Students at Lambert High School are very motivated to succeed academically, and this certainly shows. From the moment a car turns into the car line, championship wins and graduation rates are flaunted for all to see. Inside the building, teachers and administrators encourage students to go above and beyond. But not a lot of people stop to consider how this mindset affects Lambert’s own students. These motivations and increasing expectations are creating an environment that is taking a toll on students and their mental health.
To begin with, academic expectations are set so high that students feel pressured to excel beyond them. Back in 2016, Lambert’s average ACT score was 24.9, and its average SAT score was 1627, and the numbers keep increasing as the years go on. These scores play a large role in getting accepted to certain colleges, and since Lambert’s scores are consistently higher than most, expectations are set higher as a result.
“I feel slightly pressured to overachieve, just because Lambert is a school where a lot of people do great things,” sophomore Finley Macken expressed. “A lot of colleges look for higher and better things from Lambert students. And so, it feels like to get into the things I want to achieve, I have to go above and beyond what I normally would.”
Additionally, students usually feel pressured to take more Advanced Placement (AP) classes for college credit. Lots of the material in the class seems to be more for improving on the upcoming exams than actually learning the subject. The better these students do on the exams, the better it looks for Lambert as a whole.
“I feel like some of my AP courses have used [Lambert’s reputation] as an excuse to drill us on material for AP exams and things that end up going more on the school’s record as compared to actual classwork,” Macken said.
An overload in work can cause students’ mental health to suffer, and even physical health in some cases. Students like Macken have reported pulling multiple all-nighters just to finish assignments in time. Counselor visits are becoming more and more frequent. And as a result of this stress, some students may turn to academic dishonesty in order to keep up.
All of this pressure and these expectations can be attributed to one key aspect of Lambert: its competitive nature. At a top ranked school such as this one, winning and excelling at everything is the key to living up to the rankings. This certainly shows inside the school. Such competitive behaviors include comparing test scores and constantly competing for better results in all activities. Research shows that a competitive school environment increases student anxiety, creating a belief that they are not up to the standards that the school creates.
“It’s a highly competitive environment,” counselor Mrs. Shoendra Redd said. “We are the number seven or eight high school in Georgia, so with that comes a lot of academic pressures and competitiveness to get into the best schools.”
Even though Lambert can create a pressurizing environment to better equip students for higher education, Mrs. Redd and the other counselors are working to create initiatives and coping mechanisms. She emphasizes that colleges look at how well students do in their AP classes, not how many they are taking. She also says that her office is a safe space to work any frustrations out, as well as to give advice on anything.
“My advice that I tell students all the time is just really working at their best level,” she said. “Their only competition is themselves.”
While Lambert’s competitive environment can seem overwhelming at times, it can be easier to deal with. Like Mrs. Redd says, the only competition that students have are themselves. If students can work to lessen the expectations they have on themselves, then their stress and overall mental health are sure to see improvement all around.
