Exploring How Academic Workload Relates to Stress Levels and Student Decisions

Ian Bhattacharjee, et al.
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:50:00 PDT

In high school, a time defined by academic expectations, high workloads, and digital connectivity, stress has become a significant condition shaping the daily lives of many students. High school students often experience high levels of stress due to a variety of reasons, and many believe that academic coursework is a significant determining factor. This paper will outline the correlation between academic workload/ stress and the correlation with AI usage in the high-school student population and measure both through quantitative and qualitative data. Based on the subjects we have asked, the average stress level is 6 on a scale of 1 through 10. Most students have 5 extracurricular commitments. Many students are also studying for standardized testing outside of school hours, such as APs, the SAT, and ACT. Most students take around 0-3 APs during their sophomore year, often having that number increase over junior and senior years. Does this increased workload have an influence? The aim of this project is to see how workload correlates with the usage of AI.