High Scool writing vs. College writing

Zack Ojinaga
Professor Anderson
English 5A
9/9/13
Understanding College English
Is reading and writing in college really more difficult than high school? Learning to read and write in high school seems different rather than distant. College reading and writing is extensive and dissimilar in comparison to high school level material. Although others may argue that college writing is harder than high school material, I view it as a different way of writing that needs to be practiced in order to establish the same level of excellence in college writing that we previously had in high school. High school had always been organized and simple complete with stepping stones to help students form their essays the way the teacher wanted. College gives the writer much more freedom with their work other than what’s expected from the collegiate, we are free to write in whatever fashion we please as long as it’s on track with the assignments. Being separated from the crutches of high school teachers and Jane Schaffer writing sheets doesn’t make it college more difficult just more mature. For example, college students use whatever fits them to organize their writing without the support or guidance of a stand-by teacher, and still create a supported argument with a good structural foundation. This is expected rather than re-approached, sharpened our back ground skills like spelling, formatting, and creating to prepare us for the argument style of writing done in college. College material is more extensive and fast paced in comparison to high school. College reading and writing includes larger papers to write and bigger books to read in a shorter amount of time then high school. In high school our deadlines are further in the future in which we would have three to four weeks to write an essay or read a book compared to the shorter instances in college. Still this is not much more difficult just different, it’s not hard to adjust to a fast paced environment that we have been training the past four years to compensate, and although from another perspective it may seem as though challenges such as this make work hard due to the amount of time they would utilize that is no longer available. Also the amount of work that is distributed amongst a college student is extensive in comparison to high school material. Papers three to four pages long and reading five inch thick books that are college level material that has been so finely created that it’s on par with another language are what we have to work with now. I look at it from the perspective of a determinant and it seems like just a challenge that I’ve trained my whole life for and will continue to learn from. We were taught what to expect and prepared for this in high school which is why I compare it to playing a sport in a new upper division, we took the time to learn, practice, and test so now we utilize our skills differently. College material is grand and intimidating but not necessarily scary just takes more dedication. What is the number one distinction between college writing and high school? The major difference is that college writing is created with arguments and ideas that are supported by relevant information. Unlike in high school when plot summary was accepted and repeatedly paraphrasing research for an essay was acceptable. According to UC Chicago’s writing program the key to college writing is argument, based on claim and the evidence provided and at the same time understand limitations and how others may challenge your work. One states their ideas about a certain subject and then provides support for their opinions and ideas is what separates writing essays in college from doing so in high school. Here in college we make the distinct transition from high school style and formatting to a different frame of mind on how to develop a critical college level essay. During high school we were told to read books or plays and create a formidable essay with key points and topics that are relevant to the prompt. To be able to express own ideas with a prompt that isn’t revolved around a singular topic leaves room for more open ideas and opinions that college students are able to incorporate into their writings. For example when we express our ideas about a reading like Othello we are able to create various point of views relating to the prompt. College reading is more critical and analytical, taking different analytical ideas and applying them to our readings to understand a different point of view that enables the reader to keep an open mind. Different theories such as feminist or Marxist theory are tools college students use to vary their perspectives on a text so that they can look at it from a feminist point of view rather than their basic focus. The distinction between reading texts in college compared to high school is we read the text as it was written and were told to read between the lines not knowing what it meant. In college we are capable of understanding the author’s purpose and generating ideas and theories of what is truly being said in-between the lines. Reading in college is creative in comparison to high school and fun in my eyes, in college we are detectives revising writing and gathering all these clues as to why the author created a piece of literature.
In conclusion college is rather distinct in reading and writing. English in college depends on argument while writing in high school revolved around much more simple concepts of writing. While college is much more expectant on the ability to form an argument rather than agree with another. College reading and writing is extensive and distinct while high school is more laid back and preparatory. High school prepared us for college English, so now we use those skills to understand how to write differently.