Lowell High School is the top-ranked public high school in San Francisco – and the seniors are stressed out. At this majority Asian American high school, the students know that they’re often seen as robots and AP machines by college admissions officers. “Try Harder!” reveals the alarming reality of the American college application process and the intersection of class, race, and educational opportunity as experienced by high school seniors living through it. With humor and heart, director Debbie Lum captures the hopes, dreams, and anxieties of the most diverse American generation ever as they navigate a quintessential rite of passage and make it their own. Alongside its wide release from Sundance to public television, the film’s Impact Campaign centers student voices at the heart of the college admissions process by promoting mental health and BIPOC perspectives, and especially raising the visibility of AAPI stories. (A film by Debbie Lum and Un Kyong Ho. 2022. USA. 85 minutes.)
