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High School Vs College: Compare and Contrast

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Words: 785 |

Pages: 2|

4 min read

Updated: 4 December, 2023

Words: 785|Pages: 2|4 min read

Updated: 4 December, 2023

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There are many challenges in life that will test us as we get older, school becomes a big part of our lives and we are pressured to do well. All these years of school is meant to prepare us for college and from there, it’s on to the real world. Although college is simply one step above high school, there are many differences between the lives of high school vs college students. College vs high school differ greatly in their economical, personal, and social aspects, which will be discussed in this essay.

The biggest change between high school and college are the freshman years. In college, students have much more independence than they’ve ever had in high school. Moving away from their families and in with some strangers they’ve never met before may seem like a bad thing but this is an experience that will teach a new college student how to deal with conflicts, and prepare them for the real world. The excitement and pressure of the first day of college brings a student back to their high school years. The first day of freshman year makes a student feel like they’re in the wrong place, it wouldn’t be a normal first day of school if you didn’t get lost looking for classes.

A big part of school is time management. All of the long nights and countless mornings waking up at 5AM puts a toll on students. In high school you can expect to spend around 40 hours inside of class and are required by law to attend 5 days a week. Students are expected to learn most of the information in class and learn at the same rate of all your classmates. In college, however you can expect to spend almost half that time in the classroom. As a college student, one will only spend about 15-18 hours per week in class, at first this might seem great but there’s always a catch. With each class ranging from fifty minutes to three hours, professors tend to cram as much material as they can into each class and expect you to learn most of the material outside of class. With these large time gaps students are required to learn how to manage their time effectively so that they can make the most out of their spare time. College students are famous for procrastinating and rushing their assignments the night before deadlines.

As you move from high school to college you tend to lose a majority of your friends and rely on social media more often. In high school most students tend to have their “clique” of friends they’ve known since junior high. They hang out with every day at lunch and after a long day of school, they go back home to their families and play games all night. They don’t have many responsibilities and life is great However, in College that is not the case. It doesn’t matter who you were in high school because in college everyone starts from scratch. Students have the chance to create the social life they’ve always wanted. The friends you make in college will be some of your best friends for life, those three or four people that you can count on to have your back no matter what.

College is a choice if one wants to attend or not. A student has to pay for the education in college. So, if a student doesn’t live up to their expectations, they know they wasted their hard-earned money. Since students paid to get into college, they work and study twice as hard as they did in high school. The different choices one makes and the consequences of those decisions will be theirs and theirs alone. As for high school, books and other resources are provided and education is free. This is the prime time of a student’s life because this is the stage where a high schooler must come to terms with what they want to do in their future. College and high school are a very important part of a student’s education. In order to acquire an occupation that satisfies one’s interest, they’ll need a good education.

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College is just one step above high school. They are similar in such ways that you go to class, do classwork, take tests, and study hard, but differ greatly in their economical, personal, and social aspects. High school is more of a one mold fits all and college is an option for those who want expand their knowledge and pursue the career path they’ve always wanted. Both are equally as important when it comes to education but when making the decision to attend college, you are taking on an entire new load of responsibility.

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Hook Examples for “High School Vs College” Essay

  • A Student’s Journey: As students transition from the familiar hallways of high school to the uncharted territory of college campuses, they embark on a transformative journey. Explore the differences that define this educational evolution.
  • Two Worlds Collide: Imagine straddling the line between two worlds – the structured environment of high school and the newfound independence of college life. This essay unveils the unique challenges and opportunities that lie at this intersection.
  • The Freshman Experience: Meet Sarah, a recent high school graduate taking her first steps into college life. Her story encapsulates the excitement and apprehension that every freshman faces when making the transition.
  • Voices of Wisdom: From the perspective of educators, this essay shares insights from seasoned teachers and professors who have witnessed the evolution of their students. Discover what they have to say about the changes in students’ academic lives.
  • A Tale of Two Curricula: What happens to the syllabus when you move from high school to college? Explore the differences in academic rigor, teaching methods, and expectations that define these two distinct stages of education.

Works Cited

  1. Chen, H., & Kuh, G. D. (2016). Student engagement and student learning: Testing the linkages. Research in Higher Education, 57(2), 153-181.
  2. Eccles, J. S., & Templeton, J. (2002). Extracurricular and other after-school activities for youth. Review of Research in Education, 26(1), 113-180.
  3. Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research (Vol. 2). Jossey-Bass.
  4. Raby, R. L., & Valeau, E. J. (2018). College as a turning point: Revisiting the myth. The Journal of Higher Education, 89(5), 661-687.
  5. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
  6. Perna, L. W. (2006). Studying college access and choice: A proposed conceptual model. In J. C. Smart (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (Vol. 21, pp. 99-157). Springer.
  7. National Survey of Student Engagement. (n.d.). NSSE Annual Results. Retrieved from https://nsse.indiana.edu/annual-results/index.cfm
  8. Roksa, J., & Arum, R. (2011). Academically adrift: Limited learning on college campuses. University of Chicago Press.
  9. Umbach, P. D. (2007). How effective are they? Exploring the impact of contingent faculty on undergraduate education. The Review of Higher Education, 30(2), 91-123.
  10. Inkelas, K. K., Daver, Z. E., Vogt, K. E., & Leonard, J. B. (2007). Living–learning programs and first-generation college students’ academic and social transition to college. Research in Higher Education, 48(4), 403-434.
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Cite this Essay

High School Vs College: Compare and Contrast. (2021, January 25). GradesFixer. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/comparative-high-school-vs-college/
“High School Vs College: Compare and Contrast.” GradesFixer, 25 Jan. 2021, gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/comparative-high-school-vs-college/
High School Vs College: Compare and Contrast. [online]. Available at: <https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/comparative-high-school-vs-college/> [Accessed 23 Dec. 2024].
High School Vs College: Compare and Contrast [Internet]. GradesFixer. 2021 Jan 25 [cited 2024 Dec 23]. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/comparative-high-school-vs-college/
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