Directed by Debbie Lum, the documentary “Try Harder!” showcases five of the highly gifted students who attend Lowell Public High School. Throughout the documentary, each of the five students is interviewed and viewers can watch as they ride the highs and lows of the school year. Sharing their experience at Lowell, they discuss the heavy workload and classes, the intense competition between students, and most importantly: college application season. Due to its location in San Francisco and its high-achieving environment, most of Lowell’s students share a similar goal of getting into their dream school, Stanford, with close second options being the UCs and the Ivys. It's clear throughout the film that each of these students is weighed down by the stress that comes …show more content…
While it is unfortunate that students are accepted and rejected to certain schools based on their race, it is a factor that weighs heavily on students entering college application season. Lum is successful in displaying the ways that students of all races may struggle with their identity depending on whether it will help or harm their future. Another element of a student’s success is the nurturing and support they receive at home. By juxtaposing four mothers of Lowell students, Lum exposes the ramifications of having an overly involved parent, a supportive parent, or an absent parent. The home life and support systems held by each student plays a larger factor in their success than one may think. Alvan, the sometimes goofy, but extremely bright senior, is victorious throughout his high school career, which is portrayed throughout the film. Alvan’s mother only wants the best for her son, but some of her tactics come across as micromanagement. Rachel, one of the only African American students at Lowell, also has a mother who is controlling and even overbearing at