College students these days face many pressures as they take their big step into the world in college. According to William Zinsser (1998) in "College Pressures," college students face four major pressures: social pressure, parental pressure, academic pressures and self-inflicted pressure. As if these pressures weren't enough, students have to worry about their transcripts, the major cause of all anxieties. The major cause for worries about transcripts is grades. Grades are the basis of college pressures, students' frustration, and such cut-throat competition. Zinsser calls the transcript a "sacred document" (p. 140) that we are judged by, while Arthur E. Lean (1998), in "The Farce Called 'Grading,'" identifies it as a "piece of paper" (p. 133) that determines our career and status in society. The transcript that shows our class marks and major course plans has become very important, despite how superficial it is. It's the only thing that gets people places today. It doesn't seem to matter anymore how good a student's skills are, or how much of a hard worker a student is.
        Grading is, by far, not accurate in determining a student's overall performance. It only represents a student's test taking skills and ability to meet deadlines. The university transcript does not have any grades on a student's personality skills, hard work, motivation, determination, or community service qualities. If the transcript included these, then students would not stress as much about their grades and would work on improving their personality--an important quality our society places little value on. Job candidates should no longer be chosen based upon their good test taking skills that their transcript glorifies. As Lean says, "We have had this asinine practice of grading in schools for so long that we unconsciously assume it to be necessary to the learning process, but this is a manifestly false assumption" (p. 133). If students are chosen for their personality and their ability to perform their job rather than purely on their marks at school, however, the interviewer will have a better picture of how the student will function and work as a part of their company, store, practice, or firm. Lean also poses a good question to job interviewers: "Would you prefer, on the one hand, a thoughtful evaluation from adults who have observed the young people closely over a period of time, or, on the other hand, an official piece of paper informing you about a C-minus in English history and a B-plus in college algebra?" (p. 134). With this statement, Lean argues a valuable point, by revealing how superficial our society can be. Grades are the cause of the leading four pressures for college students: social pressure, parental pressure, academic pressure, and self-inflicted pressure.
        Nowadays there is so much competition in grades and graduating with honors that for one to simply graduate from high school with honors isn't enough anymore. As Zinsser puts it, "So many transcripts [are] studded with As that [students] regard a B as positively shameful" (p. 140). Even if a student just wanted to get a job after high school graduation, there would still be tough competition. Socially, everyone looks up to and idolizes the ones with better cars, houses, and jobs. Students strive to achieve these things through a good transcript, knowing that if their grades are bad they might have to live as a social failure.  Our media is to blame for this. As Zinsser points out, "One of the few rights that America does not proclaim is the right to fail. Achievement is the national god, venerated in our media--the million-dollar athlete, the wealthy executive--and glorified in our praise of possessions" (p. 139).
        Then there is parental pressure; the students know how expensive college is and how much their parents are paying. It is very hard for students to come home with failing grades after their parents have paid so much and supported them. The parents force their children into a major they don't want because they love them and are comforted that this major will put food on the table and ensure a secure financial future for their children. The students feel pressured, but they don't want to disappoint their parents. Zinsser comments on the students' confusion by saying, "One part of them feels obligated to fulfill their parents' expectations; after all their parents are older and presumably wiser. Another part tells them that the expectations that are right for their parents are not right for them" (p. 142).
        There is also academic pressure, which needs no explanation as to why students are academically pressured. It speaks for itself. Last, but surely not least, college students face self-inflicted pressure. This might be considered the worst pressure of all, since they know the future is coming. They know the time is approaching when they are going to have to support themselves, and their parents won't be there. It is scary for college students when they realize they are going to have to support themselves so soon, and a good job is the key to a comfortable life. The key to a good job is a good transcript, the key to a good transcript is good grades, the key to good grades is studying, and this is how the self-inflicted pressure is initiated.
        Grades are the basis of all college pressures. Parents would not be pressuring their children to get good grades if they knew that when they went out to get a job the interviewer would look at their personality and community service skills instead of the numbers on their transcripts. If grades weren't the key to a good job and luxury, then the society would not be so caught up in expensive cars, big houses, and other materialistic values--the materialistic values that society measures success with. If transcripts didn't only include a student's results of their exams and research papers, but rather a cumulative average of the student's motivation, hard work, and leadership skills, then these grade-driven pressures would vanish, and people would want to be better as a whole, not only on paper. As a college student, I can sympathize and understand what college pressure is about. Many people underestimate the pressures we as college students must face and overcome. If professors would be more understanding, and if employers would take the time to interview students for their personality and skills instead of their marks on the transcripts; then both students and parents would have a lot less stress, and college would be more enjoyable.

Lean, A. E. (1998). The farce called "grading." In R. Spack, Guidelines: A cross cultural reading/writing text (pp. 130-134). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Zinsser, W. (1998). College pressures. In R. Spack, Guidelines: A cross cultural reading/writing text (pp. 138-144). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.