High School to College Transition
Understanding the Difference
The transition from high school to college is one of the biggest transitions in life - it's a leap that includes academic, social, and personal changes for most people. ASP can help you get used to all that new responsibility by implementing good habits and strategies to make this time in your life exciting, but with a sense of calm - instead of overwhelming.
Communicating with Professors
Many freshmen do not know how to approach their professors. Attend the Communication Workshop and see the Do’s and Don’ts on the Communicating with Your Professors page for knowledge about how to comfortably, respectfully communicate with some of the most important people in your college career!
High School Transition to College by the TYT Network
Difference #1: FREEDOM
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| Mandatory | Voluntary |
| No Cost | Expensive |
| Other people structure your time (teachers, parents, etc.) | YOU manage your time – you have no curfew and no one tells you what to do when. |
| Other people remind you of your responsibilities and help you prioritize. | No one asks if you did your homework or studied – they just tell you at the end via your grade! |
| You are usually given "rules" and get corrected if you're out of line. | You choose what to do or not do, and you live in the consequences. |
Difference #2: CLASSES
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| You’re in school 6 hours per day, 30 hours per week. | You’re only in class 12 – 16 hours per week. |
| Your class times are set for you, and you attend one after another, straight through | You arrange your schedule, and have gaps in between classes – use these windows of time wisely |
| Teachers usually monitor attendance and discuss absences with you | Professors may not take attendance, and YOU decide to show up or not. You won’t see the consequences until your final grade |
| You are provided with textbooks at little or no expense | You need to factor books into your spending, which can cost a lot each semester |
| You are NOT responsible for knowing what it takes to graduate | You ARE responsible for knowing what you need in order to graduate. It can be complex – that’s why you have advisors here – make an appointment to see them! |
Difference #3: Teachers vs. Professors
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| Teachers check your homework | Homework is given to help you learn the material – professors don’t necessarily check it |
| Teachers remind you about upcoming tests and paper deadlines | Professors may not remind you. You have to keep track of due dates, and find out if you missed any assignments if you were absent. Professors expect you to know what’s coming from reading the syllabus. |
| Teachers may approach you if they see you need help | Professors are usually open and helpful, but they expect you to initiate contact. |
| Teachers provide you with information you missed when you were absent | Professors expect you to get notes and updates you missed from classmates |
| Teachers often write exactly what you need to know on the board. | Professors may lecture quickly, expecting you to write down the important points and read your textbook before class for a heads up. So note-taking is a must! (see our site and workshop on Note-taking!) |
| Teachers usually give you facts directly, sometimes telling you the specific connections and conclusions |
Professors expect you to make connections between concepts, and will not necessarily come out and say it. It's important to read the textbook according to the syllabus, even if the professor doesn't remind you every class. |
Difference #4: STUDYING
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| You may feel like you don't need to study, and can even get good grades without it. | Some experts say you should study for at least 2 hours per every 1 hour you spend in class. |
| Your reading assignments are discussed in class, and often reviewed again before a test. | Your reading assignments are longer, and may not be discussed in class, but can still be on the exam. |
| In class, the teacher often tells you what you need to have learned from the reading. | In class, you are expected to know and understand the reading – and class lectures can be based on them. |
Difference #5: EXAMS
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| Tests are given frequently and cover smaller chunks of material | You may have as few as one or two exams in a class, so they include larger amounts of material. It’s up to you to review the material even when the next test is months away |
| Teachers hold review sessions in class, and sometimes offer extra help outside of class. | If a professor holds a review session in class, he/she expects you to come prepared with questions – meaning you have to find out what you don’t know before the review. |
| Teachers may schedule and even rearrange test dates according to school events or other time conflicts. | Professors rarely schedule a test around outside events– and makeup tests are not necessarily offered. If you miss one, you have to ask to request to make it up. |
| Exams usually test what you know by having you restate what you learned in the same way it was taught. | Exams often ask you to apply what you’ve learned to new situations conceptually. |
Difference #6: Grades
| HIGH SCHOOL | COLLEGE |
|---|---|
| Most assignments are graded and help increase your final grade | Sometimes assignments are graded, but you need to check the syllabus to see the breakdown of how your final grade is determined |
| You are usually allowed to do extra credit assignments | There may not be any extra credit allowed |
| Even if you start out with low grades, you can usually bounce back by the end of the year | The start of the semester has much more of an impact on your final grade – there is less time to make up for any low grades in the beginning |
| You often get credit for putting in effort | You often get credit and do well only based on the actual, measurable results |
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