Highlighting the differences between college and high school

Highlighting the Differences between College and High School The pursuit of education is a worthy goal and is something that each high school student should strive to continue after graduation by enrolling in a college or university. Colleges and universities are the best way for a young person, or an older person for that matter, to receive a formalized education that can lead them towards certification in specific field or the development of a base of knowledge on which they can build a future career.

But the advantages of attending National City College or any other college or university do not come without needful changes in the attitudes and mentalities towards education that may be previously harbored by high school students. This is because the proceedings of college courses, and of college as a whole, are uniquely different than they were in high school.

Preparing for a college education is an important step for all who are looking to attend an institution of higher learning, and the very first step for these individuals will be to learn the differences inherent to college verse those of high school. By better understanding what the main differences are between high school and college, a student will be able to transition faster to the college environment and therefore have a greater likelihood of success.

Attendance One of the first differences between the two institutions is that, while in high school, attendance was mandatory, often in college courses it is not. This does not mean, however, that students can regularly skip class and hope to succeed, as often, even though attendance may not itself be enforced, participation in the college course will require that a student attends regularly.

Responsibility This brings up the next fundamental difference between high school and college—increased responsibility on the part of the student. Using the previous point as an example, while attendance in class may not be mandatory it is more than necessary in order to have success and thus becomes the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are actively participating in their coursework.

The increased responsibility of college extends to other areas as well, such as the responsibilities concerning personal behavior and work ethic. Unlike in high school, a college student is entirely in charge

of their schedule now that they are adults, which means that each student will need to be organized and disciplined enough to work hard in each class they enroll in.

Money This brings up another difference between the two educational experiences of high school and college, that of money. While public school in high school was paid for by the community and taxes, largely anyway, now that a student is enrolled in college they will need to pay their own way either through scholarships, financial aid, or some like manor.

Because the student is paying their own way it is often important to do well in each and every class so that one gets the worth of their money, not to mention the worth of their education. By knowing these core variances between high school and college, a student preparing for college will be able to do so with a sound understanding of what to expect during college.

Photo Credit: dcJohn, Nazareth College