High school is a time of preparation for the next chapter of our lives: College. To get to college, we must get good grades, be in extracurriculars, and differentiate ourselves in unique ways from other students. There is a lot of pressure put on teens to be the “total package” and to attend a “good college”. With all this competition amongst high schoolers, we have lost the meaning of what school is truly about.

I think many students agree that we feel like we attend school just to get a good grade on our report cards, rather than to actually learn the material and expand our knowledge. A junior at Cathedral Catholic High School says, “Sometimes it does feel like school is just about ending with a good report card and not actually learning.” The purpose of school should be to inspire students and deepen their understanding in all subject areas. Instead, it has become a place where students learn the material quickly, pass the test, then forget it the next day.

AP and honors classes also increase competition and many of the classes leave students struggling and unable to comprehend the material. Students feel obligated to take these classes in order to look impressive on transcripts and increase their chances of getting into certain colleges. In particular, AP classes charge students a large sum of money to take a test at the end of the year. AP has become a business that is only interested in making money rather than educating youth.

Schools, teachers, parents, and students should emphasize more importance on actually learning the material rather than just memorizing it for a test or assignment. Incorporating more hands on and visual learning, rather than lectures may help students better understand the material. This could also motivate students to want to learn the material and get them excited about certain topics learned in class. Colleges could also shift to wanting students who take unique classes that they are passionate about, rather than just a common honors or AP class. Encouraging highschool students to take art, stem, and music classes would increase passion and drive back into our students.

Do you feel that you are strictly in school to get A’s and B’s on your report card at the end of the semester? If so, what do you think the education system could do to bring back the true meaning of school?