How is College Different from High School?

High School is mandatory and free (unless you choose other options).
Your time is usually structured by others.
You need permission to participate in extracurricular activities.
You need money for special purchases or events.
You can count on parents and teachers to remind you of your responsibilities and to guide you in setting priorities.

College is voluntary and expensive.
You manage your own time.
You must decide whether to participate in extracurricular activities.
You need money for basic necessities.
You will be faced with a large number of moral and ethical decisions you may not have faced before. YOU must balance your responsibilities and set priorities.

Each day you proceed from one class directly to another.
You spend 6-8 hours each day (30-40 hrs. per week) in class.
Most of your classes are arranged for you.
You are often not responsible for knowing exactly what you have to take to graduate.

You often have hours between classes; class times vary throughout day and evening.
You spend 12-16 hours in class each week.
You arrange your own schedule with the help of an advisor. Schedules may appear lighter than they really are.
Graduation requirements differ for different majors. You're expected to know those that apply to you.

Don't always check completed homework, but assume you can perform the same tasks on tests.
Are not obligated to, and may not remind you of incomplete work.
Are usually open and helpful, but most expect you to initiate contact if you need assistance.
Will usually expect you to seek them out during their scheduled office hours.
Expect you to get, from classmates, any notes from classes you missed.
May not follow the textbook, but will expect that you have read the material.
May lecture nonstop, expecting you to identify the important points in your notes. Good notes are a must.

You may study outside of class as little as 0-5 hours a week, and this may be mostly last-minute test preparation.
You're expected to read short assignments that are discussed, and sometimes re-taught, in class.
You will usually be told in class what you need to learn or memorize from the assigned readings.

You need to study at least 2-3 hours OUTSIDE of class for each hour IN class.
You are assigned substantial amounts of reading and writing, which may not be directly addressed in class.
It's up to you to read and understand the assigned material; lectures and assignments are based on the assumption that you've already done the reading.

Testing is frequent and covers small amounts of material.
Makeup tests are often available.
Teachers frequently conduct review sessions, pointing out the most important concepts for you to know.
Mastery is often seen as the ability to reproduce what you were taught.

Some courses may only have 2 or 3 tests in a semester, and will cover large amounts of material. You, not the instructor, will need to organize the material to prepare.
Makeup tests are seldom an option; if they are, you need to request them.
Review sessions are rarely offered, and if they are, instructors expect you to come with questions.
Mastery is often seen as the ability to APPLY what you've learned to new situations or new problems.

Most assigned work is graded, then handed back for review.
Good homework grades may help raise your overall grade when test grades are low.
Initial test grades, especially when they are low, may not have an adverse effect on your final grade.
You may graduate as long as you have passed all required courses with a grade of D or above.
Effort counts! Courses may be structured to reward good effort.

Assigned work may not be given a grade, nor handed back to you.
Grades on tests and major papers or projects usually provide most of the course grade.
Watch out for your first test. They are usually a wake-up call to let you know what is expected, but they may also account for a substantial part of your course grade. If you receive notice of low mid-term grades, see your instructor, or academic advisor immediately!
You may graduate only if your average in classes meets the departmental standard – typically a 2.0 or C.
Results count! Although good effort may help you achieve good results, it is not a substitute for results in the grading process.

Adapted from a publication by Blackhawk Technical College @ www.blackhawk.edu