' demands."

Overnight the group "Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine" said Garber rejected a counterproposal to end the protest and continue future negotiations.

On Friday morning, one of the protest groups, Harvxrd Palestine Solidarity Committee, posted on social media that suspension notices have been sent out to some students. The university also said in a statement, "disciplinary procedures and administrative referrals for placing protesters on involuntary leave continue to move forward.”

Garber has said students who remain in the encampments face suspension and would not be able to finish their exams or remain in Harvard housing.

MIT and Cambridge police cleared out the remaining encampment on the institute's Kresge Quad in the wee hours of Friday morning. By the time the police came through, there were around 10 protesters remaining among the tents, signs, clothing and cookery on the green.

Police were also called to clear out encampments at Northeastern University , Emerson College and UMass Amherst . In those cases, university administrators cited safety concerns, threats and harassment coming from the camps, though none have provided any detail of those reported acts of belligerence.

Student protesters voluntarily ended an encampment at Tufts.

All told, more than 300 students have been arrested in Massachusetts in connection to the encampments, leading to criticism that the police and schools were violating the free speech rights of nonviolent protesters. Novelist Colson Whitehead withdrew as UMass Amherst's commencement speaker following this week's raid and arrests at that school.

"I'm a believer that at this very tenuous and challenging moment, we have to be about listening to one another," U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern told New England Public Media. "We have to be about letting people in rather than shutting people out. But it also means that you don't arrest peaceful protesters."

Others have defended the school's actions and administrators, including UMass board member Marty Meehan, Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

"I know that world events, global events are incredibly painful and emotional for our community," Wu said. "We cannot let that destabilize the safety and well-being of our residents here in Boston."

This is a developing story.

• Police clear protest encampment at MIT in early morning sweep
• Police clash with protesters at MIT, a day after student suspensions

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Student’s wounding inside Dunbar H.S. detailed in D.C. documents

In a court hearing Saturday, a lawyer said a vehicle being driven erratically near the school had spurred fears of a drive-by shooting.

The noise drew a teacher at Dunbar High School to leave her desk mid-conversation Friday morning and peer out the window. Gunshots.

When she turned back around, the student she’d been talking to was on the floor, blood pouring from her head, according to a sworn statement filed in D.C. Superior Court.

A basketball coach rushed into the classroom, according to the statement, and used the student’s jacket to apply pressure to her injury.

The wound to the right side of the student’s forehead was deep enough to expose her skull, according to the report police filed in court to give information for charges, but a doctor determined surgery was not necessary.

Authorities arrested two suspects in the case. Azhari Graves, 18, was charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. On Monday, the U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. charged Saki Frost, 17, as an adult with several counts of assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm in a crime of violence.

Following a brief hearing in D. C. Superior Court, Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered Frost held in custody until his next hearing, May 28, with his co-defendant Graves, who was ordered detained on Saturday.

The documents provide a deeper accounting of an incident that appeared to rattle District residents. While violent crime overall is down in 2024, the symbolism of a bullet striking a student while in class struck a public nerve, fueling questions about how leaders will prevent persistent flurries of sudden gunfire in community spaces.

Later Friday, a 3-year-old was fatally shot in an unrelated incident, presumably by a stray bullet fired in a possible exchange of shots on a residential street in Southeast.

At a court hearing Saturday in the Dunbar shooting, a lawyer for Graves said her client did not fire the shot that wounded the girl, that any gun he might have been carrying was for self-defense and that no available surveillance footage showed Graves pointing or shooting a gun at anyone.

In the sworn statement, police quoted witnesses who said both Graves and Frost were current Dunbar students.

Nothing said in the statement from police or by prosecutors in court on Saturday signaled any intent to attack the school or injure anyone in it. In addition to striking the student in the classroom, the gunfire also shattered a window near someone in another room, apparently also a student, according to police reports.

Arguments in court between prosecution and defense centered on a car that, according to the statement, had been struck by gunfire. It appeared from comments made in court that the targeted vehicle was between the school and those shooting.

The vehicle, according to Graves’s lawyer, was being operated in a way that aroused suspicion that a drive-by shooting was intended.

Judge Neal E. Kravitz said that even if Graves did not shoot the gun, there was enough evidence to otherwise connect him to a crime.

Keith L. Alexander and Peter Hermann contributed to this report.

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The Evening

The u.s. increased its pressure on israel to reach a truce.

Also, Biden and Harris hit the campaign trail. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

By Matthew Cullen

The Biden administration dispatched the head of the C.I.A. to meet today with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a push by the U.S. to clinch a deal for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages. The visit came only hours after the White House confirmed that it was withholding some military aid from Israel.

Together, the moves are among President Biden’s most significant attempts to limit Israel’s military operation in the Gazan city of Rafah and ratchet down the Israel-Hamas war. The hold on weapons is limited to a few thousand massive bombs, but it is the first time since the start of the war that Biden has used his power over aid to influence Israel’s approach.

Here’s the latest .

The U.S. defense secretary publicly linked the withheld shipment to Israel’s long-threatened ground invasion of Rafah, which American officials worry could lead to a humanitarian disaster. Israel has insisted that it needs to invade Rafah in order to dismantle Hamas, and this week Israeli tanks entered the city and took control of its border crossing with Egypt.

Israeli officials have downplayed the disagreement and said they are continuing to negotiate on a potential cease-fire. But experts suggested that the hold was a warning from Biden that he was willing to use U.S. aid as leverage if the Israeli military presses farther into Rafah.

For more: We have new satellite imagery of Rafah , showing widespread damage.

It’s Wednesday, so Biden and Harris are campaigning

President Biden spent his afternoon in Racine, Wis., where he announced that Microsoft planned to build a major artificial intelligence data center there . The project in the battleground state is expected to create thousands of jobs, Biden said, and deliver on his promise to boost domestic manufacturing. The president also held a campaign event nearby targeting Black voters.

Vice President Kamala Harris was on the move as well: She spoke in the Philadelphia suburbs about abortion access.

The flurry of activity has become a Wednesday standard, as my colleague Reid Epstein reported . It’s the off day for Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial, so the White House and the Biden campaign have sought to cut off his chances of driving the news by sending the president and Harris to get voters’ attention.

School leaders rejected charges of ignoring antisemitism

House Republicans questioned public school leaders from liberal pockets of the country, accusing them of “turning a blind eye” to an alarming rise in antisemitism since Oct. 7. But unlike last year, when a similar hearing with college leaders prompted months of upheaval, the school chiefs forcefully defended their actions .

The latest: Police broke up an encampment at George Washington University; U.S.C. scrambled to preserve its graduation ; and Chicago officials urged everyone to stop the comparisons to 1968 .

France left migrant workers off its Olympic toll

The Olympic flame arrived today in Marseille , where it will begin a 79-day relay across France, culminating in Paris with the start of the Games in July. President Emmanuel Macron said that the infrastructure for the Olympics was built without the hazards that tarnished the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

But the Olympics sites have been more dangerous than organizers have let on . Some fatal accidents were omitted because of narrow definitions for what is Games-related; other cases involving undocumented immigrants were handled off the books.

More top news

Congress: Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene moved to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. The vote is likely to fail.

Trump: A Georgia court will hear an appeal of the ruling that kept Fani Willis as the prosecutor in the former president’s election-interference case, most likely delaying the case .

Politics: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that doctors found a dead worm in his brain .

Ukraine: Russia hit several power plants across the country, further straining its electrical grid .

Cars: General Motors said it would stop making the Chevrolet Malibu , and focus more on EVs and S.U.V.s.

Weather: One person died when strong storms hit the Eastern U.S. today . Here’s how to get Times notifications on extreme weather .

Florida: State lawmakers voted to outlaw intentionally letting go of balloons .

Lives lived: Steve Albini, a musician who helped develop the alternative rock sound of the ’80s and ’90s, died at 61 .

TIME TO UNWIND

‘planet of the apes’ continues to deliver.

More than half a century ago, filmmakers presented audiences with a goofy premise: What if talking apes overthrew humanity? Now “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the 10th installment of what has become an uncommonly thoughtful franchise, is arriving in theaters.

Our critic Alissa Wilkinson found it to be a worthy new chapter. Through the apes, the new movie probes the way idealisms can be co-opted and converted into dogmas. Check out Alissa’s review .

LaToya Ruby Frazier heads to MoMA

LaToya Ruby Frazier is now perhaps America’s foremost social documentary photographer. She first made her mark with photos of her family and her industrial hometown, Braddock, Pa., before widening her field to the challenges of working-class Americans across the country.

This weekend, an exhibition of Frazier’s work will open at the Museum of Modern Art. We talked to her about what inspires her .

Dinner table topics

A serene oasis: Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond recording studio breaks a lot of design rules. That’s why musicians love it .

For retirement: Was the 401(k) a mistake? We tried to find out .

Big new canvas: Six midsize galleries pooled their money to buy a sprawling, abandoned school in upstate New York, where they will exhibit their art.

A reader asked: Why do feet smell, and can anything be done about it ?

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

Cook: These French onion sliders make for a comforting meal.

Sip: Tiny drinks are on the rise.

Watch: Here are the movies and shows arriving on streaming services this month .

Listen: Our pop music editor made a playlist from Madonna’s Celebration Tour .

Book: Some online A.I. tools can actually help with your summer planning .

Style: Wirecutter tested dozens of mascaras. These are the best options .

Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee , Wordle and Mini Crossword . Find all of our games here .

ONE LAST THING

New york is awash in blue and orange.

The New York Knicks — once the laughingstock of the city’s sports world — are now real contenders in the N.B.A. playoffs. They have a legitimate star in Jalen Brunson, who along with a collection of fun and unassuming players are transfixing the city .

Their success has attracted a crush of celebrities and converted many once-uninterested New Yorkers into fans. Maria Luisa Rocca, for example, spent her more than 90 years caring little about basketball. Now, she refuses to miss a Knicks game. “I love this team,” she said.

Have an enthusiastic evening.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew

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