Each year, the stress begins to mount as seniors begin the application process for college. There is so much to worry about, from the admissions essays to the teacher references that some colleges require. To add to the stress, it is increasingly evident that it is becoming harder and harder to be accepted to college, and that admission standards are becoming greater with each passing year.

These increasing standards are beginning to take a toll on some students, but they are necessary. Being accepted into college is a privilege that most students should and do work very hard for. High standards are needed to ensure that this privilege is reserved for the students who truly work for it. Plus, as senior Adriana Chimelis points out, “it is fair because students can take honors classes and Advanced Placement courses to have higher GPAs and prepare for college.” These courses become an essential part of high school for those students who want to enter college after high school, as they give students a better idea of what classes will be like once they do enter the next level in college. Plus, Advanced Placement courses can also give students an extra boost by giving them college credit before they even leave high school!

Even though she is not a senior yet, sophomore Gabrielle Tatro agrees that increasing standards are good “because it pushes people to work hard and get good grades,” which is a good habit to learn, especially since the work only gets harder when students enter college.

Students in today’s world know that they need to be the best students they can be in order to get into a good college, and most students would agree that in finding a good career requires attending good college and achieving of high grades (This sentence was kind of wordy so I made it more concise). As senior Dorian Hooks says, “standards are much higher. You have to always be worried about whether your test scores are enough of if you have enough extracurriculars.” In order to be successful, students must always strive for success, and it just so happens the measurement for success increases every year.

Without high standards in college, there would not be high standards in the workforce, which would be debilitating in most lines of work such as the medical field and the law. Everybody wants competent people in these types of societal positions, and the increasing standards of colleges allow for only the most competent to earn those spots.