College. That one word seems to seep into all facets of life, whether it be at school, with family or even in conversations with friends. From the time that we step through the doors of Waverley Place as Grade 9 students, we become inundated by the idea of college and all of the aspects that prospect entails.
College has become the principal focus of students in the High School, to the extent that the school environment has become one of immense competition and pressure.
High school is undoubtedly a key time for students to expand their creative, social and academic horizons. Those four years are designed to promote exploration, further interests and foster curiosity. High school is not, however, preordained to be a time solely focused on what the years following graduation will involve.
Students become excessively wrapped up in the chaotic college application process, where having fun and enjoying the parts of high school that can never be relived become significantly less important.
Consequently, questions such as “how many AP classes are enough for my transcript?” “would this look good on a college application?” and “have you started studying for the SAT yet?” may be some of the most frequently heard when passing students in the hallways. It is rare to get through a week without one of these questions sneaking into a conversation. The prevalence of conversations that highlight college apprehensions exemplifies the student culture, where the primary purpose of high school is to prepare for college.
High school is not preordained to be a time solely focused on what the years following graduation will involve.
This competitive and stressful environment leaves little room for pursuing activities that one is actually interested in, while simultaneously intensifying both the external and internal academic pressures students face.
While high school offers numerous paths for students to traverse, many choose to sacrifice chasing their true passions for the sake of taking classes simply to impress admissions officers.
This “college culture” pressures students to add more advanced classes, ones that they are not necessarily prepared for or interested in, to their schedules just for the sake of having one more AP. Similarly, students can also feel obligated to join an after-school activity or club just because it “looks good on a college application.” This is not a productive or healthy way to go through high school, and it may detract from not only one’s college application but also the entire school experience.
I was in Grade 8 when I first began to think about college. I can vividly recall the time I walked past a group of older students working in the library, all complaining about writing their college essays. For the rest of the day I was replaying that conversation in my head, trying to imagine myself in their positions.
While high school offers numerous paths for students to traverse, many choose to sacrifice chasing their true passions for the sake of taking classes simply to impress admissions officers.
At the time, college seemed so remarkably far in the future, yet still something that I should begin preparing for. Even in middle school, the topic of college was present, and while terrifying, prompted me to start planning what courses I would take to craft the best transcript possible.
Reflecting back, I realize that this college-focused mindset is extremely prevalent in the High School. Conversations among students, especially upperclassmen, are notably centered around college-related topics: transcripts, advanced courses, extracurriculars, etc.
In fact, a couple of months into Grade 9, I began to notice that many of my classmates were engaging in discussions very much revolving around college. Although the application process would not begin for two more years, the school environment had urged them to begin planning for university.
A certain amount of planning and preparation is necessary and even healthy, but it often reaches the point where conversations become toxic and only exacerbate competitive tensions and unenviable stress. Grades are considered defining factors in who one is, and discouraging comments are made if certain expectations around those grades are not met.
Do not let the idea of college take over your life and prevent you from enjoying all that high school has to offer.
Moreover, the idea of building each other up and celebrating others’ successes has been transformed into jealousy.
The constant competition can hinder student growth and even performance as it gives students the impression that high school is not an opportunity to explore various interests and enjoy the learning process, but rather a time to meet the expectation of collegiate-driven perfection.
While experiencing pressures and engaging in healthy competition in moderation can help motivate students in preparation for their college applications, choosing to focus solely on university and what role high school plays in that process is harmful.
Take classes you truly find interesting and explore topics you love to learn about. Brush off that one bad grade. Quit unreasonably comparing yourself to other students. Sign up for extracurriculars that expand your horizons. And, of course, start thinking about university if you wish, plan ahead and work hard, but do not let the idea of college take over your life and prevent you from enjoying all that high school has to offer.
