What Is the Difference Between High School and College?
Preparing for college isn’t just about academics and extracurriculars.
Families often feel ill prepared to help their child be prepared for all of the change that takes place in the transition from high school to college. We believe that if parents are aware of the differences, they can help their children be ready for what lies ahead. Researchers and former colleagues Robert Mullendore and Carol Hatch found definitive patterns in key aspects of a student’s life as they transition from high school to college. What you find below is a brief synopsis of their findings as well as perspectives from our own professional experiences.
Schedule
High School : At least 30 hours per week of classroom instruction, regular daily schedule; attendance enforced
College : Typically 12-15 hours per week of classroom instruction, classroom attendance often not enforced
Accommodations
High School: Flexible, designed to meet student’s individual needs
College: May not alter or modify curriculum, rather only provide equal access
Distractions
High School: Limited by school and home regulations
College: Frequent distractions (parties, greeks, sports, structure found in home life no longer present)
Discipline
High School: Demanded by parents and teachers
College: Pretty much solely up to student
Student Contact with Teacher (high school) and Professor (college)
High School: More frequent (5 days/week)
College: Less frequent (1 to 3 times/week, may only be during lectures in large lecture halls. However, virtually all faculty have office hours which provides the opportunity for one-on-one communication)
Academic Support
High School: Parents, teachers, counselors often take responsibility and arrange tutors, etc.
College: Requested and arranged by student, student must be own advocate even if college offers academic support
Competition (academics, athletics, etc)
High School: Will vary depending upon the high school
College: May be more competitive particularly in more rigorous college environment
New Status
High School: Student’s status in academic and social situations often influenced by family/community factors
College: Student in new situation, judged solely for themselves and by their own behavior
Counseling
High School: Parental contact constant, personalized counseling by teachers and guidance counselors, regularly and easily available
College: Parental contact limited, student must seek counseling, often difficult to schedule and not personalized
Independence
High School: Student told what to do in most situations, follow-up on instructions is usual
College: Student is on their own, much self discipline required, often no specific time lines, no follow-up, no warnings
Motivation
High School: External from parents, teachers, counselors, etc.
College: Internal; student is on their own
Value Judgments
High School: Often based on parental values, student frequently not given choice
College: New dilemmas, student must make own decisions
The featured image for this post is from a picture I took at the University of Chicago
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