Amid Youth Mental Health Crisis, Teens Ask For A Kinder College Admissions Process

© (Wally Scalridge / Los Angeles Times) Gregory Woodson, 18, takes a karate class at Power of One Martial Arts in Carson. (Wally Scalridge/Los Angeles Times)

By many standards, 18-year-old Gregory Woodson is a success. He works 20 hours a week as a martial arts instructor in Carson, keeps his grades up, and has strong, open friendships.

However, as she plans to attend college, one word often lurks in her mind: failure.

"It's great," said Woodson, a senior at Harbor Teacher Preparatory Academy in Wilmington. "It's very stressful because now I feel like I have to make a choice. I have to figure out what I want to do."

Woodson and her classmates in the Class of 2023 have been busy over the winter: researching financial aid, making pros and cons lists for schools they want to attend, filling out scholarship and acceptance letters, all while trying to avoid the shadow of stress. . Block the sun from college programs.

© (Wally Scalridge / Los Angeles Times) Gregory Woodson is a senior at Harbor Teacher Training Academy in Wilmington. (Wally Scalridge/Los Angeles Times)

It has become more difficult in recent years. The pandemic has added to the stress of college applications, as the isolation caused by distance learning, as well as the worry of adjusting to school or bringing home COVID-19, has taken a toll on teenagers' mental health.

"I have spoken to young people across our country who are feeling the weight of tremendous stress affecting their mental health and well-being," US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a statement. "For many of them, the main source of this stress is the college admissions process, which they describe as less about growth and exploration and more about checking boxes and conforming to a narrow definition of success."

This is a grueling and painful experience for many students, especially those whose families do not have higher education or do not have the money to pay for education to improve their children's school attendance.

Students whose families can afford it can hire private college counselors who charge $850 to $10,000 for a comprehensive package to help them with college admissions choices, according to the Independent Educational Advisers Assn. . But for those who can't, the process remains taxing.

© (Wally Scalridge / Los Angeles Times) Woodson said the support of his friends was important throughout the college application process. (Wally Scalridge/Los Angeles Times)

"Whether it's the program itself or understanding that we're transitioning from adolescence to adulthood where we're going to be more independent, it all affects mental health," senior Josh Godinez said. A school counselor working for the California Assn. Board of School Counselors.

Seniors report that the college application process takes a toll on their mental health in several ways. First, it makes them feel like they have to be perfect.

"You have to get a really good SAT score, have really good grades and excel in your field," said Matthew Baker, a sophomore at Burbank High School. "So that's something I always think about. I'm like, 'Am I good enough to go to these schools?'

Baker is her school's basketball captain and an avid volunteer, donating hours through the California Scholarship Federation and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He wants to go to either the California campus, Cornell or Columbia University. Her goal is to become a psychiatrist and study psychology to help people in need.

© (Wally Scalridge / Los Angeles Times) Woodson plans to study business at Cal State Northridge, Pepperdine University or Cal State Long Beach. (Wally Scalridge/Los Angeles Times)

Baker, who filled out an apparently promising application, says college expectations from parents and peers are high, and the pressure on schools from affluent adults can be overwhelming.

"It's like social media," Baker said. "One of the problems many teenagers have is that we start comparing ourselves. I often compare myself to other students in my class who are very, very smart and talented. Sometimes [I think] they deserve more than me. It can be very difficult mentally."

Baker is not alone. Nearly two-thirds of 13- to 17-year-olds — 61 percent — say they feel a lot of pressure to get good grades, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Half of teens say they feel too much pressure to look good (29%) and fit in socially (28%).

As someone who recently went through the college admissions process, UCLA freshman Cheyenne Fernandez understands the challenges seniors face.

Fernandez applied to 25 colleges before settling on seven.

"I was really stressed with the college application process because it was 12 years of hard work that went into the essay and the application," said Fernandez, a first-generation college student. "They sometimes calculate and see your price based on approval, which is pretty cool."

Many students felt that school teachers and professors needed support rather than pressure.

In a recent study by the California Assn. More than 35% of students surveyed among school counselors said their schools should offer more support through individualized academic advising. Counselors can help provide valuable resources and support to colleges, Godinez said.

This can make a huge difference.

"[Students] decide on their second plan," Godinez said. "School counselors are in a unique position to help [students] with everything, and we're very proud to be able to do that every day for our students."

Myla Westbrooks, a senior at Narbonne High School in Harbor City, said her family and school administration eased her worries about college and her career. He said he wants to attend community college and study culinary arts, become a chef and open his own restaurant.

"I'm excited that this is my last year [in high school]," Westbrooks said. "I don't know how I felt when I went to university. I'm a little scared. But this is a new level of learning and I'm very excited."

Cal State Northridge freshman Genesis Hernandez said waiting for the decision was difficult. However, she said she has received tremendous support from the staff and members of Sun Valley John Francis Polytechnic High School, which has helped ease her nerves as a first-generation college student.

"I was nervous and scared because I didn't know what to expect," Hernandez said. "But I think we had that support."

Woodson said the support of her friends has been crucial in the process, especially since "everyone is in the same boat."

"It's just [my] environment and knowing who fits the mentality and what's great," Woodson said.

Woodson hopes to attend Cal State Northridge, Pepperdine University or Cal State Long Beach. He said he wanted to study business.

"I hope people understand that we're still kids," Woodson said. "We're still living. We don't know what we want to do yet, but at 17, 18, 19, we're forced to figure out our lives."

Delilah Brummer is a senior at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Lake Balboa. Pearl is the Post's press editor and an intern at the Times High School Insider Program, which gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the field of journalism. After high school, Brummer will major in journalism at Northwestern University and hopes to become an investigative reporter.

Times staff writer Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

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