Dedicated athletes have a training regimen. They push their bodies—in the weight room, on the track, in the pool, etc.—to get stronger and faster so they can compete at a high level. But every athlete has limits. Push yourself too hard for too long and you risk suffering from Overtraining Syndrome, a condition where your body breaks down instead of getting stronger. Everyone from casual competitors to elite athletes has their limits, but the weekend warrior will start to break down much sooner than an Olympic champion will. The key is to find and test your individual limits.   

Some students suffer from academic overtraining syndrome. They’re enrolled in AP Everything because they’ve heard that’s what competitive colleges want. But they’re struggling to keep up. They’re not getting enough sleep. They’re not performing well in their classes. Instead of exercising their minds and finding the enjoyment in learning, academic overtrainers break down. Had they enrolled in slightly less challenging curriculums, they could have performed at a higher level and been happier, more engaged students.

The most competitive colleges seek out those students who can take their school’s most challenging curriculum and still get top grades. But that doesn’t mean that every student can do it or that every college expects the same results. The key is to find your balance. Take the most challenging classes you can handle without sacrificing sleep or sanity. It’s better to get a B in a difficult class than an A in an easy one, but if you start getting C’s or worse, or if you’re unhappy and struggling to keep up, it’s time to make some changes.

Colleges want you to find and test your academic limits. But they don’t want you to over train. Here’s a past post on how to find that balance, as well as a recent entry on the University of Virginia’s blog.