Compare And Contrast High School Then College Now

High School Then, College Now

On a recent visit home, I picked up my brother at our high school. Upon walking into Lincoln County High School, I could hear familiar sounds. Teachers were telling students to move, students were laughing and talking, and locker doors were closing. As I looked around, no one was there, and I realized these voices were from when I was in high school. In the article “Two Ways of Viewing the River” by Samuel Clemens, it brings to mind how our perspectives can change as we review things at different points in our lives (Wyrick 77-78). During high school, I envisioned my college academics to be similar to my high school academics. I realize there are similarities, but I have found there are differences as well. The

Self-discipline is one area of focus required in college that is different than what I imagined in high school. I proceeded through my academic classes without having to put forth any type of a significant effort towards education. My self-discipline was minimal and not challenged. The high school teachers provided guidance based on a specific set of instructions to a group of students that functioned as a team. You moved as a group through your studies with everyone learning at the same pace. My parents pushed me to maintain good grades and even helped me remember the assignments. I thought the same support system would be available at college. While the support system is available, I am finding it to be different. As a college student, I am now being driven by my self-discipline in order to achieve academic success. College professors provide assignments to the students but the effort to understand and apply those instructions is left up to the student. Help is available, but the students must be willing to go find the help and assistance, through tutoring and other

I expected the college and high school structures to be similar. What I found is that the high school and college structures are not aligned. In high school, the structure is very rigid, un-flexible with the students following the schedule with no exceptions. This pattern started in pre-school and continued throughout high school. The routine was the same five days a week with the schedule very rarely changing. The college structure was different and unique from the first day. Your daily schedule is not the same and requires flexibility in which you must adapt to or be left behind. Attendance is not given the same priority in college as it is in high school; in high school, you are given an award for perfect attendance. It is quite the opposite in college, the college professor will monitor attendance but they are not babysitters. The students are responsible for ensuring they meet the deadlines. High school teachers are required to provide the student with the opportunity to make up the work; you are under the teachers’ wings. College is self-guided; the student must adjust in order to succeed. This structure is great as it prepares the college student for the real