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Score one for “Race To Nowhere” a documentary film whose premise is that we are overloading our school aged children with too much homework and too much emphasis on advanced school work which leads to extreme stress.

Last March, I was chosen to be part of a panel to discuss this movie when “Race To Nowhere” was screened at the Greater New Haven Jewish Community Center. I discussed the experience as part of a blog I wrote for the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). You can read it in its entirety here but I will quote one part:

“The movie depicts students who are completely stressed out. They are physically and mentally exhausted from the volume of homework and the high expectations; that they achieve “perfection”.  One after another student expressed how stressed out he or she was, how the homework is too much, how they are not able to balance this level of academics and also maintain a similar level of achievement in extra-curricular activities.  The word “perfect” was used often. The stress seemed to come from their families, from their schools, and– in my opinion– often from themselves.”

“Race To Nowhere” has ignited something of a grass roots movement of families that are asking schools to lighten the homework load. In this NY Times piece, we read about a few that may be getting on board. Quoting from the Times article:

“Lisa Waller, director of the high school at Dalton, a famously rigorous private school on the Upper East Side, sent a letter to parents this summer announcing that tests and papers would be staggered to make sure students did not become overloaded.” And “Across town at the Trinity School, another of Manhattan’s elite academies, the administration has formed a task force to examine workload, and the upper school, grades 9 to 12, has been trying ways to coordinate test-taking with papers, labs and other projects.”

To me, this is more common sense scheduling than a capitulation to less homework, but it is at least a nod to the notion that kids have a lot on their plates.  Not everyone is a fan of less work or in any way lowering expectations. Also from this article: “(One father commented wryly that it was unlikely that parents in India and China were fretting about overwork.)”

And, these NY schools happen to be elite private schools whose reputations as highly rigorous institutions are solid. The college admissions officers are very familiar with their profiles.

The idea that the stress is mainly among the elite college bound students is a point that Jay Mathews made when he reviewed “Race To Nowhere” in his “Class Struggle” blog for the Washington Post. Mr. Mathews said. “It is a well-intended project that raises a vital issue, the harmful academic pressure on students in some college-conscious homes. Then the film goes haywire by suggesting too much homework is a national problem when the truth is that high school students on average are doing too little.”

Too much homework? Too little homework?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. No doubt some students are drowning in homework, parts of which may be unnecessary. But there is also doubt that this is something all US students are suffering from.

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This year, many students will be applying to college under an “early” program. These programs are very attractive to students and colleges alike and I would not be surprised to read in January that this year saw an increase in early applications.  However, there are several types of early programs, each with their own rules. Here are some definitions:

Early Decision: This is a binding agreement, a contract, actually. The student applies to one college or university with an early decision agreement and he agrees that if the college accepts him, he will go. Students are still able to submit applications to other colleges but if First Choice University accepts his offer–and he will usually hear back by mid December– then he is committed to go and he must rescind all other applications he has submitted. Although you definitely cannot apply to more than one college Early Decision, each college has its own rules that govern what other types of non-binding early applications you can submit.

Early Action: This is non-binding agreement where the student applies early and will receive her admissions decision early but still has until May 1 to make up her mind.

Restricted Early Action: This is when a college or university allows students to apply early and receive the admissions decision early and still have until May 1 to decide, but there are restrictions–that vary by the college–as to where else the student may apply with binding or non-binding early agreements. Here it is crucial to read the language of the restricted early action agreement and make sure you remain in compliance when you apply to other colleges. An example of this kind of REA is Boston College. If a student applies Early Action to Boston College, she cannot apply Early Decision to another college.

Single Choice Early Action: This is when a college or university allows students to apply early and hear back early and still have until May 1 to decide, but there are even more restrictions on where else the student can apply other than regular decision. Again, this is another example of where it is crucial to read and understand the fine print. Yale and Harvard are colleges that offer SCEA as their only early program.

VIP or Priority Applications: These are applications sent to some students by a college that is very anxious to get their applications. So anxious, in fact, that they may waive the application fee and may waive other parts of the application like letters of recommendation, or ask for fewer of these, or even waive the essay requirement. Some VIP Applications arrive in the student’s email inbox and take them to the college’s website where the application is already partially filled out with the student’s information. The student will receive the college’s decision early but still have until May 1 to decide.

Rolling: This is a non-binding type of application where the college will make an admissions decision shortly after they review the application. Their official deadline is usually on the later side, but they fill the class as they read applications. Some colleges and universities fill up fast, so sending in your application earlier is safer.