--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many high school students are under so…" description: "\"Many high school students are under so much competitive pressure. They are sometimes taught that if they don't have a 4.0 GPA, score in the 99th percen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/elizabeth-thornton-23967_education_many-high-school-students-are-under-so-m_2743033.jpg" --- # Many high school students are under so much competitive… ![“Many high school students are under so much competitive pressure. They are sometimes taught that if they don't have a 4.0 GPA, score in the 99th percentile on admissions tests, and demonstrate leadership in sports and participate in clubs, they won't get into college anywhere. Even highly…” quote by Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/elizabeth-thornton-23967_education_many-high-school-students-are-under-so-m_2743033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/elizabeth-thornton-23967_education_many-high-school-students-are-under-so-m_2743033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/elizabeth-thornton-23967_education_many-high-school-students-are-under-so-m_2743033.jpg) > “Many high school students are under so much competitive pressure. They are sometimes taught that if they don't have a 4.0 GPA, score in the 99th percentile on admissions tests, and demonstrate leadership in sports and participate in clubs, they won't get into college anywhere. Even highly credentialed professionals get caught up in this.” [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Students feel intense pressure to meet multiple high academic and extracurricular standards for college admission. **In simple terms:** Students feel pressure to meet many standards for college admission. Key Takeaway Balance goals and self‑care. Themes pressure college admissions student wellbeing Mood anxious determined Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - high school - college applications - parental expectations Key Concepts achievement culture social comparison Questions to Reflect On - How can schools reduce competitive stress? - What personal values should guide your college plan? A Different Perspective Pressure can cause burnout and mental health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [High school students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school-students/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-students/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [The competitive pressure to produce, buy, and sell to our global multi-national companies is so intense that contractors in supply chains are motivated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/the-competitive-pressure-to-produce-buy-and-sell-to-our-global-multi/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [Certainly businesses the world over are facing greater competitive pressure than ever before, and this leads to executive stress which, in turn, tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/certainly-businesses-the-world-over-are-facing-greater-competitive/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Things in the industry get too competitive. In that pressure, you tend to lose yourself. So, it's important to have someone to turn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaal-mallik/things-in-the-industry-get-too-competitive-in-that-pressure-you-tend/) [Amaal Mallik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaal-mallik/) ## More by Elizabeth Thornton > [We perceive through our senses a person, a situation or an event, and in an instant, we project our mental models - our fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/we-perceive-through-our-senses-a-person-a-situation-or-an-event-and/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [The truth is many of us have been socialized to think that if we are not the very best, if we are not at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/the-truth-is-many-of-us-have-been-socialized-to-think-that-if-we-are/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [Our brains have the ability to reorganize themselves by forming new neural connections throughout our lives. This ability is called neuroplasticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/our-brains-have-the-ability-to-reorganize-themselves-by-forming-new/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [To be an effective leader and make sound decisions, you must be able to gather data by seeking out diverse perspectives and be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/to-be-an-effective-leader-and-make-sound-decisions-you-must-be-able/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [We are not a victim of our emotions or thoughts. We can understand our triggers and use them as tools to help us respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/we-are-not-a-victim-of-our-emotions-or-thoughts-we-can-understand-our/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [When we can see things as they are, without projecting our mental models and fears, we are being objective. When we can understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/when-we-can-see-things-as-they-are-without-projecting-our-mental/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [The key to creating the mental space before responding is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of being present: paying attention to and accepting what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/the-key-to-creating-the-mental-space-before-responding-is-mindfulness/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [Objective leaders identify their unproductive mental models and tweak them for greater effectiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/objective-leaders-identify-their-unproductive-mental-models-and-tweak/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [The key to transforming mental models is to interrupt the automatic responses that are driven by the old model and respond differently based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/the-key-to-transforming-mental-models-is-to-interrupt-the-automatic/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [Sometimes our childhood experiences are emotionally intense, which can create strong mental models. These experiences and our assumptions about them are then reinforced in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/sometimes-our-childhood-experiences-are-emotionally-intense-which-can/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [There are times when we are just not very kind to ourselves. The problem with our negative thoughts is that the latest science has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/there-are-times-when-we-are-just-not-very-kind-to-ourselves-the/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [We all have mental models: the lens through which we see the world that drive our responses to everything we experience. Being aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/we-all-have-mental-models-the-lens-through-which-we-see-the-world/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [To be an objective leader means aligning your models with the needs of the organization. There is no question anymore that collaboration, seeking out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/to-be-an-objective-leader-means-aligning-your-models-with-the-needs/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [New Year's Resolutions come and go. Some we keep, some we don't. In order to make lasting changes in our lives, we must first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/new-year-s-resolutions-come-and-go-some-we-keep-some-we-don-t-in/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) > [One of the most powerful transformational catalysts is knowledge, new information, or logic that defies old mental models and ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-thornton/one-of-the-most-powerful-transformational-catalysts-is-knowledge-new/) [Elizabeth Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) [Explore all 25 Elizabeth Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-thornton/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. 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