Differences Between High School and College

Time Management in High School – You have a regular scheduled day from 8:10-3:35. Choosing Responsibly in College – You often have hours between classes; class time varies from day to evening; you may have class only on M-W-F or T-Thurs; you may spend hours each week in class. Time Management in High School – You can count on parents and teachers to remind you of your responsibilities. Choosing Responsibly in College – You manage your own time. You must balance your responsibilities and set priorities.

Differences Between High School and College Going to H.S. School – Classes generally have no more than 30 students Succeeding in College Classes – Classes may have 100 students or more Going to H.S. School – You may study outside of class as little as 0-2 hours a week and this may be mostly last-minute test preparation Succeeding in College Classes – Treat your student status like a full- time job, devoting about 40 hours per week on study, homework and class. Going to H.S. School – You are expected to read short assignments that are then discussed and often re-taught in class. Succeeding in College Classes – You are assigned substantial amounts of reading and writing which may not be directly addressed in class. You are expected to complete and comprehend readings on your own.

Differences Between High School and College High School Teachers – Teachers check your completed homework. College Professors – Professors may not check completed homework; but they will assume you can perform the same tasks on tests. High School Teachers – Teachers remind you of your incomplete work, assignments, and information when you were absent. College Professors – Professors expect you to read the course syllabus, which spells out exactly what is expected of you, when it is due, and how you will be graded. Professors expect you to get from classmates any notes from classes you missed and may not remind you of incomplete work. High School Teachers – Teachers ask if you need help and are available before and after school. College Professors – Professors are usually open and helpful; however, they expect you to initiate the contact if you need help. Professors have scheduled office hours. High School Teachers – Teacher present material to help you understand the material in the textbook. College Professors – Professors may lecture nonstop, expecting you to identify the most important points in your notes. Professors may not follow the textbook. They expect you to relate the class to textbook readings. Professors expect you to synthesize the material.

Differences Between High School and College Grades/Tests in High School – Testing is frequent and covers small amounts of the material. Grades/Tests in College – Testing is infrequent and may cover large amounts of material. A course may only have 2 or 3 tests in a semester. The first exam may be a “wake-up” call of what is expected. Grades/Tests in High School – Extra credit projects are often available to help raise a grade. Grades/Tests in College – Professors usually do not provide extra credit. Grades/Tests in High School – Good homework grades may raise overall grade when test scores are low. Grades/Tests in College – Grades may not be provided for all assigned work. Grades on tests and major papers usually provide most of the course grade.