Cause And Effect Rough Draft

Rough Draft
Andy Truong 11/11/14 Honors ENG 111 Students everywhere may feel pressured into doing well in their course classes in order to receive a higher grade. It may not seem that way in high school but to a college student, grades mean everything. Grades are used as motivation for the student to strive for success and in order to be a success, they have to work hard for it. But how much can that student take in order to reach the grade that they want? For a college student, grades are a vital component in the students’ lives which may determine their futures as well. Pressure is what holds the students’ back from getting what they want and they can lead to consequences. Overwhelmed college students are in danger of making harmful decisions about their future. The majority of college students may be going through a lot of stressful situations that can impact their education significantly. While college students prefer to focus on social objectives in the school, they usually feel academic pressure from others around them. Parents are a prime example of what can cause stress related issues to the students’ learning capabilities. According to SeattlePi, parents would often expect the student to achieve a certain academic goal. This can range from getting straight A’s in all of their classes to graduating with a high degree. Not only parents, but professors and other peers such as students and friends can also pressure the student to get a high grade. Combining all the pressure college students have dealt with before with putting all their efforts in the college can set them up to fail and disappoint others around them, especially the parents. These stress related problems can lead to harmful decision making by the college student. The student may feel the need to take risky actions such as cheating, drugs, or even dropping out which can seriously hurt them and the people around them. In the United States, suicide is the third leading cause of death between the ages of 15 and 24. A college student may have been pressured too much with the amount of stress they have endured that taking a drastic measure such as suicide is the only way out. This can be caused by an overdose of drugs and substance abuse, an access to guns, self-inflicting behaviors, or even prior suicide attempts. Even though substance abuse can cause possible deaths to the student, it is also used to help cope them with their stress related problems. In the University of Kentucky, Alan DeSantis stated that “about 30% of students there have illegally used a stimulant such as Adderall to help them get better grades”. To the student, this may not be an issue but this can lead to severe consequences and could face prosecution. These actions can really impact a student’s future and their plans for success. Most college students don’t realize the effects on their futures as a result from the decisions they make. Dropping out of college is a really risky maneuver and can change a student’s future tremendously. As a result of dropping out, students may still be paying off loans from their college courses, even after they drop out and still don’t receive a payoff degree. Aside from financial problems, dropping out can result in family conflicts. Referring back to parents pressuring their child to get better grades, the pressure can result in the student dropping out of college. In fact, some students were told by the parents that they cannot return home after dropping out of college. Dropping out of college can also limit career options for the student more than a graduated peer, according to “The Wall Street Journal”. It is very difficult to compete for a job against someone who holds a degree, even if the job does not require one. A person who holds a Bachelor’s degree may be open to a lot of positions in the work place in different industries whereas college dropouts find it harder for them to look for a job that will take them in. A single decision can really change a student’s future in ways they cannot comprehend. Stressed out students may decide to take actions that can impact their lives in the future without the thought of any consequences that may come in to play. College students everywhere may be going through the same amount of stress that requires actions to take place. The decisions a college student makes can not only impact them, but others around them as well. Every cause has an effect and whatever that effect may be is caused by the students’ actions on how to handle the situation.

Work Cited
Cooper, Aaron. “College Students Take ADHD Drug For Better Grades.” CNN Health. Tumer Broadcasting Systems Inc., 1 Sep. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Daniel, Stef. “Is The Pressure To Achieve Good Grades In High School Worth The Stress.” Professor’s House. Professor’s House, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Kerr, Michael. “Depression and the College Students.” Healthline. Healthline Networks Inc., 29 March 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Kokemuller, Neil. “Effects of Dropping Out of College on Students.” GlobalPost. GlobalPost, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
Kokemuller, Neil. “What are the Reasons Why College Life Can be Stressful.” SeattlePi. HearstNewspapers, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

Cited: Cooper, Aaron. “College Students Take ADHD Drug For Better Grades.” CNN Health. Tumer Broadcasting Systems Inc., 1 Sep. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Daniel, Stef. “Is The Pressure To Achieve Good Grades In High School Worth The Stress.” Professor’s House. Professor’s House, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Kerr, Michael. “Depression and the College Students.” Healthline. Healthline Networks Inc., 29 March 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Kokemuller, Neil. “Effects of Dropping Out of College on Students.” GlobalPost. GlobalPost, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Kokemuller, Neil. “What are the Reasons Why College Life Can be Stressful.” SeattlePi. HearstNewspapers, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.