Mental Health of Students in High-Achieving Schools 

In The Washington Post Article, “Students in high achieving schools are now named ‘at-risk’ group, study says”.  Jennifer Brehanny Wallace addresses the topic of the mental health of students in high-achieving schools. She implies that emerging research is finding that students in “high-achieving schools” are experiencing higher rates of mental health problems compared with national norms. Jennifer Wallace reports that high achieving schools put heavy loads on students’ shoulders to “make them the best ” even though they are only putting “excessive pressure to excel”. “When parents ask me where all of this pressure is coming from, I ask them: Where is it not?” Suniya Luthar says. 

According to the Child and Family article, “High-Achieving schools pose high risks for children’s mental health,” Suniya S. Luthar states that children’s mental health problems have been observed as early as age seven. She informs readers “It has taken me over 20 years of research, and dozens of conversations with adults and students across the country, to see clearly that this is a systemic issue. There are serious stressors coming from all levels of influence in HAS students’ lives – not just from families but also peers, schools, and universities”. The unrelenting pressure on students in high-achieving schools comes from everywhere. from parents who want A’s, and coaches who want wins for their own personal reputations. Ultimately, what Wallace is trying to convey is that our students are being put under excessive pressure which is not making them succeed. The constant pressure to achieve is contributing to students’ mental distress.