Life@MA • Investigative

Is MA Too Competitive?

A Path towards Progress

By Ava Angell '27 in Winter 2026

Do competition and academic pressure motivate MA students in healthy ways, or does it generate a mentally harmful culture?

Responses to a survey showed varying attitudes towards motivation in the classroom. When posed with the statement, "I am motivated to learn because of class material, not just because of grades," 50% of freshmen agreed, 47.1% of sophomores disagreed, and 54.5% of juniors and 35.7% of seniors agreed. Students generally felt safe taking academic risks: 37.5% of freshmen agreed, 35.3% of sophomores agreed, 36.4% of juniors were in the middle, and 39.3% of seniors agreed.

Simultaneously, data reveals intense academic pressure. When questioned if MA students compare grades too much, 37.5% of freshmen were in the middle, 29.4% of sophomores strongly agreed, and 45.5% of juniors and 37.5% of seniors agreed. Responses to the statement, "MA students narrowly define success in terms of grades, test scores, and/or college admissions," revealed 45.8% of freshmen, 76.5% of sophomores, 86.4% of juniors, and 67.9% of seniors strongly agreed.

Unfortunately, 29.2% of freshmen, 41.2% of sophomores, 36.4% of juniors, and 35.7% of seniors agreed that it felt socially risky to admit that they are struggling academically. The intense academic pressure put on students by students contributes to 58.3% of freshmen, 58.8% of sophomores, 45.5% of juniors, and 46.4% of seniors strongly agreeing that their academic performance strongly affects how they view themselves.

This narrow definition of success appears to be significantly tied to students' self-esteem, and affects how students internalize their achievements and failures. MA's competitiveness, while motivating students to succeed academically, also reinforces a culture of constant comparison that can amplify stress and discourage students from finding support.

How can MA maintain its rigor and overall academic success while fostering a supportive culture where struggle is normalized, and success is defined beyond a letter on a transcript?