By Kayla Edwards
The modern high school experience is filled with opportunities and pressures. From college prep courses to internships and extracurriculars, students are often encouraged to plan their futures long before they graduate. But is this early push to choose a career path helpful, or is it creating unnecessary stress for teens?
To explore this question, I spoke with three students at different stages of high school and a parent who has witnessed this pressure firsthand. Their experiences shed light on the challenges teens face when deciding their futures too early.
Leighton Knarr, a senior, reflects on how the pressure has intensified as graduation gets closer. “I’ve felt like I’ve had to make a decision for years now,” she says. “Teachers and counselors start asking about career interests in freshman year, and by junior year, it feels like everyone expects you to have it all figured out. Honestly, it’s overwhelming.”
For Emma Pelfrey, a sophomore, the pressure is already there, but it feels to early. “We’ve been filling out surveys about our career interests since middle school,” she explains. “But how am I supposed to know what I want to do for the rest of my life? I barely know what electives I like!”
Anna Jacob, a junior, shares a similar belief. “I know career planning is supposed to help us, but sometimes it feels more like a deadline than an exploration,” she says. “There’s this fear that if you don’t have a clear plan by the time you’re a senior, you’re falling behind.”
Parents often feel the weight of these expectations alongside their children. Kim Woodie, a mother of two boys, shared how her sons struggled with this pressure. “Both of my boys were pushed to pick a career path early, and it didn’t always feel fair,” she says. “They’re still figuring out who they are, let alone what they want to do for the rest of their lives. I think the system means well, but it’s asking too much of kids at such a young age.”
“I know career planning is supposed to help us, but sometimes it feels more like a deadline than an exploration.”
Anna Jacob
The push for early career decisions is often driven by a desire to prepare students for success. High school counselors and teachers argue that exploring interests early can help students choose the right college or trade school and avoid wasting time or money.
However, research suggests that too much pressure can have negative consequences. A study published in the Journal of Adolescence found that teens who feel forced to make long-term decisions too soon are more likely to experience anxiety and burnout.
Both students and parents believe that schools should change their approach. “It would be better if career planning felt more like an exploration and less like a commitment,” Anna Jacob suggests.
Kim Woodie agrees. “Kids need time to grow and change their minds,” she says. “If schools could focus more on teaching skills like flexibility and problem-solving, they’d be better prepared for any career, not just one they’re forced to pick now.”
The question of whether teens are feeling pressured to choose a career path too early doesn’t have a simple answer. For some, early planning provides a sense of direction. For others, it creates unnecessary stress.
What’s clear is that students need time and space to explore their interests without fear of falling behind. By focusing on personal growth and flexibility, schools and parents can help teens prepare for the future on their own terms and not feel pressured to decide right away.
Graphic by Ryder Navarra
