Academic Pressure is a common struggle for many high school students. Academic pressure often leads to heavy workloads, fear of failure, competition with other students and high expectations, which can lead to burnout. An article by the American Institute of Stress says that 75% of high school students deal with academic stress. The main cause of academic pressure is getting into a good college and wanting to be successful, according to the article. Senior Cameron Monajami is one of those students.
“Academic pressure is something I’ve had to deal with my entire life,” Monajami said. “I have always had to commit a large portion of time to make sure I perform well in school and the consequences of failing have always been in the back of my mind.”
Today, academics are seen as a reflection of students’ lives. An article by the University Study discusses how academics do not define a student’s self-worth. Lead Counselor Dana Vorsino knows that grades don’t define a student’s life.
“I know there are a lot of kids that are striving for those top positions,” Ms. Vorsino said. “The important thing to remember is that you know your academics. It’s one lens of you as a student, [but] it doesn’t tell your whole story.”
Many teens don’t realize how serious academic pressure can be. An article by the Pacific Health Group discusses how academic pressure leads to chronic stress, depression, anxiety and more if not taken care of. Senior Emily Nguyen struggles with anxiety.
“Sometimes, either randomly or when getting overwhelmed, I get panic attacks where I have trouble breathing, concentrating and overall just start to freak out,” Nguyen said. “This has affected my daily life because it sometimes stops me from being able to do anything.
Written in 2025, an article by the National Institute of Mental Health says that lowering stress levels can improve concentration, sleep, mood and a healthy balance of academics and life. Nguyen realized that learning methods to manage academic pressure take her mind away from the stress of school.
“At first I struggled with it greatly and didn’t have a way to deal with it, but over time, after I realized how severe it was getting,” Nguyen said. “I learned relaxing methods that helped make my anxiety and the academic pressure tolerable.”
An article by the Jed Foundation talks about how organization and prioritization can help students concentrate on one thing at a time, reducing stress on schoolwork and life. Junior Jordan Hanes said knowing her priorities helps her manage the stress of academic pressure.
“The most important thing I do is realize that my identity is not in my grades,” Hanes said. “I really just plan out and make sure I organize everything, but also leave time for other things in my life.”
Balancing extracurricular activities, community service and jobs makes it hard for students to focus on academics and schoolwork. Ms. Vorsiono has seen academic pressure affect students and offered some advice on how to manage academic pressure.
“Whatever classes you had that day, make sure you do your homework [and get] your assignments done,” Ms. Vorsino said. “I want students to know that grades and GPA and all of that stuff are important, but I don’t want it to be overwhelming.”
Mountain Heights Academy says that the weight of homework, tests and grades can put weight on students’ shoulders. The article shows that taking time for yourself and developing study habits can help students reduce pressure and focus more academically in school.
“The best way that I deal with academic pressure is to set aside an ample amount of free time where I can completely forget about school and do things that I genuinely enjoy,” Monajami said. “If I believe that I will be successful and I can accomplish the things I want to accomplish, it takes a great deal of pressure off and allows me to focus on the important things.”
