High school has finished for the Class of 2020 and for those who wish to continue education, college tends to be the next step. I would consider high school and college to be two very different places. A large gap exists between the two with different responsibilities, environments, and people. This can be very daunting for those who have never gone through a big change or have never been on their own. College really does test a person.
By the time one starts college, high school can feel like a world away, but some may expect college to be high school part 2. For those who think this they will be surprised. High school goes along with a structure schedule that stays the same everyday, college does not do this. In college most classes do not occur every day, many classes happen only two or three times a week, with a ranging length of class time. These classes also do not just appear on the schedule, they must be chosen, with the thought of time, class and date in mind. College students have the responsibility of setting up their schedule….
Another aspect of college that differs from high school would be homework. In high school homework usually has a due date of the next day and occurs almost everyday. Homework does not seem to be a steady everyday part of college classes. It does depend on the professor, of course, but most college classes (for me so far) have lacked homework. The classes have lectures, projects, quizzes and exams, not dailly homework, and those make up your grade. Some classes may only have 10 assignments or less, so every assignment counts. The due date for these assignments rarely changes and if they do not get turned in be prepared to drop a letter grade. High school has been more forgiving than college in my experience.
Also, most professors put all work with dates on a document known as a syllabus which they expect the student to have read through before class even starts. THE SYLLABUS HAS GREAT IMPORTANCE. Don’t read the syllabus, don’t pass, simple as that. The syllabus usually has course introduction, format expectations, assignments, due dates, late assignment information, repercussions, attendance, and more. I am not kidding, syllabi tend to be more than 3 pages with answers to every possible question a student may have.
A major transition from high school to college can cause many students to feel homesick. Most college students do not live at home if they attend a four year university. Even for those who live in a dorm it will be a big responsibility. Cleaning, laundry and meals all fall onto a student at college. Most students live with another person in a very small space. Students must take care of themselves and take care of their responsibilities. Yes, RAs (resident assistants) and advisors exist on college campuses, but they will not check in with you everyday and if a student has a problem the responsibility falls to the student to go ask for help.
At college students do not get treated like children as much as they do in high school. The big picture would be that students get treated like adults. All responsibilities ranging from self to classes all fall on the student. Teachers do not forgive easily, students should ask questions, need help get it yourself, reminders don’t exist and have fun. College can seem daunting, due to its large difference from high school, but try not to stress. Try to stay on top of school work and spend time with good people, then college won’t seem as difficult.
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