Does High School Prepare Students for College?
Today, going to college and getting a degree is considered the gateway to a successful life. And if this is the case, then the long four-year high school program is the long highway meant to prepare one for the college life. But how effective is the high school system in preparing students for college life? Truth be told, nothing can prepare you enough for the college experience. High school and college differ in various ways. First, high school involves quite a huge load of homework than college. College is also largely self-instructed, and most of the assignments are done outside the classroom and include more complex papers and projects that demand hours of research and compilation.
In college, one can choose the course and the classes to attend, unlike in high school. This may come as a surprise to many students in the first year, but one becomes acquainted within a short time. Even if the classroom environment in college and high school differs significantly, it does not mean that your high school experience is useless. High school plays a critical role in preparing students for future college life and academic journey. Some aspects, such as testing styles like multiple tests and pop quizzes, can train you always to be prepared and up to date with the course work should the lecturer decide to give a test.
High school academic and high school systems also share some similarities. Apart from academics, high school imparts various social skills that can be critical in college. For instance, peer relationships are important both in high school and in college. A high school environment can boast several hundreds of students, providing an ideal setting to socialize and create relationships. Teamwork, as emphasized in high school, will be very important in college. Many students with social problems often experience challenges, particularly in executing group assignments in college.
Even after completing the four-year high-school with good grades, most students still feel unprepared for the challenges in college. But the biggest challenge in the transition is that college life demands more maturity, responsibility, accountability, and above all, independence, unlike in high school, where the teachers and parents are always involved in making decisions that affect you. Whether you succeed in college largely depends on your ability to utilize the skills acquired in high school. High school experience might not adequately prepare you for college, but it also very important to your academic and personal growth.
