Pressures of Today'S College Students

Kevin Barnes
Dr. Buxton
English II
February 3, 2014

Pressures On A College Student Today

Pressures on College Students Today

Kevin Barnes

Black River Technical College

            It has always been a dream for most teenagers across the world to join a great college someday and further develop their careers. It is a lifetime experience and opportunity to create a better future for the student. However, there are quite a number of pressures and challenges that may prohibit or hinder a college student from achieving his or her set goals and objectives. They deter him or her from focusing on the main objective, which is to achieve the best grade and emerge top thus increasing the chances of landing an equally rewarding job after college. It is therefore of paramount importance to identify these pressures and search for ways to avert them so that college students may successfully complete their programs in a favorable and friendly environment (Fudzie, 2001).  

            There are four categories of pressures that college students face today. They include parental pressure, peer pressure, self-induced pressure and economic pressure. Parental pressure is inflicted by the college student’s parents. A parent may have extremely high expectations of his or her child. This may put a lot of pressure on the child as he or she does not want to fail or disappoint his or her parents. This pressure is not bad but it can get worse if the child becomes so obsessed with this need to appease his or her parent to the point that it affects his or her learning process.

            Peer pressure has been a problem in most learning institutions for decades. However, it tends to get worse in colleges where statistics reveal that students are at a higher risk of succumbing to their friend’s influences. This may be as a show of power among peers or to just fit in a particular group. Peer pressure is bad only when it forces a college student to engage in bad and illegal practices. These include doing drugs and other illegal substances. However, when directed towards productive activities, it can act as a motivator (Knee, 2002).

            Self-induced pressure is another form of pressure that may engulf a college student. This may be in the form of setting unrealistic academic goals, trying too hard to become something that he or she is not and many more. Self-induced pressure is known to have detrimental effects on the individual especially if he or she does not seek immediate advice from a friend or consult a professional. This is because it messes with a student’s thoughts and thus his or her perspective or view on things even his or her education may end up changing.

            Finally, economic pressure comes about as a result of the current economic status of the country. There is a constant demand for higher grades. The competition is immense with more students yearning for top positions so that they may grab the few spots available in the universities. Professional jobs are also growing scarce. Even where they are available, a high level of expertise is required to qualify for them. This puts a lot of pressure on the college students as they aspire to emerge victors. Entrance grades and pass marks for various tests in the country’s colleges have also been pushed a notch higher to encourage healthy competition among the students. This also puts a lot of pressure on them to perform (Szalavitz, 2011).