The Rise of Underachievement

By Colin Wiercinski

Underachievement in schools has become a prevalent issue in recent years For various reasons, more and more students are finding it difficult to achieve their full potential Educators, parents and students themselves are becoming increasingly concerned about this problem

Academic pressure, lack of motivation, and rising levels of stress are only a few of the contributing factors that have led to this growing issue

One of the most significant reasons for underachievement in schools is the overwhelming pressure students face With heightened competition for college acceptance, students are often anxious and stressed over the need to perform exceptionally well and take extremely rigorous classes This leads to burnout and a lack of putting in one’s best effort

Sophomore Nolan Howard says, “Instead of looking at school as an opportunity to learn, some students view school as a competitive and high-stakes environment where mediocrity and failure simply aren’t an option ”

Students typically tend to define success in grades and ranking among peers, rather than the bigger and frankly more important goal of learning and developing new skills

The decline in the mental well-being of students is another contributory factor to underachievement Anxiety and stress are at an all-time high for students, diminishing focus on studying and learning at school.

Reed Metzler, a current senior, claims multiple factors cause stress for students, extracurriculars being some of the largest: “For me, balancing sports and academics can be challenging, especially as an avid baseball player. During the school season, I usually practice five days a week, on top of having multiple games each week.

I get home at 5:30 p.m. at the earliest, which can then make studying challenging due to fatigue and having less time to get things done.”

According to the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) Spring 2023 national survey of over 55,000 undergraduate students, approximately 76% were experiencing moderate to serious psychological distress, which is higher than ever before. When students struggle with stress, their strides for success often deteriorate, and declines in performance follow.

The good news is that schools are either beginning or already have mental health resources, helping students cope with the pressure that comes with education. Unfortunately, although resources are available, some students do not take advantage when support is offered.

Lack of motivation due to interest can also play a major role in the underachievement of students.

If the curriculum aligns with interests and future goals of students, then success is more likely to follow. Students' learning desires wane when the topic is not of interest.

Current Junior, Callie Zhao, thinks different learning styles also impact the level of connection between students and teachers, and can make learning challenging for certain students.

Callie states, “It’s hard for the outliers to speak out and more importantly retain what’s happening in class. For me, I learn best with repetition, but in very rigorous academic settings where all my peers appear to be doing well, it’s hard to stop the whole class and ask a million questions.”

Callie makes a great point about student competition and how it can create an inability to speak up in class. The student may feel like an outcast, making it harder to speak up.

Another prominent issue with lack of motivation is the difficulty of the work required. This is where procrastination is often seen and where students may succumb to other distractions to avoid doing the work. This leads to poor performance, and motivation is again impacted.

Ultimately, schools need to cultivate a supportive environment where students feel encouraged rather than pressured, with teachers striving to create engaging lessons. The key takeaway is that solving underachievement is not just about improving grades — it’s about students developing a positive and driven attitude toward learning.

Finding success in understanding new topics and applying concepts is bigger than capturing that “A.” By discovering and facing the root causes, schools can help students unlock their full potential and achieve success.