For some students, especially senior entrepreneurs who run businesses both inside and outside of school, this shift has made balancing expectations more difficult, particularly when those expectations extend beyond the classroom. Students who identify as entrepreneurs describe an added layer of responsibility.
Pressure is a word many students use to describe their experience at school, and several say that it has increased over time.
“The pressure definitely has significantly increased,” said Camilo Hoyos. “The school has become stricter in many of the rules.”
“For the seniors that are entrepreneurs, there is definitely more pressure since they have to think not only about school activities, but also about their startups,” said Ivan Santiago Arango, a senior entrepreneur. “For me, senior year has been harder because I have to focus on school and also run my business.”
Despite these challenges, some students believe ambition is ultimately a personal choice. “Ultimately, the ambition comes from the student, and the student is allowed to bring it as far as they want,” Hoyos said. Still, turning ambition into action can be demanding.
“It’s very challenging, but it’s also the reality of life. You need to be working and also being productive with your school life,” said Valentina Barrientos.
However, when ambition is expressed publicly through a business, social media presence, or family involvement, failure no longer feels private. Barrientos explained that failure is “very personal,” but also “very pressuring socially to say you’re an entrepreneur and then not succeed.” In other words, when others are watching your progress, asking about results, or even helping you run the business, setbacks can feel like a shared disappointment rather than an individual lesson.
Family expectations play a major role in how students experience stress. “I have felt overwhelmed multiple times, especially because my parents are very strict and they pressure me a lot,” Barrientos said.
Others described the tension that comes specifically from running a business. “I feel pressure to succeed publicly, especially with my family, because they are always asking what is happening with my business,” Arango said.
The possibility of failure carries additional weight because it is rarely felt alone. “If my business fails, it will mostly be my family who feels it with me, especially my mom and my brother,” Arango added.
Together, these perspectives show how students navigate changing school expectations, personal ambition, and family pressure. For many, success is not just about academics or entrepreneurship, but about managing the reality of trying to do both at the same time. This tension matters because it shapes not only their performance, but also their emotional well-being, identity, and understanding of what achievement truly means during one of the most formative years of their lives.