Stanford University

While the focus in public secondary education narrows on the common core curriculum and standardized testing, there remains a tier of prestigious independent schools and specialized public schools sending large percentages of their graduating classes to top-rated institutions each year, the reasons for which, aside from money, go widely unmentioned. This year, for the first time in its history, Stanford’s admission rate dipped to 5%. At no surprise to its applicant pool, the toxicity of the competition to be in that 5% was also at an all-time high. Such competitiveness and cutthroat drive has become ubiquitous in these high-performing schools, and perhaps seen as necessary in maintaining their ever-climbing standards. Having graduated from such a school, one that boasts a nearly 50% matriculation rate to Ivy League schools, Stanford, and MIT, I have observed the ways in which the stifling pressure to excel affects the students behind these numbers, and how they may emerge level-headed in spite of it.

Schools in this division are expected to produce these statistics every year, and many succeed. The pressure to meet these expectations ultimately lies on the students, who wholeheartedly and relentlessly work towards acceptance at those institutions with admissions rates below 10%. The result is not just competition for those spots, but an environment of overworked, overwhelmed, and exhausted seventeen-year-olds who believe their worth lies in those institutions.

Unfortunately, this culture seems unlikely to change any time soon, as the schools towards which students work are only becoming more competitive. In fact, it isn’t until after acceptance letters arrive and enrollment decisions are made that the culture at these high schools shifts at all, and the pressure and stress that students place on themselves finally alleviates.

There is hope, however, in gaining appreciation from the whole process. Aside from the obvious and material accomplishment of going to the college or university of one’s choice, we can actually be grateful for the stress and emotional struggle that such a process engenders.

A recent study from UC Berkeley researcher, Daniela Kaufer, says stress can be beneficial, but perhaps in moderation. To summarize her argument, she found that the stress hormones released in the brain transform newly born cells into white matter, which protects and strengthens neuronal fibers, which form the connecting pathways in the brain. Basically, stress increases our emotional capacity and ability to make connections.

We already knew that stress allows us to appreciate non-stress, or relaxation, but Kaufer’s study suggests that there is something more we can learn from it, other than the fact that we would rather not have it. I saw these benefits of stress among my classmates in high school: When the work was as its worst and the stress its most consuming, we initially found ourselves estranged from one another. The stress that drove each of us inward allowed us to discover our need for community and companionship, thus turning us outward. From the loneliness fostered by stress grew a capacity for empathy that had not existed before.

So, not only must we appreciate stressful times, but perhaps we can also accept their necessity and find gratitude for them. In Gabriella Borter’s 2013 blog post “The Prep School Rat Race,” she describes an environment like the one I have above, expressing concern that excessive stress may rid us of our passion and drive. She concludes, “Success should lie in the process, not at the finish line.” I would like to expand on that point: We certainly must appreciate the process, because doing so devalues the finish line and makes us realize that the work we devote toward a goal is just as important as the goal itself. Moreover, that work does not have to lead to successful outcomes; the process should involve challenge, difficulty, and failure. With failure or even the mere possibility of mediocrity, inevitably comes stress. Along the way, our humility deepens. Once this happens, once we know that success is not a given, we may devote ourselves to our work and to others more freely.

 

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