College is an exciting time and will give you many new experiences. It will also be very different from high school and you’ll need to be prepared for everything it’ll throw at you. Here are a few things you should expect that will be different once you start attending college.
Less Individualized Attention
Your high school teachers were able to work with you and help you through the class if you needed it. College classrooms are much larger than in high school, meaning professors might not be able to give you the same individual attention. However, once you get into your major classes, they’ll become smaller and you’ll get to know your professors better. You’ll have more luck scheduling meetings with your professors after class. To ensure you succeed, make sure you know your professors’ office hours. These hours are allocated by professors to help students. You might not be able to get help right away like you did in high school. But if you schedule a time during the listed hours, your professors will be available to help. Larger classes often also have teaching assistants (TAs) that can give you that one-on-one help if you need it. Getting a tutor can also be very helpful, as they can give you their complete attention and answer your questions one on one.
More Responsibility
High school will introduce you to a lot of responsibility, but college is filled with many things you’re responsible for. Studying, completing assignments on time, and even just going to classes are all things you’ll have to be in charge of. Your mom isn’t around anymore to remind you of all the things you need to do. If you take online courses, you’ll be even more responsible for managing your time. You won’t have an in-class experience to remind you of deadlines. You’ll need to come up with an organizational tool that helps you keep track of all the due dates. Try using a planner or frequently looking at the class’s syllabus and schedule to stay on track.
More Study Time
In high school, you might have been able to pass your classes by studying for a short amount of time or no time at all. However, college is different. You’ll need to commit to studying for long periods of time if you want to do well. This means that for every class hour you have, you should be studying for 2-3 hours outside of class to keep up with the coursework. For example, if you meet twice a week for one hour each, then you should be studying 4-6 hours per week for that class. This can add up, so it’s a good idea to schedule this time in advance. You’ll need to prioritize your time so you can get in enough study time.
Studying in college is very different from high school. You won’t have as much individual attention, you’ll have more responsibility, and have to study for longer. When you leave for college, you’ll need to be prepared for how different college is. That said, college is also the best time of your life and you’ll create many lasting relationships and fond memories. If you account for all these differences and make adjustments, you can be successful in your college career.
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