High School vs College

Education is and will always be important in life. Regardless if you’re in high school or at college, the material you learn will follow you throughout your life. Education can help mold your future as well as your career. There are several differences in education that I have noticed throughout my years as a student, between high school and college. Some of the differences are the responsibilities, the atmosphere, and the cost. Responsibilities of high school students and college students differ in multiple ways. In high school, teachers constantly remind you of when homework is due and when there will be tests, whereas at college, the professors make a syllabus and a calendar for you to follow yourself. A college student is responsible for knowing the material that will be taught before the class starts. A high school student is tested weekly on one or two chapters. This is easy for a high school student because there is not as much information to be covered. One or two chapter tests are also easier because the student can cram the night before the test. With college, you cover a chapter, if not more, a day and are tested on many chapters. Therefore, the college student has to be able to keep up with weekly assignments and manage their time appropriately to prepare for the tests. The atmosphere also differs between high school and college. High school students are in classes with 25 other students at the max. The students are all close in age and are majority of the time in the same grade. Smaller classes allow the student and teacher to interact on a one-on-one basis. College students are placed in classes sometimes as big as 50 or more people. This can be troubling to a student who cannot learn in a bigger environment. Bigger classes also make it almost impossible for a student to have one on one time with the professor without visiting before or after class. However, for the shy students, bigger classes may be good for them because they know that the focus will not always be on them. College students are also placed in classes with all different types of age groups. High school students have sports organizations and clubs. College students have the option of joining a sorority or fraternity. Sororities and fraternities are a huge plus for those students coming from out of town to attend a university; however, they may also distract the student from completing their assignments. The cost of education between high school and college differs as well. Some students decide to attend a public high school versus a private high school. With a public high school, the cost of education is free. The parents only have to pay for materials needed for school supplies such as binders, paper, pencils, pens, etc. With a private high school, the cost of education comes at the expenses of the family. Students attending college are required to pay for their tuition, books, parking passes, fees, or anything else they may need throughout their time as a college student. As you can see, there are many different options available from high school to college. Both, high school and college, offer an education to better the student’s mind. The differences that I have observed between high school and college are the responsibilities, the atmosphere, and the cost of education.