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Academic expectations -

A major source of stress for teens is academics. Nearly 70% report feeling a great deal or fair amount of pressure to earn good grades, with little difference between girls and boys.

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Social pressure to look good -

More than half of teen girls (55%) say they feel pressure to look good, compared to 39% of boys. This reflects societal expectations surrounding appearance that disproportionately affect girls.

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Pressure to fit in -

Teen girls are also more likely than boys to report social pressure to fit in, with 45% versus 37%, respectively, saying they feel this kind of stress.

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Pressures to be strong -

Boys feel more pressure to be physically strong than girls (43% vs. 23%), highlighting gendered ideas of masculinity in adolescence.

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Sports performance pressure -

More boys than girls (36% vs. 27%) say they feel pressure to be good at sports, pointing to gender norms in physical competitiveness.

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College aspirations -

Teen girls are significantly more likely than boys to plan on attending a four-year college: 60% compared to 46%.

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Vocational paths -

More boys than girls say they plan to attend vocational school (11% vs. 7%), work full-time (9% vs. 3%), or join the military (5% vs. 1%).

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Enjoyable careers -

A shared goal among teens is career enjoyment. An overwhelming 86% say it's extremely or very important to have a job they enjoy.

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Valuing friendships -

Friendship is another key priority. About 69% of teens rank having close friends as highly important in their adult lives.

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Financial goals -

Having a lot of money ranks high for teens, with 58% saying it's extremely or very important for their future happiness.

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Academic achievement perceptions -

About 42% of teens believe girls get better grades than boys at their school, while only 3% say the opposite. Most think it's about equal.

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Leadership opportunities -

Roughly 27% of teens say girls are more likely than boys to have leadership roles in school; 56% see no difference.

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Disruption in class -

Boys are viewed as more disruptive than girls in class by 63% of teens. Just 4% say girls are more disruptive.

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Speaking up in class -

Girls are also seen as more likely to speak up in class. In the study, 34% say girls do, versus 18% who say boys do.

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Emotional support access -

Girls are more likely than boys to have close friends for emotional support. About 95% of girls say they do, compared to 85% of boys.

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Friend networks -

Most teens, 98%, report having at least one close friend. A third say they have five or more close friends.

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Gender and friendships -

Nearly half of teens say their friends are a mix of genders. Around 49% say all their friends are the same gender.

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Emotional support disparities -

A majority (58%) of teens believe girls have an easier time finding emotional support through friends, compared to just 7% who say boys do.

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Value of sports teams -

In the study, 53% of teens think boys' sports teams are valued more at school, while only 2% say girls' teams are more valued.

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Mental health in schools -

Anxiety and depression are seen as highly common by 30% of teens. Girls are more likely than boys to report this (35% vs. 24%).

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Bullying prevalence -

About 22% of teens say bullying is extremely or very common in their school, with divided opinions on whether it affects boys or girls more.

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Drug use perceptions -

In the study, 19% of teens reported that drug use is very common in their schools. Boys are seen as more likely than girls to engage in it.

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Physical fights -

Physical altercations remain a concern in many schools, with 17% of teens reporting that fights are highly common. Among those, 44% say boys are more likely to be involved than girls.

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Alcohol use -

According to 14% of teens, alcohol consumption is common, and again, boys are more likely to be perceived as participating in this behavior.

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Teacher treatment -

Most teens (78%) believe teachers treat girls and boys equally. Among those who disagree, 16% think teachers favor girls.

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Post-high school uncertainty -

About 18% of teens are unsure of their post-high school plans, with equal uncertainty between boys and girls.

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Marriage and parenthood -

Fewer teens see marriage (36%) and parenthood (30%) as important goals compared to career success and friendships.

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Political differences in goals -

Republican teens are more likely than Democrats to value marriage (43% vs. 29%) and having children (38% vs. 24%).

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Racial and ethnic trends -

Black and Hispanic teens place more importance on financial success than White teens, who value friendships slightly more.

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Fame isn't a goal -

Only 6% of teens say becoming famous is important. The overwhelming majority prioritize meaningful careers and friendships over public recognition.

Sources: (Pew Research Center) 

See also: Study finds it's harder to be a teen now than in the past

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