High School vs. College
Differences Between High School and College
|
High School |
College |
Teacher/Student Contact |
Contact closer and more frequent (5 days a week) |
Faculty are available during office hours (a few hours per week) and by appointment to address students’ concerns. |
Competition/Grades |
Academic competition is not as strong; good grades can often be obtained with minimum effort. |
Academic competition is much stronger; minimum effort may produce poor grades.
|
Status |
Students establish a personal status in academic and social activities based on family and community factors. |
Students can build their status as they wish; high school status can be repeated or changed. |
Counseling/Dependence |
Students can rely on parents, teacher, and counselors to help make decisions and give advice. Students must abide by parents’ boundaries and restrictions. |
Students rely on themselves; they see the results of making their own decisions. It is their responsibility to seek advice as needed. Students set their own restrictions. |
Motivation |
Students get stimulation to achieve or participate from parents, teachers, and counselors. |
Students apply their own motivation to their work and activities as they wish |
Freedom |
Students’ freedom is limited. Parents will often help students our of a crisis should one arise. |
Students have much more freedom. Students must accept responsibility for their own actions. |
Distractions |
There are distractions from school, but these are partially controlled by school and the home. |
The opportunity for more distractions exists. Time management to students will become more important. |
Value Judgments |
Students often make value judgments based on parental values; thus, many of their value judgments are made for them. |
Students have the opportunity to see the world through their own eyes and develop their own opinions and values. |
Reference: Helping Your First-Year College Student Succeed by Richard H. Mullendore and Cathie Hatch
Last updated: 5/29/2013