By BETHANY CODDING
URSULINE HIGH SCHOOL, SENIOR

Bethany Codding of Ursuline High School

Many teens in high schools struggle with decisions that involve their future. At this time in their lives, one of the most important decisions a high school student will make is where they will go to college. This decision puts a lot of stress on teens because they believe that going to college determines their future. High school students place a large amount of stress upon themselves trying to decide which college would be best for them.
According to the Princeton Review, more high school students are applying to college now than in past years. This means there are more and more high-achieving teens applying for highly selective schools. The result is that applying for college has become much more competitive than it has been in the past. The stress each high school student goes through trying to be at the top of their class in order to be accepted into the college of their choice has steadily increased. The teens that challenge themselves and take the harder classes, such as accelerated, honors or advanced placement classes, will appeal more to colleges, but the students place more stress upon themselves and run the risk of falling behind.
High-achieving students know that high SAT scores are very important, but they now are told that involvement in multiple activities is just as important when applying for college. This is one reason why these teens become involved in so many activities, such as clubs, sports or student council. It makes their college application more appealing to the colleges they want to attend. As a result, teenagers not only have to keep their grades impressive but also have all of these activities that demand their time. This brings about more stress, with trying to fit in everything each week. It’s hard as a teenager to try and be good at everything just so that your college will accept you.
All of the self-imposed stress that high-achieving students go through is compounded by the stress of the economy. High school students realize how difficult it is to acquire a job. It is even more critical now that they be better prepared by knowing what career they want to pursue before they go to college. Students need to know what their limits are and what they are capable of doing.
High school students aspiring for success feel stress from college requirements, peers and the economy, but much of their stress is self-imposed. Teenagers put more stress upon themselves than every before, but they need to realize that they need to do what interests them, then they can take solace in the knowledge that it is not necessarily attending the right college but rather pursuing a career that interests them that will contribute to their living a rewarding life.

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