Public Perceptions of Academic Pressure and the Balance Between Achievement and Well-being in Education

This study derived its inspiration from Tim Donahue’s The New York Times essay entitled “High Schoolers Have to Do Less So They Can Do Better” (September 7, 2024). Donahue’s essay is important because it touches on the challenges High School students encounter in order to enter what society deems as “good colleges.” Donahue states that the university or college admissions process is psychologically and physically draining on students and distracts them from genuine learning. Learning becomes a secondary process subordinated to achieving a symbolic status of attending a revered college or university. Reader reactions to Mr. Donahue’s essay enhanced the relevance of the issue under consideration. Various parents, teachers and former students, based on their very own experiences, identified both problems and solutions in the comments section regarding the intense college admissions process. While some commenters noted how the existing system impacts students’ psychological and intellectual health, others identified the root cause in society’s narrow conception of success centered on external factors. Using the responses made to Mr. Donahue’s piece at The New York Times as data, the primary objective of the study has been to critically examine the public’s views on the pressures students face during the processes of making it to a “good school.” Upon reviewing these comments, in this study, by way of thematic analysis, an attempt is made to highlight common themes, and, on the basis of the present author’s personal experience, make modest recommendations to lessen the burden carried by students during college admission process.