Struggles of High School Students

  What I see as the main problem for some students, including myself, is that our parents don't truly understand how school and education is very important.  Some parents, including mine, want us to start working at a young age which will affect us in school.  My mother wanted me to go to work at the age of fifteen and I felt it would turn my focus from school to work and give me a different mindset.  I honestly feel parents want their children to go to work rather than to get a good education and be very successful in their lives.  There are some cases in which it is necessary for a student to work as it is a hard time economically for some families; however, when it isn't necessary, the student should decide if they will be able to work while going to school.  My mother always compares me with my cousin that is in currently attending ASU, but she doesn't understand that college and high school are two totally different animals.  My parents don't understand that this year is probably the most important for me as this is the main year in which grades are looked at by universities.  I know if I was to go to work I would probably fall behind in school, which I can't afford to do, at least not this year.  Students need to be focused on their schoolwork, otherwise they'll end up having okay jobs when they could be getting very good jobs instead.