University of Virginia study links school pressure to student anxiety

A survey of more than 84,000 college students found that roughly one‑third reported moderate or severe anxiety and a similar share reported depression. Erin Clabough, a biology and neuroscience professor at the University of Virginia, argues that the current education model—prioritising grades and performance over curiosity and well‑being—has created a generation of anxiety‑prone adults. She cites a former student, referred to as “Hannah,” who described high school as a means to secure a scholarship and felt she became a “complete robot” under constant pressure. The article explains the “curiosity loop,” a dopamine‑driven process that makes learning rewarding, and notes that heavy homework, frequent exams, and grade‑based evaluation can disrupt this loop, leading to chronic academic stress. While some educators defend grades as accountability tools, research cited in the piece shows that high academic pressure stems from fear of failure, workload overload, and exam anxiety.