StreetWise StreetWise (March 16, 2005)

Are today's high school students more stressed than when you were in high school?
Question and interviews by Carol Palinkas. Photographs by Kevin Hagen. Asked on California Avenue.

Richard Vincent
MBA student at Stanford
Escondido Road, Palo Alto
"I probably have to say yes, because they have things to deal with that we can't begin to imagine; it's like peer pressure to the 10th power."

Edith Modrie
Inventory clerk
Fremont
"High schoolers are dealing with things that we never thought of. Everyone has to be computer literate. I didn't even see a computer until college."

Doug Zody
Engineer
San Jose
"I'd say so. The world's a more complex place, and they have access to much more information."

Lan Nguyen
Business developer
San Jose
"I think so. They have to deal with issues I didn't have to deal with - drugs, bullying, gangs and violence."

Eran Raher
Investment manager
Orinda
"I think there's more stress. There's more pressure to get into good schools, so they need to make academic decisions early in their high school careers to compete."

Jai Das
Investment manager
Pleasanton
"Yes. There is more competition. You have more expectations from parents. You have to do well and go to a good school. There is more information that makes it easier to compete but more competitive."

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