The class of 2026 has made an impression on the junior class. 

With acceptances to Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Northwestern, Cornell, Ohio State, the U.S. Naval Academy and many other schools, as well as numerous full scholarships, many juniors are beginning to worry about whether they can match these accomplishments.

For several students, the scale of seniors’ success has quickly turned into pressure for their own prospects.

“I guess there are some big shoes to fill with the class above me,” junior Sam Park said. “I think they set a good example. I don’t necessarily feel heaps of pressure from the people themselves, I think more so that their achievements speak for themselves, and maybe that’s just a little bit of extra pressure.”

Student Activities Coordinator Craig Alexander said the senior class’s accomplishments are exceptional but not unusual in the district.

“In most of our senior classes, the level of academic intellect of our students is always remarkable to me,” Alexander said. “As they become seniors and start to apply for college or scholarships, they’re showing their greatness to the world.”

However, Alexander pointed out that while high accomplishment can motivate underclassmen, it may also unintentionally create unrealistic expectations.

“If they see this year’s senior class with all of the ACT scores or merit recognition they received, it creates an environment where juniors and underclassmen think, ‘Okay, I have to do that too because that’s what BHS seniors do,'” Alexander said. “I hope students realize they don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be themselves.”

Park rated his current level of pressure as an eight out of ten and said that it has increased as his junior year progressed.

“I do feel a good amount of pressure to succeed at school,” Park said. “I think a lot of it comes from myself, because I know there’s a lot of ways to do well in the future, but doing well in school is definitely an outlet to open doors now and later on down the road.”

Junior So Eun Kang said that while outside factors play a role, much of the pressure students feel is self-imposed.

“I do often feel a need to succeed at school, but it mostly comes from pressure that I impose upon myself,” Kang said. “I always had some kind of ambition since I was young, and I never liked to lose good opportunities, so I feel that this ties into why I feel this pressure.”

Other students described similar pressures, though not always from the same sources. 

Junior Maria Harris stated that her personal ambitions keep her grounded, even as she observes increased stress among her friends.

“I don’t feel pressured to succeed, only because I feel like I’ve had the same goal [throughout] high school, which is going to Ohio State,” she said. “However, I do know that around me there’s a lot of people who are trying to find internships or stressing about SAT and ACT scores to get into college just because of things imposed on us by older [students].”

Harris estimated that pressure among her peers is around a seven out of ten, and she noted an increase in efforts to match previous performances.

“I will say, I do see a lot more people looking for summer programs and hiring tutors or early college counselors in order to get these results that other people have,” she said.

That pressure, she said, often comes from within.

“I think it’s a mixture of [self-imposed], and [sometimes] parental,” Harris said. “But it’s mostly [self-imposed].”

Junior Maya Katz described the pressure as more intense and constant.

“Honestly, I feel really pressured to succeed in school,” Katz said. “Seeing all the seniors on the wall, it makes you want to succeed more.”

When asked to rate that pressure, she responded simply.

“20 out of 10,” she said.

Katz said the pressure comes from multiple directions.

“From myself, my teachers and I guess it’s mostly from my parents, but it’s also just school,” she said.

Still, she is aware of the seniors’ accomplishments.

“I’d say I’m pretty aware [of them],” Harris said. “I do know that a lot of seniors qualified for merit scholarships, and I think around seven people got into Ivy League schools.”

Katz added that knowledge of others’ success spreads quickly and contributes to stress.

“I’m very aware [of senior accomplishments],” Katz said. “We have people going to Harvard, we have people getting straight A’s in AP classes.”  

“I’m very aware of all the seniors’ accomplishments because news spreads quickly,” she added.

Many students mentioned an atmosphere of comparison within the school. Park described the academic environment as highly competitive.

“I don’t think anyone likes to admit it, but I think BHS is almost like a big rat race,” Park said. “I think there is a lot of pushing each other down or trying to hide information and not having each other’s best interests in mind.”

According to Harris, comparison may take place in selecting classes and the judgments of academic rigor that come with it.

“It seems like at Beachwood, you have more validation when you take an AP class compared to an honors or a regular class,” she said.

Junior Nimisha Kasliwal offered a more balanced perspective, recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of a competitive school.

“I think Beachwood compared to other schools is very, very competitive,” Kasliwal said. “While that pressure can be a motivating thing for some, it can also discourage people or it might put unnecessary pressure on them.”

Kasliwal emphasized that while being around highly accomplished classmates may be intimidating, it can also be encouraging.

“When I see the people around me [who have accomplished a lot], I think it is motivating because I know them, I know what they did, and for me, it’s like if they can do it, then I have a shot too,” Kasliwal said.

Moreover, Park believes competition promotes a sense that there is a “right path” to follow.

“I feel like a lot of people at Beachwood do kind of follow a path,” Park said. “Especially the top kids, they always follow the same cookie-cutter blueprint. Especially depending on the major, like a lot of kids go into medicine, and they all do kind of the same thing. It works, but also I feel like it kind of creates a sacrifice of individuality.”

Social media has also amplified stress, according to several students.

“I’d say comparison is the thief of joy,” Park said. “I think that social media, and people willing to show off their achievements online or in person, the more outlets there are for that, the more often there is academic pressure.”

Harris pointed to college acceptance posts as a specific example.

“A lot of people do talk about them in school,” she said. “And they’re like, ‘oh, this person got accepted into this prestigious college,’ and they think that in seeing that, more people will strive to get that achievement.”

Balancing academics, extracurricular activities and personal time is still a difficulty for many students. While some rely on organization, others say they’re still trying to figure out what works best.

“I try to balance it as best as I can,” Park said. “But in the end, I do end up sacrificing a lot of personal time.”

Kang said she is still figuring out how to manage everything effectively.

“I usually make a to-do list or a comprehensive schedule for the week, but sometimes I feel that these methods don’t work well,” she said.

However, Kasliwal emphasized the importance of productivity and deliberate time use.

“I think the problem isn’t not having enough time, I think the problem most of the time is just not being efficient and not being intentional with your time,” she said.

Looking ahead, students said they would like to see changes in the school’s academic culture, particularly around collaboration and expectations.

“I would change the fact that you’re so pressured to take AP classes,” Harris said. “There’s not a lot of honors and regular class courses offered, not as much as APs, and so that kind of limits what you can do.”

Harris added that different choices should be respected.

“Not being in AP classes is just as important as being in it,” she said. “It shouldn’t be looked down upon because you don’t have a full schedule, or your schedule seems easy to other people. It’s just what’s best for you.”

Kasliwal said the constant comparison can take a toll on students.

“It might put unnecessary pressure on them and cause them to feel like they have to do more or that they’re not enough,” she said.

Kang added that more recognition of different interests might benefit the environment.

“I feel there could be greater acceptance of creativity and diverse interests among the student body,” she said.

Alexander acknowledged that students regularly compare themselves academically with their peers, particularly in a high-achieving environment such as Beachwood.

“Beachwood is a unique, six-square-mile space in the world where there are super-smart people,” he said. “It’s hard [for people] to see how amazing [they are] because they’re surrounded by so many students working on those same skills.”

He emphasized that students should understand failure is a regular part of the learning process, not something to be afraid of.

“The thing I would try to change about the academic culture is helping students realize it’s okay to fail,” he said. “It’s never the failure, it’s what you do after.”