Overview:
Denver-area students from elementary through high school describe rising stress tied to tests, grades and pressure to succeed.
In classrooms across the Denver metro area, stress is showing up earlier and building as students get older. From standardized tests in elementary school to finals and college pressure in high school, students say the weight of expectations is constant and growing.
Interviews with three students — a fifth grader, an eighth grader, and a high school senior — as well as survey data from approximately 90 local high schoolers reveal a consistent pattern: academic pressure, particularly tests and overlapping deadlines, is the most common source of stress, and many students struggle to find consistent support.
According to survey results, 73.6% of high school students say tests and grades are their primary source of stress, while 71.4% say they feel most overwhelmed when multiple assignments are due at the same time. Nearly half — 48.9% — say they keep that stress to themselves.
“We do have teachers and trusted adults we can talk to, but some students are scared to share their feelings with them,” said Nada G., a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School. “They might worry that they will be judged or not fully understood, or they may feel that their problems are too personal to talk about. Because of this, many students keep their stress to themselves instead of asking for help, so even though support exists, it may not always feel like enough.”
Elementary student’s perspective
For elementary school students, stress often begins inside the classroom. Retaj Hajden, a fifth-grade student at Charles Hay World School, says distractions from classmates can make it difficult to focus.
“My typical school week can feel stressful because students in my class have different levels of maturity,” Hajden said. “Some act mature, while others don’t, which can make the classroom feel distracting.”
Testing is another major source of pressure. “Since CMAS is a very important test for the school, it makes me feel nervous and pressured to pass,” Hajden said.
Even at a young age, students say social comparison plays a role.
“Sometimes social media can make me feel stressed,” Hajden said. “When I compare myself to other people, it can make me feel like I’m different from them or not the same as others. Seeing what other people post can sometimes make me think about myself more and feel a little pressured.”
Still, support at this level often depends on communication.
“If a student is being respectful and asking for help, teachers usually try to support them,” Hajden said. “But if a student is being disrespectful to a teacher, they might not get the help they need. I think support at school can depend on how students behave and how they communicate with their teachers when they feel overwhelmed.”
As she prepares for middle school, her emotions are mixed. “I’m excited to meet new people and try new things,” she said. “But I’m also nervous about being around older students.”
Middle school student’s perspective
By middle school, that stress intensifies, especially as testing becomes more frequent and grades carry more weight. Hala Kassem-Alduhni, an eighth grader who attends GALS Denver, describes her school week as “overwhelming.”
“My typical school week is very tiring,” she said. “We sometimes take around three tests in one day, and that can be really stressful.”
For Kassem-Alduhni, the stakes feel higher because tests directly impact grades.
“The tests are the most overwhelming part because they determine most of our grades,” she said. “I don’t want to fail, so I spend a lot of my free time studying.”
That pressure often leaves little room for balance. “If there were fewer tests, students would have more time to catch up on homework and study properly,” Kassem-Alduhni said.
Like younger students, she also feels the pressure of standardized testing.
“We have to sit for about two hours taking the CMAS test, and it can be really stressful,” she said. “I feel like I have to do really well, especially because next year I will be a freshman, so the tests feel very important.”
Social media adds another layer. “Sometimes social media makes me feel like I’m not doing enough,” Kassem-Alduhni said. “When I see people my age being very successful, it makes me feel like I need to push myself more and step up to reach their level.
Although support exists, Kassem-Alduhni says it’s not always accessible during the most stressful moments. “You mostly have to deal with the pressure on your own,” she said.
Looking ahead to high school, Kassem-Alduhni feels both anxious and hopeful.
“I’m worried that I might not pass my classes and might have to go to summer school to earn credits,” she said. “I also worry about not getting enough credits to take the classes I want. I’m also a little nervous about making friends because I’m shy and I’m afraid I might not be able to get out of my comfort zone. At the same time, I’m still looking forward to starting high school.”
High school student’s perspective
By high school, stress becomes less about single tests and more about managing everything at once. Nada says overlapping responsibilities create constant pressure.
“I would describe my typical school week as hectic,” she said. “The most overwhelming part is when a lot of assignments overlap at the same time. It creates pressure to turn everything in on time while also trying to keep my grades from dropping. At one point it became so overwhelming that I had to quit my job so I could focus more on school.”
Finals week is especially intense.
“We usually have a lot of homework and assignments that need to be finished while also studying for our final exams,” Nada said. “It can feel stressful because there is a lot to do at once, especially if you want to pass your finals and keep your grades up.”
Like younger students, she also feels the effects of comparison.
“Social media can affect my stress levels sometimes,” Nada said. “For example, when I see someone on social media who has things that I want or seems very successful, it can make me feel like I’m not achieving as much as they are.”
As she prepares for college, Nada describes a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
“I’m really excited to become more independent,” she said. “But I’m also nervous because there won’t always be someone guiding me.”
Stress rising across grade levels
Across all grade levels, one pattern is clear: stress remains a constant, even as its sources change. In elementary school, it can come from classroom distractions and standardized tests. By middle school, it often centers on frequent exams and pressure to perform. In high school, it becomes a balancing act between academics, work, social life and future plans.
The data and interviews suggest that while support systems exist, they do not always feel accessible or consistent. Survey results show that 50.5% of students say they only “sometimes” feel supported when they are overwhelmed, while 48.9% say they tend to keep their stress to themselves.
Still, each student interviewed had a clear idea of what could make school feel more manageable. For Hajden, it starts with teachers recognizing that students have lives beyond the classroom.
“If teachers understood that students don’t always have a lot of time for homework, it could help reduce stress and make school feel more balanced,” she said.
For Kassem-Alduhni, the answer is simpler: fewer tests. “If it were at least one test a week, students would have more time to prepare,” she said. “I think many students would really appreciate having fewer tests.”
And for Nada, reducing stress means acknowledging that students are balancing more than academics. “I think students also need time for themselves, not just schoolwork,” she said.
Together, their responses point to a shared message: students are not asking for school to be easy. They are asking for it to be more realistic, more balanced and more understanding of the pressures they already carry.
