External Influences In The Overachievers

In “College Pressures” by William Zinsser, the author displays different types of pressures that college students experience. He explains four different type of pressures including economic pressure, peer pressure, parental pressure, and self-induced pressure. These type of pressures are described as having negative effects on college students. Students are doing the things that they believe will pave the way to a successful life ahead, but Zinsser explains how there is no right way to get ahead and become successful because everyone is different. In “College Is A Waste Of Time And Money” by Caroline Bird, the author explains how college is unnecessary and a waste of time and money. She argues that there are different ways other than going to college to become successful and prepared for the “real world”. Bird believes that many college students are unhappy and wasting their time. Both essays were written in the 1970’s meaning some of the facts and information are obsolete and invalid. In comparing “College Pressures” and “College Is A Waste Of Time And Money”, we can clearly see that they both focus on the downsides of college, but more specifically both of the essays share a common pattern and audience. The two essays are different in the sense that they each have a different purpose.

Every fall millions of American adolescents gear up to apply for the thousands of colleges and universities across the nation. For many students this process is a simple-natural progression through a linear educational track in which no extra preparation, beyond a paper application, is required. However, for many students college preparation can begin as early as conception. Alexandria Robbins follows the stories of nine students from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. Whitman is known for and could be summarized by a simple term in which Robbins’ book is also titled: Overachievers. The author explores the hectic nature of helicopter parenting, bureaucratic admission processes, the culture of Ivy (a term describing the upper

College is an opportunity to truly discover who you are. Often enough, you hear people saying “You should really major in this field, I think you would really enjoy this career.” or, “Do you think you really want to study that? Have you thought about what you will be doing ten years from now?” filling your mind with self doubt, uncertainty, and the anxiousness of not knowing what you want to do with the rest of your life. Mark Edmundson wrote an article titled, Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?, published in Oxford American addressing college students and their families how the most important thing college students should focus on is personal growth. When students take their courses seriously their engagement can help finding out who they really are and which future career will lead not necessarily to great financial success, but to a career and life that is very satisfying. Edmundson wants to inspire his audience and have them take what he is saying seriously. Edmundson uses satirical informal language and hypothetical situations to effectively persuade college students to focus on their personal growth in order to create a life and career that is deeply fulfilling.

Journalist Alexandra Robbins ventures back to her old high school to examine the competitive efforts students are having to take to compete on the battlefield that is the education system in her book, The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids. Robbins explores the lives of multiple students who are stressed and pressured to maintain good grades and get into an Ivy League college. This text allows for intriguing insight on how the educational system has “spiraled out of control” and displays the different measures students must now take to be the best. Robbins’ The Overachievers is an eye-opening bestseller which exposes the social pressures and anxieties students must overcome in their high school lives as they attempt to impress and prove to colleges they are worthy of acceptance.

Leading a meaningful life meant breaking away from the fear of criticism or rejection; conforming to society limits Illgunas’ definition of life. Illgunas’ suburban upbringing makes the danger of social conformity clear to him. Surrendering to society would consequently cause him to completely lose himself. After graduating from high school, Illgunas and his classmates follow the conventional path towards a higher education. Illgunas explains, “My high school class and I moved like a school of fish: we graduates were capable of going off on our own, in whatever direction we chose, but something demanded we all swim as one…” (6-7). Parallel to the claim Illgunas makes, graduates that do not attend college are stigmatized. Society has created a paradigm: after graduating high school, students should attend a traditional four year university, and then enter the “career world.” In Illgunas’ perspective, people in

Parents believe their kids are too young and immature to make a decision by them selves, therefore they pressure their kids into attending college believing it is the best thing for them. The author does not agree with these actions and thinks that students should decide for themselves whether or not they want to continue their education. If students feel that college is not for them, they should not stay there just because somebody expects them to. Furthermore, she states that if everyone got a higher education everybody would be on the same intellectual level, and there would be no difference in people.

The transition from high school to college is a dynamic time in one’s life that parallels the change from childhood to adulthood. Both of these changes are dramatic and, as a result, feelings are difficult to put down into words. A messy combination of emotions fills the heart, surfacing in strange ways. Confident high school seniors go right back to the bottom of the chain when entering college as freshmen. These students start all over, just like entering grade school or high school for the first time. The move up from high school to college signals the switch from dependence to self-sufficiency. From a personal point of view, going through the experience of graduating high school and transferring to a residential college campus at STLCOP, made me realize I was no longer a kid and capable of making my own decisions.

As adolescents begin their senior year, the topic of college often runs without hindrance, often causing extreme stress. As the monetary value, as well as the time spent, begins to accumulate in their minds, students often find themselves bound at the wrists figuring out a way to balance as well as afford college living. In many cases, the upcoming graduates are unsure about their career path, almost enhancing their stress in choosing a school that would cater to their needs. It is almost then they begin to ponder whether or not University/college life is for them, which is could be an extremely advantageous shot in a, for example, high achieving family. Whilst college does allow for a plethora of doors to be opened, the lack of time, effort, and money can hinder one 's ability to properly choose a university. Though school can help with the stepping stones of life, they do not entirely ensure a proper future, therefore many may opt out of school; however, with the correct actions, they may turn out extremely successful, which may not have even happened without the release of the burden of school.

“Kids who are the first in their families to brave the world of higher education come on campus with little academic know-how and are much more likely than their peers to drop out before graduation” (1). Many people believe that school isn’t for everyone, and whoever goes is privileged for doing so. Countless people in the world today do not attend college, and this is mainly due to an influence of those in their family. Perhaps they are unsupportive of higher education, their parents and family members may view their entry into college as a break in the family system rather than a continuation of their schooling and higher learning. Most of the first-generation students decide to apply to colleges, because they aspire to jobs which require degrees. However, unlike some students whose parents have earned a degree, they often seek out college to bring honor to their families, and to ensure they make a decent amount of money for their future.

It is a well known fact but there are many people including counselors, parents, teachers, and friends who resist saying it out loud for fear it will sound like discouragement and negativity: college is definitely not for everyone. The pressure on high schools students, especially those that excel, to attend a college or university is enormous. And in the case of a bright, industrious and motivated high school student, attending a college or university is an obvious career choice. For those students, it's only a matter of what university to attend, whether one's SAT score is high enough, and the availability of the money. Then there are the millions of high school students who are not really personally motivated but are being pressured by their counselors, teachers and parents should they attend college if they really don't care? This paper examines those issues.

The topic of the Overachiever would be that students are being pushed to their fullest in order to get into the most prestigious schools, however, some students hardest just isn’t enough due to the modern education system. For instance, Alexander Robbins was told “She’s not a great student. She’s not going to get into a top college” even though the student Julie was a 4.0 student who participated in many extracurricular activities (5). Even though many of these students had what it took to get into these prestige colleges they still pushed themselves to others expectations which caused them to make bizarre actions. Parents will tend to go the extra extent in order to get their children into a wonderful college for example, “It’s not unusual

The decision to obtain a higher education beyond high school is no longer a question of if, but when. This is the question that author Caroline Bird discusses in her article, “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” written in 1975. This text strives to convince students, parents, and advisors that obtaining a degree might not be in the best interest for those involved. Circling around the idea that college is a requirement and no longer an act of free will. Bird starts the article off strongly by building her credibility through her own personal research and other credible sources as well as appealing to readers through logical reasoning using numerous statistics, but fails to convince readers and discredits her ultimate goal through a disconnect in her use of analogies.

I found the article by Newell, Lagnado, & Shanks to be a very interesting one that opened up interesting discussion. In my experience, where I chose to go to high school is a decision that I feel relates to this ongoing theme. I did not realize it at the time, but looking back, my decision on where I would attend high school was very much influenced in this way. I was between two similar schools in our area, both very popular for kids from my elementary school. I liked both of them a lot, however, I felt I would probably fit in better at one over the other. My older siblings, however, already attended the opposing school, so when it came time for me to start exploring, the decision was likely already made for me by the way they presented that

An overachiever is someone who goes beyond expectations and is always ahead. This word could be accurate when it comes to my school work and activities. I am labeled as an overachiever because I am known to perform above the expected academic level. This word is misleading and gives other students the idea of me being a perfectionist. Students who think that often see me as a "teacher's pet", or a "know-it-all". To believe you are an overachiever means you would doubt that you are not good enough to reach whatever level you are at. These students are missing the fact that giving great effort is a part of who I am. I have always been a student to work hard and exceed expectations. To call someone an over achiever is more of an act of jealousy rather than a reward.

Teens’ desire of freedom in life is causing them to take risky decisions when they get to make a decision of their own. For example, going to an Ivy League or a great academic rated college instead of a normal state college is a tough decision. However, teens don’t look at the consequences of Ivy league colleges. Ivy league colleges are a separate league for a reason and not everyone is meant to go there. Teens don’t take any guidance or pressured advice from their parents