For junior Cali McAllister, homework is the icing on a long stressful cake. Every day, she wakes at 6 a.m.—breakfast is a thing of the past—and barely manages to make it to school at 7:30 a.m.

At school, McAllister has four classes, receiving homework and project assignments from each.  

After school, McAllister a Key Club meeting at 2:45 then it’s off to soccer practice at 3 p.m.

By 8 p.m., she starts her homework, papers and books scattered across her bed while she tries to fit dinner, a shower and some time to talk to friends in the hours before bed.

According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, teens are getting an average of two hours less than the recommended amount. This sleep deficit can cause irritation, decreased cognitive activity and decreased academic performance as a result.

But the real problem is the resulting stress that often follows the sleepless night.

Stress brought on by school and a lack of sleep has become an epidemic in this country.

The large amounts of work and short amount of time create a stressful environment for teens.

Junior Sarah Newton said, “On a regular basis, [I stay up until] 11:30 p.m. or 12 a.m.. Last night I was up until 2 a.m. to finish a project. My main thing is that I get so overwhelmed, I don’t know where to start and then I start too late.”

In a survey by the American Psychology Association, 31 percent of teens report feeling overwhelmed in school and another 30 percent report feeling depressed or sad as a result of stress.

School and homework are one of the leading causes of stress in teens across America, and stress shows no sign of stopping. The majority of Americans will carry stress from adolescence straight into adulthood.

Although the real question should not be about the stress, but why are these teens are feeling so much stress? The answer is grades.

With the increased competition for college acceptance, students are filling their metaphorical plate with as much as they can handle, just to get into their choice college, nevermind scholarships.