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Stress among college students
How does stress affect high school students
Standardized test scores and their use in college admissions katie wallace
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After four long, strenuous years of hours upon hours of homework, late night studying, and emotional breakdowns, it all leads up to one thing: college. High schoolers spend their teen years working towards “perfect” GPA and build up their extracurriculars to create an impeccable application. So why, after devoting all those months of hard work, would students have to put even more into the journey to college? Have they not proven enough? According to The College Board, students have not. In order to be a considerable candidate, students need to take another standardized test: either the infamous ACT or SAT. Students pay hundreds of dollars in fees, tutors, and books to get an “acceptable” score, but these scores are increasingly becoming …show more content…
Students are not the only ones who realize the ridiculousness of this situation. According to Washington Monthly, even Yale University’s Executive Director of Association of Alumni, Jeffrey Brenzel agrees. Aside from striving to create the most diverse and elite student body, Brenzel realized that, “He was missing the most brilliant, interesting, and multidimensional students who happened to fall just short of the threshold SAT.” College applications focus on several different aspects of the student’s high school experience including: GPA, course load/difficulty, extracurricular activities, and “uniqueness.” Although Yale does require some form of standardized test, they have redesigned their entire admissions process. However, countless schools have taken a completely different route, because of “the dissatisfaction with standardized tests” (Matthew 1) and have become test optional. Test optional means that students can choose whether or not to submit their scores. Choosing to not submit their scores may exclude applicants from certain scholarship opportunities, but still helps those who have trouble testing or have trouble with receiving scores that don’t reflect their academic
Caroline Bird writes the statement in her 1975 article “The Case Against College (Bird 15-18)” that not every high school graduate is ready to attend college. It is 2010 and this article is still valid today. Some of the college students I have been around were not mature enough for obedience school let alone college. A few of the points she makes in the article are: College has never worked its magic for everyone. Does it make you a better person? Are colleges responsible for your children? Are my children living in a country club? I will use some of my own experiences as an example of college life, as well as examples from my daughter’s college experience, along with my nephews as well. All to find the answer to the big question: Are you ready for a college education?
As the economy evolves and the job market continues to get more competitive, it’s becoming harder to have a successful career without some kind of college degree. This creates a belief in many young students that college actually is a commodity, something they must have in order to have a good life. There’s many different factors that influence this mindset, high schools must push the importance of the student’s willingness and drive to further their education. College isn’t just a gateway to jobs, but it is an opportunity to increase knowledge and stretch and challenge the student which in return makes them a more rounded adult and provides them with skills they might lack prior to
As David Leonhardt states in his article, It College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say, “ When experts and journalists spend so much time talking about the limitations of education, they almost certainly are discouraging some teenagers from going to college...”. In spite this argument, I believe the purpose of college is to prepare me for a good, well- paying job when I graduate. Since I came from a family background in which girls are always on the bottom and can’t get out of the tradition in boys zone.
Kat Cohen, the college admissions counselor regarded earlier, once stated, “Today, there are more than 900 test-optional schools — schools that place less, or no, emphasis on test scores when evaluating college applications” (Cohen par. 15). Basically what Cohen is implying is that test-optional schools are on the rise. Valerie Strauss, a reporter for The Washington Post, stated in article that, “With almost 123,000 students at 33 widely differing institutions, the differences between submitters and non-submitters are five one-hundredths of a GPA point, and six-tenths of one percent in graduation rates. By any standard, these are trivial differences” (Strauss par. 3). What Strauss is saying is that the differences in GPA between those who choose to submit their test scores with those who choose not to is very small, which can as well be applied to their graduate
It is the American dream to get out of high school and to start working towards your degree, right? Perusing a degree in the United States is not as dream like for some students. Many factors such as the learning environment, where you come from, and the knowledge and will power can shape how the higher education experience can go. While not all of these factors necessarily point to a rough or tough college experience, but also show that we as a nation could help our students be more educated and prepared to pursue and finish a degree. All students should be given equal opportunity and tools to become a successful member of society.
Michael J. Sandel, the author of What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets, says, “...the Advanced Placement incentive programs in Texas and elsewhere have had a positive effect... many [students] are passing the standardized exams that qualify them for college credit” (Sandel 54). This benefit of earning college credit in high school saves the students from taking these college level courses in college when they could be focusing on more in-depth classes. According to expert Jay Mathews, “Every English, Math or Science AP test...with a passing grade from independent College Board readers meant a $100 check for the student and another for the teacher. Checks totaling $90,800 went to the students and $145,370 to the teachers” (Mathews 1).
Some students would argue that a college education is not a vital aspect of the future of children because it is too much schooling, costs too much, and it is not needed for their future. First of all, these students have struggled through 13 years of school whether elementary, middle, or high school. They have endured many long days and late nights to pass their classes. Although it is true that 4+ more years of school will be mentally tough and hard to endure, these important years will help shape
"Former Bates College Dean of Admissions, William Hiss, said that intelligence is so complex, varied, and multifaceted that “no standardized testing system can be expected to capture it”(Westlund). Throughout the years standardized testing has changed its purpose and not for the better. In the late 1930s, the goal of taking standardized test was to award scholarships to "diamond in the rough" students (Westlund). Currently, the whole idea of taking the SAT or ACT is getting admitted into a college. Standardized test should not be a deciding factor of being admitted into a college.
Having the college experience is everyone’s dream, especially High School students who are ready to get out into the world and explore. College is very important for furthering someone’s career, but no one thinks about all the costs and the stress that comes along with college. Tuition fees and costs are increasing more and more each year. Now days it feels like you have to be a millionaire just to attend a good college and get a good degree in what you were attending for. There are some students that do not have a lot of money and live on very little things with their parents, but indeed are very smart and have a 4.0 GPA. Those students are the ones that are unable to attend college if they cannot afford it. College tuition is too expensive,
Society pushes today's youth towards higher education. The goal of grade school is to prepare the students for middle school. The goal of middle school is to prepare the students for high school. And finally the goal of high school is to prepare the students for college. The entire structure of education is to prepare youth for the next level of education. The problem with this system is that not all students are college material, as seen in the essay The Case Against College by Caroline Bird.
Society puts too much pressure on high school students to attend a 4-year college right after graduation. Though this is an attainable goal for some, a great majority of students are not fully prepared for the demands of college. 4-year schools require an incredible amount of maturity and preparation, leaving very little room for mistakes. Schools often overlook this aspect because their main goal is to get as many students into 4-year college as possible. This is a great goal to have however they send students off to college who aren’t ready to be handle the difficult of their courses while being away from home. My senior year of high school, my family and I came to the conclusion that we were not going to be able to afford four-year college tuition. This upset me at first because I felt like all my hard work and good grades went to waste. I dreaded the thought of going to community college because my who...
First of all, many high school graduates cannot handle college. Isabel V. Sawhill and Stephanie Owen describe college as a place, “one can obtain a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree”. The work load outside of the classroom could be compared to working a full time job. For example, if a student is enrolled in four college courses and is in class a minimum of four hours the student should spend at least four to six hours of studying. This may be extremely agitating and stressful to a student that is not good at studying. The new college student may realize that the schoolwork is too much for him to handle and instead drop out. In Pharinet’s blog post, Is College for Everyone? He states that “…it is estimated that in the U.S., approximately 50% of students who begin college never graduate. There exist students who are not yet ready for the academic and financial challenges of college. There exist students who do not have the desire for college or learning.” This statement is important because if 50% of students that begin college never gradua...
In today 's society, there are multitudes of pressure high school students face. One of the biggest pressures put on high school students is the decision of going to college. From the moment students enter into a secondary education, they are constantly asked questions about their future plans. Teachers and parents expect students to perform their best, while giving them no chance but to look towards college. In some cases, however, college might not be the answer. Other options exist as alternate avenues after high school, however, these are not as often expressed as the idea of a four year university. Although a college education and degree is most often more impactful than a high school diploma, there is too much pressure
However, college may not be cut out for every teenager. Freshmen are dropping out after their first year because college can become a bit overwhelming on campus. The pressure of college whether it’s to maintain a high GPA score or impress parent’s, burdens many students. Although, college is supposed to improve their education, in hopes of obtaining a degree after graduation. Now, people attend college because his or her friends may go there.
School can be frustrating for students. Going to school, doing homework, and then repeating it all over again the next day can become quite tedious. Especially when one feels as if they are not gaining anything from doing well in school, it causes students to have very little motivation to complete their schoolwork. Students might be motivated if there was some sort of incentive for attending school and doing well at it. A law should be passed that requires students to be paid for doing well in school because it gives them motivation, helps them with financial issues, and allows them to learn how to manage money more effectively.