College vs. High School

Nile Ross
Professor Sadnik
English 101
3 October 2012 College Vs. High School Education has a tremendous role in where people end up with their life. There are various levels of education which are all important to whatever the next step is in life. Although high school is a big step to some people, college is an even bigger impact on people’s lives.
As a result of attending both high school and college I have come to the conclusion that college is better out of the two. While being in college you are learning how to be even more independent than you already were. There is so much freedom and you must use your time wisely in order to succeed. When you get to the university you will find you meet all sorts of people from all over the place with so many different cultural backgrounds and religions and beliefs and opinions. You get exposed to new ideas and new experiences. The classes are very different too. If you live on campus, it will likely be your first time living away from home, which is a huge experience. And once you find your major, you will find your people. You will actually be going to school with people who want to be there. As opposed to high school where students have to be there and many can careless about the subjects. College is a completely new experience with many unique aspects that can change and help define one's life. Many people love college, and find it to be a new beginning. It is a new opportunity to define yourself as an individual. You can establish a new image, because everyone is looking to do the exact same thing. In college, it's time to strap down and get to work. There's really no room for error. Classes are spread out throughout the week, and you often have much down time. There is a lot of work and it is crammed into a short period. It is up to you to know when to eat lunch, and it is up to you when to study. It is also your decision to fill that time where you are not studying or doing work with productive things.
High school is a period in which many new things happen. You now find yourself in a world full of raging hormones, honors classes, and new found freedoms. High school is routine in a way. You have your eight or so classes year round, and you know when you will be eating lunch. The same kids you went to elementary and middle school with probably are the same kids you went to high school with. Basically, high school is much regimented, and many people find themselves having the same friends for many years. Because of this, in turn once a "reputation" or "image" was established for you in high school, most likely that was going to stick with you for the rest of your time left. The work in high school is a piece of cake. Unless you are taking honors or AP courses, there is really no reason why someone's GPA should drop below 2.75. Classes in high school are small in size, usually between twenty and thirty students, and there is a one on one feeling with the teacher. It is a laid back atmosphere because everyone knows each other. Also in high school, many students find a way around the "school" part. Countless students slack off and don't apply themselves to their work or studies. Because of this, many students find themselves doing new extracurricular activities, and I think we all know what is meant by that. It is very easy in high school to fall into bad habits. High School is a perfect opportunity to go down the wrong path and find yourself in bad situations.
In conclusion, even though high school is an important step in life, college is an even bigger step. They are similar in some ways but in others they are the same. High school prepares you for college. It is a time full of new experiences and lessons. College is a new chapter in life and you can basically start over. In a way, college is a mature version of high school. High school and college are what you make of it. To find the true similarities and differences, one must experience both for themselves.