It’s 2019. The 12th day of March. And while this might seem like a typical day for most people, it’s not for 50 adults charged by federal prosecutors for conspiring to fake their children’s college applications. This event, known as the Varsity Blues Scandal, is a notorious event where numerous parents paid William Rick Singer nearly 30 million dollars to inflate their students’ exam scores so they could get into top colleges. Now, this event is a pretty extreme case. But sadly, in today’s society, thanks to the rise of digital platforms like US News, it has become very common for parents to go to extreme measures to push their kids into the best schools. One of the most common ways they do this is by paying lots of money so wealthy organizations like IvyCoach can mold their children into the perfect "Ivy League kid".  It’s gotten to a point where as high schoolers, the only thing that seems to matter these days is getting into the top colleges. As a result, students are being put under a damaging amount of stress, creating the toxic academic world we know now. If we don’t address this problem, it’s only going to become worse. So today, let’s examine how the rise of digital media has led to this toxic academic world and address how we can work together to better prepare students for their futures.

1983 saw the birth of the Internet. Once a hypothetical dream, the Internet transformed how we absorb and understand information. Today, we count on online sources to understand modern trends and make decisions. That’s why once US News began publishing college rankings, it became huge. In fact, these rankings became so popular that people began deciding their colleges based on these rankings. Thus, college prestige has become a much bigger deal than it was before. As a result, now, college is not just a place where students are educated. It’s an industry filled with websites establishing their own college rankings and companies making fortunes by telling students what to do to get into a top college. And that, precisely, is what has led to the toxic academic world we know now. A world where students, believing that their future is dependent on their college due to the media, spend their whole high school career just competing for those spots.

The consequences of this toxic academic environment are truly detrimental to individuals and society. According to statista.com, a 2023 survey conducted in the US found that approximately 87% of young individuals had suffered from some mental health problem on a regular basis, including stress, panic, and depression. Additionally, a CDC survey shows that 44% of high school students reported feeling signs of depression within the last year, and a poll by the National Institute on Mental Illness shows that 64% of teens reported feeling the world is more stressful now than when their parents were their age. These stats are alarming, considering that as high schoolers, we should be encouraged and nurtured for adulthood, not torn down. But that is exactly what is happening right now. Students are being put under so much stress to get into the best colleges that it’s damaging their health. Studies show that around 70% of high schoolers do not get enough sleep on school nights due to having too much homework and extracurriculars.

But this academic toxicity doesn’t just affect health. It damages relationships. And it damages individuality. Friendships become tense when students, united by similar goals, begin competing for the same things. And when some do better, other students try to copy them. They give up things that they love doing, believing it won’t help them get into a good college. Parents, when they see these students on the front covers of school magazines, begin losing faith in their own children’s path and instead start paying organizations to mold their child into the ideal “ivy league student” instead of allowing them to follow their own path. These are the many devastating consequences of the college industry on the futures of our society. It has come to a point where students' health and individuality are being put in jeopardy as this industry continues to grow.

So, it’s time for us to come together and change. We need to change the way we prepare for our futures. And that starts with acceptance. First, we need to accept the fact that the college industry will remain. As long as digital media continues growing, new college rankings will always be published every week. But just because this industry will remain relevant in today’s society doesn’t mean we need to confine our practices to align with the media’s. To all high school students out there, don’t let the media make you feel like high school is a competition. Remember, high school is a journey that allows you to pursue things you enjoy and network with likeminded individuals, building life skills and discovering who you are. It’s a time where you can make new friends, work together and help each other. So keep calm, carry on, and remember these three things: First, be yourself. Do not compare yourself to others. You are you, and if you stay to true to yourself, you will find your own individual success. Second, be kind to others. If a classmate is going through a difficult time, be there for them. Encourage them to do what they love and support them through their journey. And lastly, enjoy the process. Embrace the journey and appreciate the ups and downs that life throws at you. Understand that challenges are essential for growth, and it’s what you learn along the way that will make a difference in your life.