a world gone mad

Studies indicate that high school students are taking far more advanced level courses today than 30 years ago. This certainly comes at no surprise to me nor should it you. The pressure on young adults to excel at their academics in order to gain admission to the most competitive college or university possible is immense and growing at a seemingly exponential rate. As an admission officer, I have first-hand knowledge of and experience with this pressure. As much as I like to consider myself a calming influence on others, I know the first step in resolving a problem is recognizing it...

I've helped contribute to epidemic of anxiety among teenagers in America.

It's true. In each admission information session I give I stress that the overall strength of an applicant's academic course-load through the senior year of high school is the most important factor in rendering an admission decision. Consequently, over-stressed parent of anxious teenager after over-stressed parent of anxious teenager calls the admission office of -insert college or university of your choice here- day after day to ask, "is my child taking enough AP courses to get into your school?" It's easy to be annoyed by such inquiries and consider answering them a chore, but every time we marvel over the applicant taking 6 AP courses in her senior year, having already taken 4 in her junior year, we contribute to it. It's damn true.

Concerns abound of students pushing themselves too far, working too hard, and thus experiencing too little of what the high school years offer outside of the classroom. It's a common assumption that students are pushing themselves harder and further than ever before in and out of the classroom. In our fast-paced world with expanding media frontiers, the assumption seems believable. Surprisingly, it's false. Though not dramatically, student participation in extra-curricular activities has declined since 1972 (http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/06/26/seniors). As an admission officer, I also stress the importance of balance for an applicant - balance between academic and co-curricular life, that we are seeking to admit strong students who will be active participants and leaders on our campuses. The reality exists that by stressing the importance of both to the nth degree, we are in actuality promoting neither.

Also, at some point you have to wonder: if a student is taking 6 AP courses, is an AP course really still an AP course? Advanced Placement courses are designed to simulate the rigors of a college course in the high school setting. Most college students carry a load of 4 or 5 courses each semester, not 6. By pushing anyone and everyone to take these courses, it's quite possible - and according to the empirical suggestions of many college professors quite likely - that the value of each individual AP course is being lessened. I've long been a proponent of limiting the number of AP courses students can take to make sure that each AP course is as challenging as it should be. Yet, I admit that as an admission office I have salivated over the most impressive curricula that have passed before my eyes.

As pressure continues to accumulate by a magnitude, I can offer just one piece of advice. Relax. Students, parents, teachers, counselors, admission officers and others, relax. School is supposed to be hard. Earning admission to a selective college or university is supposed to be hard. But it's not impossible and it's a challenge best approached with eager anticipation, and not anxious dreading.