As the years fly by, the
pressure on many high school students to apply and be accepted at the
top-ranked universities is an expectation in some communities. The
competitiveness in relation to college is skyrocketing, and some students
nowadays feel pressured to apply only to the “top” colleges in order to meet
parents’, family members’, and even their own expectations. Only a decade ago,
students had more flexibility to choose which universities they felt
comfortable applying to, and the amount of bragging and celebrating acceptances
was significantly less. But because of both the societal and peer pressures on
students today, they feel it is a requirement to apply to higher-ranked
colleges, taking away the freedom students crave.
This years seniors who are applying to
colleges have varying opinions in relation to whether they apply based on how
highly a school is ranked. Senior Sarah Hoover claims that rankings “can be a
useful tool in figuring out the academic merit of a school,” something that is
crucial during the application process, but she believes that no one “should
base college decisions solely on rankings.” This is true, as choosing and
rejecting schools based solely on rank ultimately affects both a student’s
future and happiness at that school.
The tension continues to
build today because of societal pressures, both from parents and the community.
Although it is ultimately up to the student which schools they want to apply
and commit to, they feel the weight on their shoulders based on the pressure
that each community places on those who are accepted and rejected. “Pressure
could come from anyone. It varies. The more successful the people around you,
the more pressure there is, in my opinion,” states junior Erin Perrine.
Although people are usually their own worst critics, a community can work
together to push a student to make specific decisions in relation to college.
Perrine concurs, stating, “In a lot of communities you’ll see disappointment if
a student doesn’t make Ivy League for example, but in others it’s a triumph
just to get into college.” This pressure often builds up so much so that a
student feels like their right to choose what colleges to apply to are being
restricted, leading to them applying to the highest-ranked colleges, such as
Princeton or Yale, in order to meet that high level of expectation.
The students who walk around the halls in a
daze need to be introduced back into reality. The truth is that college
rankings do not matter. Each student is unique; each has his own opinion as to
what college(s) they want to apply and be accepted to. “The college that is
number one for you could be number 650 for someone else,” states Ms. Kleeman,
furthering the point of how ranking is, in a way, pointless. “Choosing a
college should be based on fit, and fit cannot be ranked. I do not believe that
educational institutions can be ranked, either.” One college that is ranked
three or four places above another probably only has the smallest difference in
its curriculum, and students are taking that small difference way too
seriously.
The overall message is that choosing a
college should be based on how each student sees fit. Students should not
stress about only being able to fit into one college—there are always others!
Whether a student commits to a college that is number 100 while another chooses
the number one college shouldn’t affect others’ plans; they should think about
what they truly want, and find the college that best fits them.