Blog Post #5 – How does academic validation help one achieve a high ego and sense of self? What is the phenomenon that states the superiority one feels when scoring higher than a peer on a standardized test? Will this matter in the real world?

Round 3 Research Question: How does academic validation help one achieve a high ego and sense of self? What is the phenomenon that states the superiority one feels when scoring higher than a peer on a standardized test? Will this matter in the real world?

From the major deal of superiority complex to the feeling of being small when not doing well in a class, academics are a complex part of young peoples’ lives (5). Nonetheless, is there a method we can implement to take the pressures of achieving a certain grade away without contributing to a decline in the efforts put forward by students amidst their studies? Perhaps the perfect system is no grades at all? However the proficiency scale has been proved to be deficient (5). Misguided interpretations of what it is to learn and retain information have been bred by the education system. Its entire aim is to create the perfect employee, and increasing one’s ego and sense of self is a surefire way of improving one’s will to learn (5). Does this fact point to capitalism as the main driver of motivation, with students associating monetary goods with happiness? How can we as a society boost each other’s self esteem’ more frequently, and in a way that ensures that one’s motivation is here to last for the long run?

Let’s begin with a quick definition of what academic validation is. This phenomenon can be described as relating one’s self worth to their grades, often in a toxic way (1). It tampers with one’s ego in letting a test score, assignment mark, or letter grade define a person, playing a devious mental game that doesn’t allow much room for error (1). An important boundary that any individual struggling with this mentality must face is distinguishing between one’s accomplishments, and their self worth as a person with much more value (1). Some say that the satisfaction they feel upon receiving a high grade was worth the mental gymnastics that got them there (1). Oftentimes, students feel required to live up to their parents’ academic rigour and reputation demands (1).

In today’s achievement oriented society, it is becoming increasingly hard for students to develop a healthy yet disciplined relationship with school-work (2). Many issues tied to family expectations and economic demands cause one’s ego to feel enticing lit up under academic success, and extremely let down when the opposite occurs (2). It harms our ability to be rational and meet our requirements for self care, especially considering the hyper-competitive academic state we have entered (2). The never-ending “should-haves” and “would-haves” that follow a below-expected grade are an indication that one is in a bad place mentally (2). It’s a negative loop where students torment themselves only to feel a fleeting sense of gratification once the grade is distributed (2). The health implications that result from this way of life have far worse effects than simply receiving a sub-optimal grade (2).

Knowing what this phenomenon is may just be half of the battle, it is pinpointing what triggers this feeling and how to control it that can help the issue (3). It often stems from a feeling of superiority upon receiving acknowledgments for hard work in academics (most often from family, friends or peers) (3). Then it dangerously ends up making you see a grade on a paper or important exam as defining your worth (3). How about we change the narrative to searching for validation within oneself (3). This may sound much easier said than done, especially when one has been searching for academic validation for much of their life (3). It means to have an introspective outlook on life with the underlying consideration that once school is finished, this type of validation can be few and far between (3).

Taking a different perspective, the concept of self-esteem has been silently on the minds of many as they navigate the new stressors that today’s society brings (4). Building a solid foundation for good self esteem is seen as an overwhelmingly positive thing in today’s day and age where coddling has become somewhat of the norm (4). Efforts to boost self-esteem have predominantly relied on school performance in adolescents to match the collective goal of improving this metric (4). Job performance in adults relies on self-esteem, with many employees achieving greater things once feeling confident (4). Moreover, appraisal of self-esteem can become very problematic as it is extremely multifaceted (4).

References

1. Pascoe, Michaela C., et al. ‘The Impact of Stress on Students in Secondary School and Higher Education’. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, vol. 25, no. 1, Dec. 2020, pp. 104–12. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1596823.
2. McNerney, Rebekah. ‘Overcoming the Need for Academic Validation’. Milligan Stampede, 12 Oct. 2022, https://www.milliganstampede.com/2022/10/12/overcoming-the-need-for-academic-validation/.
3. ‘“Academic Validation”: Let’s Talk About It. | Online Tuition for Students at GCSE and A Level’. Tutorbility, https://www.tutorbility.com/blog/academic-validation. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
4. Baumeister, Roy F., et al. ‘Does High Self-Esteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness, or Healthier Lifestyles?’ Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol. 4, no. 1, May 2003, pp. 1–44. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1111/1529-1006.01431.
5. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7676&context=dissertations