College admissions in the U.S. have become increasingly competitive, with many students aiming to attend a top 20 university. With hundreds of thousands of students vying for acceptances to very selective schools, an intense sense of competition has been cultivated.
What was once a process focused on finding the right fit has transformed into a competition to see who can appear the most “impressive” on paper.
The U.S. has one of the highest numbers of stressed students in the world. According to Transforming Education, around 60% of students report feeling stressed every day. This staggering number illustrates the emotional toll that academic pressure has taken on the nation’s youth. Students are no longer just striving for excellence, they are struggling to meet impossible standards that have been normalized by the college admissions culture.
High school students juggle various responsibilities: tasks at home, managing their schoolwork and extracurriculars, and, in many cases, holding a part-time job. Balancing these obligations makes it increasingly difficult to dedicate time for themselves, their family members, or their friends. The expectation to excel in every area; academics, athletics, community service, and leadership leaves little room for rest. For many, their teenage years become less about learning and growing, and more about building a college application.
Students are exposed to pressure from a variety of sources, but one of the most prominent in recent years is social media. On platforms like TikTok, creators such as Andreas Stamatakis or @ivy_roadmap produce content on how to get into Ivy League Universities. While some creators simply share their personal experiences at prestigious institutions, others promote strategies that set unrealistic expectations for students. For example, Stamatakis is known for videos that create unrealistic standards of perfectionism and extreme productivity.
Hundreds of similar videos exist, feeding an algorithm that rewards sensational claims about the “perfect” college applicant. For students scrolling through this content, the message is clear: anything less than an Ivy League acceptance is failure.
Unfortunately, for many students, their stress does not end once they turn off their phone. Parents often play a significant role in perpetuating this pressure, consciously or unconsciously. Many parents believe that attending a prestigious university is the ultimate sign of success and security.
One of our Cardozo seniors recalled a conversation with her mother where she posed a hypothetical question: “Would you rather I attend Stony Brook University on a full ride scholarship, or Cornell University with no financial aid?” Her mother responded without hesitation that Cornell was the correct choice. This moment reflects the same struggles millions of students face across the country. Students should not have to choose between financial stability and parental approval.
This pressure is often amplified by peers. High school students frequently share what their grades, SAT scores, and extracurricular activities are with each another. While these conversations might start innocently, they often lead to unhealthy comparisons. Students begin to measure their worth by how they stack up against their classmates, fostering a culture where “good enough” never feels good enough. To compensate, many pile on extracurricular activities, leadership positions, and advanced classes in hopes of standing out. However, this overload often only results in burnout, anxiety, and even depression.
These different sources of pressure foster an incredibly stressful environment for students, who must juggle their responsibilities with unrealistic expectations set on them. The focus of education has shifted from genuine curiosity and growth to an obsession with prestige and competition.
To combat this, schools, parents, and students must work together to redefine success. True achievement shouldn’t be measured solely by the name of the college on a diploma, but by the knowledge gained and the passions discovered along the way.
