From elementary to middle to high school, many expectations are put on students to do well in academics to have a successful future. This places a fear of failing and falling behind which can lead to more negative results than positive.
Much of society today seems to depend on the success of a student to do well in future pursuits. It is not uncommon for individuals, especially students, to fear falling behind. According to the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), “Failure in small doses is actually crucial to learning. However, when students completely fail academically, this means that they are unable to overcome the small failures over time to learn and grow and eventually succeed.”
The fear of failure and falling behind in academics can arise from various, yet similar factors. These factors stem from numerous outside influences like societal standards, family, and educational systems themselves.
Many students feel pressure to succeed from their surroundings, such as from society and family. It is widely expected that students who do well academically will be granted better opportunities in their future careers and personal lives. Society often also compares academic success to the amount of intelligence and potential. Many families can place high expectations on their child as parents may see academic success as the pathway to a prosperous future.
Future concerns are a key factor in the fear that students may face. Academic success is linked to future concerns about admission to prestigious/reputable colleges or universities and access to well-paying jobs.
“When I think about the future, such as what college I am going to, it makes me nervous”, stated an anonymous sophomore at Briar Woods.
Apart from family and society, schools also place their pressure on students. Many educational systems around the world typically foster competitive environments. This causes students to feel the need to outperform their peers to secure opportunities to colleges and universities, scholarships and high salary jobs.
One example is the Suneung, or the College Scholastic Ability Test. This is a test that many students have been preparing for since kindergarten and is a test that includes all subjects from math to history and English. It is the pinnacle for a Korean student’s future. According to The Atlantic, “‘Most teachers emphasize that if we failed Suneung, the rest of our lives would be failure, because the test is the first (and last) step to our successful lives.’”
Test taking is something that is put in very high regard. It is important for educators, family members and society as a whole to realize these pressures and create supportive academic environments to encourage a more healthy approach to a student’s success.
