Homework and Test Preparation: According to Milburn, 87% of teenagers taking APs reported that homework and test preparation were major sources of stress. As seen in Fig. 1, over half of AP students perceive themselves as being often or always stressed. Plus Plus Tutors finds that 85.8% of IB students identified their workload as their most pressing stress factor. Internal Assessments (IAs), Extended Essays (EEs), and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essays are a significant source of stress for IB students in particular (Douce, 2025).

High Expectations: As U World explains, many AP students feel the need to outperform their peers academically, which can put stress on students to achieve perfection. Douce makes the same connection to IB students, saying that, "The high expectations set by the IB programme can foster a fear of failure, leading to anxiety and self-doubt." 

Sacrifices Time Spent on Non-academic Activities: With AP and IB students spending as much as 5 hours per day on homework, it's no surprise that academics can make students put the activities they enjoy aside. Students often feel the need to replace activities such as sports and time with loved ones with study time in order to stay afloat (Milburn, 2011). 

Future Considerations: Seniors in AP and IB classes report experiencing additional stress due to planning for their future. Considerations like applying to college, the pressure of being accepted into selective colleges, and deciding which college is best for them add an additional load of stress on students (Milburn, 2011).