Stress Caused by High School

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The world is constantly evolving and setting new standards that are expected to be met. This includes the education system. Everyone is doing their best in high school to get into a good college. However, compared to the past we now have to go beyond just educational requirements, and achieve numerous different activities and positions. Not only is it not good enough to just have perfect grades, but you have to strive for perfection in other areas to stand out. High school is putting more and more stress on students every year. The stress that some students experience can be life altering and fatal. The American education system has put unrealistic expectations on high school students, causing a great deal of stress, which produces mental and physical illness.
High school students are putting more stress on themselves due to the lengthy list of recommended qualifications to get into the best colleges. Mary Alvord, a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public education coordinator for the APA, claims that “a little stress is a good thing and it can motivate students to be organized. But too much stress can backfire” (Neighmond n.p.). Everyone experiences a little stress every now and then, but high school students are enduring stress on a daily basis. High school students are now expected to take college credited classes, participate in extracurricular activities, have an internship or job, and work in the community. Do people not realize that high school students have lives other than school or work? I don’t know of one person who can juggle school, sports, clubs, jobs, and communal work at one time.
While expectations are a factor of stress in high school students, there is one that is seen as possibly the largest problem fo...

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...k because students are becoming mentally and physically ill from stress. They can’t expect perfection in every aspect of school. Some students excel in sports, some in academics; it all just depends on the individual.

Works Cited

"1 in 12 teens have attempted suicide: report ." NY Daily News. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. .
Jayson, Sharon. "Teens feeling stressed, and many not managing it well." USA Today. Gannett, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. .
Neighmond, Patti. "School Stress Takes A Toll On Health, Teens And Parents Say." NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. .

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