This time of year students have a lot to deal with whether they’re in year 8 choosing options, year 11 choosing college, sixth form or a job, and especially in year 13 determining their future through university or a career. Students in year 13 have a very stressful time as not only do they have their studies to focus but also what universities to choose, what course and to apply in time but it still doesn’t end there as then comes making final decisions, accommodation and finance; which begs the question are students under too much pressure nowadays?

Chloe Frank, a student from year 13 who is currently preparing for exams and applied to the University of Plymouth. She commented on the pressures that students face. “I think students are very pressured because they have to think of universities, getting in, finance, jobs and accommodation. Also, I feel we have more pressure than our parents. Someone once told me you could work in a factory or become a builder, there were always jobs. Although there wasn’t much variety it was much easier. I would say we weren’t prepared for the hard work as there is a huge gap between GCSE and A level, and we didn’t understand about the difficulty of sorting out university”.

Although students have help from their teachers and assistance throughout, the decisions fall on the shoulders of the students, who have to live with their decisions and sort out their own futures. So, does too much face the students nowadays? There is so much competition for young people coming in the world of work and therefore this makes it hard for them whether or not they have gone to university. So the students leaving school to go to work or continue with studies will still have more to deal with and how hard it is to find a job it shows to us that these students simply choosing their subjects face a mountain to climb to break into the real world.