1. How college is different from high school
Peer Advisor Freshmen Seminar Series

2. Following the Rules vs. Choosing Responsibly
Voluntary and it will cost.
Must balance your responsibilities and set priorities.
Manage your own time and arrange your own schedule in consultation with your advisor. Schedules tend to look lighter than they really are.
Mandatory and usually free.
Parents/teachers reminded you of your responsibilities and guided you in setting priorities.
You spent 6 hours a day & 30 hours a week in class
You proceeded from one class directly to another.

3. In High School You were usually told what to do and corrected if your behavior was out of line
In College you are expected to take responsibility for what you do and don't do, as well as for the consequences of your decisions
** Guiding Principle

4. Going to High School Classes vs. Succeeding In College Classes
You may have studied outside of class for 0 to 2 hours a week and this was likely last- minute test preparation.
You were expected to read short assignments that were then discussed and often re-taught in class.
You need to study at least 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour in class.
You need to review class notes and text material regularly.
You are assigned substantial amounts of reading and writing which may not be directly addressed in class.

5. In High School You were usually told in class what you needed to learn from assigned readings. In College it’s up to you to read and understand the assigned material; lectures and assignments proceed from the assumption that you’ve already done so.
** Guiding Principle

6. High School Teachers vs. College Professors
checked your completed homework
reminded you of your incomplete work, assignments and due dates
approached you if they believe you need assistance
presented material to help you understand the material in the textbook
often wrote information on the board
sometimes drew direct connections and led you through the thinking process
carefully monitored class attendance

7. High School Teachers vs. College Professors
may not always check completed homework, but they will assume you can perform the same tasks on tests. They may not remind you of incomplete work.
expect you to initiate contact if you need assistance
may not follow text book, but expect you to read and relate the reading to class.
Expects you to identify important points in your notes without their assistance. (When professors write on the board it’s not to summarize the lecture.) Also you must get notes from classmates for any missed classes.
expect you to read, save, and consult the course syllabus( the syllabus spells out exactly what is expected of you, when assignments are due and how you will be graded)
may not formally take roll, but they are still likely to know whether or not you attended

8. High School was a teaching environment in which you acquired facts and skills College is an learning environment in which you take responsibility for thinking through and applying what you have learned
** Guiding Principle

9. Tests in High School vs Exams In College
Testing was frequent and covered small amounts of material.
Makeup tests were often available.
Teachers frequently conducted review sessions, pointing out the most important concepts.
Teachers frequently rearranged test dates to avoid conflict with school events.
Testing is usually infrequent and may be cumulative, covering large amounts of material. You, NOT the professor, need to organize the material to prepare for the test.
Makeup test are seldom an option; if they are, you need to request them.
Professors in different courses usually schedule tests without regard to the demands of other course or outside activities.
Professors rarely offer review sessions and when they do they expect you to be an active participant and to come prepared with questions.

10. In High School mastery was usually seen as the ability to reproduce what you were taught in the form in which it was presented to you, or to solve the kinds of problems you were shown how to solve. In College mastery is often seen as the ability to apply what you’ve learned to new situations or to solve new kinds of problems.
** Guiding Principle

11. Grades in High School vs Grades in College
Grades were given for most assigned work.
Consistently good homework grades may have raised your overall grade when test grades are low.
Extra credit projects were often available to help raise your grade.
Initial test grades, especially when they were low, may not have had an adverse effect on your final grade.
Grades may not be provided for all assigned work.
Grades on tests and major papers usually provide most of the course grade.
Extra credit cannot, generally speaking, be used to raise a grade.
Watch out for your FIRST tests. These are usually “wake–up” calls to let you know what is expect– but they also may account for a substantial part of your course grade you may be shocked when you get your grades.

12. In High School effort counted
In High School effort counted. Courses were usually structured to regard a “good-faith effort” In College results count. Though “good-faith effort” is important in regard to the professor’s willingness to help you achieve good results, it will not substitute for results in the grading process.
** Guiding Principle

13. How to Make the Transition To College
Take Control Of Your Own Education: Think of yourself as a scholar
Get To Know Your Professors: They are your single greatest resource
Be Assertive. Create your own support systems, and seek help when you realize you may need it.
Take Advantage Of The Academic Enrichment Center: Work with a tutor and career advisors
Take Control Of Your Time. Plan ahead to satisfy academic obligations and make room for everything else
Stretch Yourself: Enroll in at least one course that challenges you
Make Thoughtful Decisions: Don’t take a course just to satisfy a requirement and don’t drop any course too quickly
Think Beyond The Moment: Set goals for the semester, the year, your college career

14. QUESTIONS?

15. How is College Different from High School
Source:
"How Is College Different from High School." - SMU. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2015.