High school vs. college
Students provide perspective about the transition from high school to college
Students are hard at work in Mr. Fitzgerald’s Journalism class. They have been busy writing articles about new staff members.
When both high school and college students return to classes, the anticipation can be overwhelming. However, Sarah Hill, an Academic Program Counselor and former student at UP (University of Portland), and Reese Buchanan, a junior at WVHS, will provide appropriate information in terms of the drastic transition.
Although the transition from high school to college may seem daunting, the first week of college is rather similar to the first week of high school.
In class experience may vary depending on the teacher, but typically, the first day is dedicated to going over the syllabus, and the second day introduces the learning aspect to the students.
Reese Buchanan explained the first week of high school to be “Not as stressful as [she] thought it was going to be,” and she spent most of her class time prioritizing “get to know you” methods.
Sarah Hill’s exposure to in class methods also reminded her that “If students have a first class, typically that first class just goes over the syllabus for the whole semester… And then the next class you dive right into reading material, and you’re usually having conversation in class.”
Although the first week reflects some of Wilsonville High School’s usual schedule, the schedule that awaits students in college may introduce an unfamiliar agenda.
College introduces a completely new level of independence and forces students to adapt to a more self-reliant lifestyle, whereas high school provides more support and supervision from the staff.
Hill mentions that “In college, you’re in charge of your schedule, and you’re responsible for staying on task… and there’s no one to follow up with you.”
Hill also clarifies that she “most often [finds] students struggle with math and chemistry,” although she believes there is not one class every student struggles with because “every student has their strengths and weaknesses.”
As students transition from high school to college, the first week of college will help students develop a calmer and happier relationship with their brand-new lifestyle.
