High School vs. College/ University

Since the new year is in full swing with almost a month over, I thought it would be helpful for me to post one of my articles I did in high school about the difference between high school and college. This may be helpful to high school seniors who are thinking about whether they should continue their education rather than head to work full time. This may also help prepare those who are ready for this new journey in knowing some of what to expect. My article gives a glimpse to some of the research I did before I started uni. myself (almost a year and half ago). Remember, these are different for everyone in different situations, so nothing is really set in stone (like the two quotes). But nonetheless, I think this can be used as a beginners guide to get an idea on the college/ uni. experience. Hope this helps someone :)

We've all heard that college is nothing like our earlier years of education. But what exactly is so different between the two?

For starters, college allows a student more personal freedom. This might sound exciting at first with the thought of not having parents or teachers irritating you about getting homework, studying, or chores done. But this freedom comes with a lot of responsibility. You have to make mature, responsible, and wise decisions.

While in high school, you can count on parents and teachers to remind you of your responsibilities and to guide you. Being in college means you are old enough to take responsibility for what you do and don’t do (like your homework and studying), as well as accepting/ dealing with the consequences of your actions.

This personal freedom and higher level of responsibility in college also means you have to balance the tasks you have to do with the things you want to do.

College classes are very different from high school regarding the number of students attending classes, the pacing of the course, and the instructors.

A typical high school class may have no more than 25-30 students, whereas a college class population may number 100 students or more. A freshman seminar may have 200 people in attendance!

Another difference can be seen in the pacing of the course. Unlike high school where a teacher may spend a week or two on one specific topic, college professors tend to cover a greater amount of information within a short amount of time. What might have taken a full year to cover in high school will probably be covered in one semester in college. 

Finally, teachers in high school contrast with professors when it comes to make-up work. If a high school student is absent, the teacher usually provides the make-up assignments.

Professors, on the other hand, expect students to get notes that may have been missed on their own, and to complete the work on time. They expect you to read, save, and follow the course syllabus (outline). The syllabus spells out exactly what is expected of you, when the assignments are due, and how you will be graded.

Chris K. said, "Professors don't write a lot; they lecture and may use PowerPoint presentations. Some assignments may include keeping a journal or managing a blog for class." This leads to the subject of studying, testing, and grading between the two learning atmospheres.

College test preparation differs from high school test preparation. High school teachers may have given a lot of test preparation help, prepared study guides, or even provided the exact questions that would be asked on the test. College studying may take 2-3 hours a night for each course and the testing is usually infrequent and may cover large amounts of material. You need to organize study material to prepare for the test.

Rabya S. suggests these study tips: "Rewrite your notes (key points). The night before the test/ exam, go over study guides if professors provide any, and look over your notes right before taking the test/ exam." For extra help and study, check out the college's tutoring hours.

With regards to the difference in grading between high school and college, high school grades are given for most assigned work. Assessment in college consists of tests/ exams and major papers, which usually provide most of the course grade. A particular college course may only have two or three tests in a semester.

To sum up, college differs from high school tremendously. With the freedom, responsibility, classes, instructors, studying, grading, etc. college is really a different experience than high school.

Even with all these differences, college is an experience to enjoy, as many college students and alumni say. Take college seriously from the start, get and give help, make smart choices, and you are sure to be successful! Remember, you can still have fun while learning and preparing for your future.