I’m currently in my senior year of high school, and it’s that time of year again: early action college admissions decisions are being released. 

Seniors planning to attend college have spent the past three years studying, building their extracurricular activities, and working towards this moment. However, this moment becomes more stressful and competitive each year.

Both of my parents attended Florida State University, a school that has now admitted me. The early action applicant pool, which consists of only Florida residents, has an admitted average SAT score of 1420. When this was released, my parents were shocked: not because the school has grown more competitive over the past two decades, but because they realized they most likely wouldn’t have been admitted if they applied today. My mother earned a 1340, while my dad received a 1260.

It is important to mention that standardized test scores are not the only factor that play a role in admissions decisions. GPA and extra curricular activities can also influence acceptance into a university, but expectations for these factors have become inflated as well. Today, it seems that students need a 4.3-4.5 weighted GPA to even be competitive for admission into top 50 universities. Additionally, prospective students are expected to volunteer, work, join honor societies and clubs, and even start fundraisers all while maintaining strong grades. 

So, why are schools becoming more competitive and expecting more from their incoming class? This is the result of the academic arms race–students and schools are continuously raising their standards to become more competitive for college admissions. 

Over time, accomplishments that were once perceived as high achieving, such as my parents’ SAT scores, are now considered to be average or even below today’s standard. 

The academic arms race can be seen as beneficial, as it pushes students to work harder inside and outside of the classroom. Although, at what point will students reach their limit?

Let’s use the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an example. UNC is a traditionally prestigious institution, and it continues to grow more competitive every year. According to College Tuition Compare, the median SAT score has increased 155 points since 2015. In 2025, the median SAT score was 1480, compared to 1325 in 2015. With only 1600 points possible on the SAT, how can universities continue raising their standards when there is so little room left for improvement?

If this trend continues through 2035, the average SAT score for admitted students at the University of Chapel Hill will exceed 1600 points, which is an impossible outcome.

As academic expectations continue to rise, students will eventually be unable to keep up both mentally and physically. There are only so many hours in a day and so much for students to do to stand out. High schoolers deserve to be seen as teenagers, not just students.

According to Transforming Education, high school students in the U.S. report higher stress levels than adults. Additionally, 75% of high school students feel constant stress over homework. 

As a high school student, I can firsthand say that high school has been incredibly stressful. I spent the majority of my summer studying for the SAT because this test is an important step towards college. On top of that, I was volunteering, completing college applications, and taking two dual enrollment classes. 

“I think we have already reached the limit. Our parents are successful and they went to the same colleges as us, but they didn’t have the same test scores. I also didn’t think they have to work as hard,” said Kennedy Horner, senior.

“It’s becoming harder to get into college because we have more resources for us to learn more and easier,” said Cole Fox, senior.

I am hopeful that sooner, rather than later, there will be some form of pushback against the academic arms race. The statistics make it clear that students are being overworked, and it’s quickly becoming more difficult to keep up.