A month ago, I watched a CNN interview with Olympic rugby player and TikTok icon Ilona Maher, where she was asked, “How do you overcome imposter syndrome?”
Initially, I thought nothing of the question—but Maher’s answer caught me off guard. Without hesitation, she responded:
“I don’t have that. I feel like I’ve deserved what I’ve gotten… I feel like people are sometimes told to feel like they have imposter syndrome. But it’s okay to be proud of what you’ve done. It’s okay to believe you deserve something because you’ve put in the work for it.”
Her words stuck with me for days. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d heard a woman say she didn’t experience imposter syndrome. But is it really possible that nearly every woman, aside from a few, feels undeserving of her success?
Imposter syndrome is a persistent feeling of self-doubt about one’s achievements or success despite clear evidence to the contrary. It’s often framed as a personal struggle that must be overcome.
However, as Maher’s words suggest, imposter syndrome might be something women are conditioned to feel rather than something inherent to them.
If it’s true that women are conditioned to feel like imposters, then when does this conditioning begin? The answer lies in socialization, which is “the process through which individuals become members of society,” according to Simply Psychology.
From a young age, girls are subtly—but powerfully—taught gendered expectations that their male counterparts are not. I remember from elementary school how the boys would be praised when they had “good behavior” while the girls would have to go above and beyond for similar recognition. Girls weren’t given gold stars because they were already expected to be “good.”
As girls grow up, these expectations are only intensified. If Gloria’s monologue in Barbie didn’t clue you in, women are constantly pressured to be exceptional, infallible, and ultimately perfect in all aspects of their lives. Women become trapped in a cycle of over-performance and persistent self-doubt.
This relentless pressure on women is even more evident in college. In an environment where success is measured incessantly through grades, internships, leadership roles, social lives, and appearances, the weight of perfectionism has never felt more heavy.
When I achieve something, the question of “Did I deserve this?” often lingers. Was it luck? Was it timing? Any opportunity often feels like a test rather than a natural step towards my future.
But I’m not alone.
To gauge how widespread imposter syndrome is among college women, I conducted a survey among 40 Her Campus BU members and peers. Even with a limited sample size, the results highlight a striking trend among Boston University women.
Specifically, 97.5% of women reported experiencing imposter syndrome in college, with the top causes being classes, internships/work, and extracurriculars.
Even more eye-opening, 41% of respondents selected “Very Often,” and 35.9% selected “All the time” when asked how often they feel pressure to “prove their worth” in college.
These results reveal that imposter syndrome is more of a shared reality for college women than an individual struggle.
In my survey, 40% of respondents also identified as women of color, first-generation, and/or low-income college students. All of them reported experiencing imposter syndrome in academic and professional environments.
Additionally, 81% of these women selected “Very Often” or “All the time” when asked about feeling pressure to “prove their worth” in college.
For these respondents, feelings of imposter syndrome can be intensified by unique challenges.
Women of color often face racial biases and a lack of representation, potentially fueling feelings of not belonging. First-generation college students may struggle without familial guidance, heightening pressures to “prove their worth.” Similarly, low-income students may be burdened by financial stakes, making their success feel like it’s always on the line.
Recognizing the intersectionality of these challenges is crucial, as each person’s experiences of imposter syndrome are shaped by their unique identities and circumstances.
Several respondents also shared how they experience imposter syndrome.
One noted how the lack of female representation in her political science classes makes her feel “more insecure about speaking up in class.” Even when she knows the right answer, her self-doubt stops her from saying anything.
Another person shared that while “men are very confident in their intelligence … women are made to feel like [their] answers are always wrong or not good enough,” leading to self-doubt.
These experiences highlight how gendered expectations contribute to women’s feelings of inadequacy. Notably, 95% of respondents agree that society at least slightly imposes higher expectations on women to prove their worth compared to men.
It truly breaks my heart for all of the women who experience imposter syndrome. But it’s crucial to realize that self-doubt isn’t innate in women. Instead, women are conditioned from an early age to believe that their achievements aren’t worthy of gold stars. Recognizing this is the first step to combating imposter syndrome.
Moving forward, success needs to be reframed—not as something to be measured but as a part of an ongoing journey.
This means believing that any achievement, big or small, is worth celebrating. Building supportive communities of women, like Her Campus, is also vital in combating imposter syndrome and empowering each other.
As we dismantle our imposter syndrome, we must also empower young girls to believe that they belong in every space. By being role models, we can show them that women don’t inherently feel like imposters but are confident, successful, and believe in themselves.
Ultimately, I hope that one day reporters will stop asking women how they overcome imposter syndrome and start asking them how it feels to own their success.
Know that society’s standards don’t define your worth and you deserve every bit of your success!
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