The Pressure Of College Students

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.

Even in high school when we were preparing for college there was the expectation of going to college otherwise you were seen as having no ambition. Now that we are in college, there is the pressure of being successful, graduating with a major or a degree that is in demand and hopefully obtain a stable career. Some could argue to say that peer pressure could in fact help you and push you to be better by following examples of your peers who are getting better grades than you. Self induced pressure in some ways, has benefited my life. As a student, I feel if i didnt have self induced or peer pressure i wouldn’t have the self motivation or incentive to get things done. In my opinion, If i didnt feel like college was important, i wouldn’t be under pressure. While i have been in college i do feel the desire and need to live up to my academic potential. Pressure also contributes to this need. Peer pressure can remind you that others care about their education and their grades, therefore pushing you to care more and giving you that motivation to do as well or even better. However, these pressures can also have a negative effect. These pressures can inflict Self doubt, Over thinking and constant comparing yourselves to others. Zinsser quotes “Ultimately It will be the student’s owns business to break the circles in which they are trapped. They are too young to be prisoners of their parent’s dreams and

For first year students coming straight from high school, college life can either be very exciting or overwhelming depending on how well one prepares for it. Some have the notion that college is fun and is all about partying, while some believe that it is an environment in which they can achieve the ultimate freedom thus escape the stringent rules made by their parents at home. Others look forward to experiencing a different learning environment while being exposed to different cultures and sharing different academic knowledge. Successful assimilation into college life is determined by the student’s capability to transform into the new role of a college student. Numerous students face challenges they have never experienced before which can

Being admitted into college is a difficult process, one that requires students to be diligent in their studies, engage in a number of extracurricular activities, and overcome the everyday pressures and challenges that high-schoolers face across the country. Admittedly, not everyone in the United States is born with the same opportunities as socioeconomic factors as well as historic injustices have contributed to a society in which some people are far more likely to achieve upward mobility – of which, obtaining a college degree is a necessary part – than others. While there is need to rectify this reality,

College pressures dominate our lives. They begin to levitate around us and slowly derail our lives. William Zinsser elaborates about the college pressures that modern generations are facing. He reveals multiple commonalities that the typical college student encounters on a daily basis. Zinsser states, “They want a map-right now-that they can follow unswervingly to career security, financial security, social security, and presumably, a prepaid grave” (12). He is spot on, the pressures demand my attention and won’t take no for an answer. So far I’ve gone head to head with these pressures every day since I started my freshman year in college. For the time that I’ve been here, my mind is overwhelmed and distraught with the amount of stress that gets piled on top of me every single day. I drown in these unrealistic expectations written in those faulty suggestion bars about how to be successful in college and college 101 tips. College pressures surround me like a dull gray cloud. It showers me with expectations and unfinished checklists. College itself is similar to carpooling to hell and back, but with no actual guarantee with a ride back.

The article, “College Pressures”, written by William Zinsser, explores the pressures associated with college and its reflection on student work and attitude. In 1979, the time this work was published, Zinsser was the head of a residential college at Yale University (Zinsser, 437). Emerged in campus life, Zinsser examines the student behavior affiliated with the four sources of pressure he identifies as the symptoms of attending college. After reviewing Zinsser’s article, I can relate certain aspects of economic and parental pressures, as well as peer and self-induced pressures, in my lifestyle as a student attending Columbus State Community College.

In his op-ed, “Are Kids Too Coddled?,” author Frank Bruni argues that children need to be exposed to the harshness of reality. According to Bruni, “praise… can lessen motivation and set children up to be demoralized when they invariably fail at something” (par. 25). By showering children in praise even when they are not successful, students will never learn the importance of hard work. There is no reason to put in effort to go above and beyond expectations if mediocre work receives the same amount of acknowledgement. Due to the excess of undeserved praise, Bruni believes that “students have an inflated sense of their academic prowess” (par. 26). Students expect to get good grades without studying and working hard. In order to reverse the damage caused by sheltering our children, Bruni argues that an application of more rigorous standards in school is necessary to make America’s children “ready to compete globally” (par. 29). By setting higher standards, students will be able to learn more and attain true academic excellence.

It is harder for a person to get a decent job without going to college, yet so many students fear graduating and being unable to find a job.

The mounting student debt of college graduates is holding many back from achieving their life goals. People are constantly told that they can do anything they want. This is not true for a multitude of reasons. Whatever one’s idea of the American Dream is it is not always as achievable as it is said to be. An example from an article called Constrained After College states that, among all U.S. college graduates the average student debt is $23,300 (Gleason). Reasons backing why the opportunity is not assured is that many believe that things like fear of student debt make it harder to find salaried careers to start a life out of. Many also believe if there was a poor up bringing in a family, you have every chance to make it a better life. However, families in that position don’t always have the resources and funds to give that opportunity to their

This can be seen in the significant rise in the number of people attending college. Fall-term enrollment rose from 7.4 million in 1970 to 12.7 million in 1999 and has been steadily increasing since (Wonacott 3). Today, many students, that might have otherwise never enrolled, are pressured into attending college by parents and other role models. Even the American government is pursuing the idea of everyone having a degree. “...federal policy, backed by billions of taxpayer dollars in loans and grants, has aggressively encouraged more and more students to try to obtain a college education.”(Murray 2). Secondary schools are pushing harder for their graduates to move on to higher education as well. According to Charles Murray, “ A survey of high school students found that more than 90% of them were encouraged by their high-school counselors to go to college” (Murray 1). This shows that more people are subscribing to the idea that everyone should go to college, and for good reason. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19 of the 20 highest paying jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher (Occupational). If someone wants to have a high-paying, professional career they must attend

Stress is unavoidable, no matter the situation, location, or time; stress is always present. Stress is found in higher levels during the duration in which students attend college. It is predictably higher among college students, freshmans in particular, because of the extreme expectations set upon them by their parents and, of course, society. The need to please their parents, longing for success in life, and being able to sustain a reasonable income in the future, all of which falls into the hands of college students who are making critical decisions which may decide the outcome for a large portion of their lives. If these students end up hating their future jobs, the stress of having to go back into college to study for a new career

Children are taught from the time that they can walk that they will be happy as adults as long as they try their best in school, enter an excellent college, and choose a rewarding career. Since happiness is what many would call an ultimate goal in life, students do not wish to fail any three of these aforesaid objectives. The current American education system seems to encourage perfection in all aspects of school life. In turn, a majority of students fall prone to stress by over exerting themselves; they only know that all others are doing the same and that therefore, they should be as well. In the article “High anxiety over college admissions,” Christopher Chiang, a board member for the

Student debt is pressuring graduates into taking jobs that are stable, low-paying and ironically, do not require a degree. Graduates are becoming anxious about paying off tuition fee loans and accepting jobs that are not right for them in order to begin their repayments.

When it comes to college, it is becoming increasingly clear that a college degree alone does not guarantee a job. As a college student, I see many students doing the bare minimum amount of work to pass a course due to the belief that a degree will get them a job upon graduation. The problem with this philosophy is that college is becoming a goal for more and more high school students and going to college after high school is becoming the norm. This increase in students means greater competition upon graduation and so achieving the bare minimum for graduation no longer suffices. The students involved in extracurricular activities and the ones that pull off the best grade point averages (GPA) are the ones most likely to succeed, but even

In the essay “College Pressure” by William Zinsser, he talked about the different pressures that college students go through that range from economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure. His main point in this essay is that most people in college have no idea what their career is going to be because they do not pre-plan for their future career at this juncture. These students finish college under so much pressure to the point where they have minimal progress towards life after school. We should all agree with the author’s stance about pressure because as a college student, I can relate directly to the issues and ideals Zinsser addresses. I also know the feeling of being under so much stress from multiple people while maintaining high grades and although I am in college, I’m also in high school so I am not at a stage in my life to properly decide on the fate of the rest of my life.