‘Race to Nowhere’ exposes over-the-top high school pressures

The documentary “Race to Nowhere” examines this dangerous level of stress.

The pressure that high school students in certain areas, mostly high income ones like Saratoga and Palo Alto, are under is unprecedented. They have to compete with their high-achieving peers by lining their resumes with high GPA and SAT/ACT scores. On top of that, parents enroll their children in numerous extra-curricular activities in hopes of impressing the best colleges. The documentary “Race to Nowhere” examines this dangerous level of stress.

The film exposes how school and parental pressure affects high school students from an early age. From childhood, students are told to have their college applications overflowing with sports, music and academic achievements in a race to be the most qualified applicant to the top schools.

Enduring long nights after vigorous practice and studying has left students weary; some experience anorexia and depression. Others resort to cheating, a growing problem in schools, and substance-abuse, while other individuals just give up and drop out.

“Because of all the pressure and stress that’s there on getting that A, so that one can get into an Ivy League school, people don’t know how to deal with it besides cheating,” one student said in the film.
This is taking a great toll on the students health. An anorexic sophomore from Marin County said that she would often skip meals because “not eating gave her more energy.”

The typical Saratoga parent stresses over a perfect SAT/ACT score, a GPA at least over a 3.9 and their child being the best in all the extracurriculars they pursue. But instead, parents should be focusing on what their child enjoys rather than activities that ‘look good’ but in which their children are not interested. Despite their wizened perspectives, sometimes parents do not always know what is best for their child.

Parents need to obsess less over what school their kid gets into, and more over what their child actually puts into the school. It is not the end of the world if one does not get into their dream school. College does not define how successful one will be for the rest of his life. Because of the high expectations, parents set their children up to fail.

Education should be about teaching children the means of achieving what they wish to be in the real world and the value of hard work. Being the best in everything is a tremendous achievement; however it is not the realistic lesson students need.

“Race to nowhere” opens the eyes of viewers to the reality of certain kids who break under pressure. The parents in Saratoga should definitely take a look into this enlightening film, and rethink the words they say to their sons and daughters. Perhaps then we can slowly change the traumatized mindsets of teenagers and allow them to find happiness in high school.