College Versus High School: What’s the Difference?
After finally getting through 12 years of school, you might be wondering why in the world anyone would want to take on four more! Believe us when we say: College is nothing like high school. Unlike all the movies about college life, we’ve got several very real reasons why high school is different from college!
JU5T1N / Justin
Even the Choices Have Choices — It’s true! In college there are more choices for just about, well, everything! From the classes that you will take to the college clubs, teams, and organizations that you can become involved in, to what you can eat in the college cafeteria: you’ve got plenty of options.
Whistle While You Work – If you found yourself frequently bored and less than stimulated by high school, know that college is different. Here, learning and sharing is a natural part of higher education and discussion is usually one of the highlights of most any class! Oh, and the workload is definitely heavier, too, which means you actually get to go in-depth on a subject instead of just skimming the surface.
The Boss Pants – In college, you get to wear the boss pants. You will figure out what classes you want to take, when you will study, eat, and play. You’ll get to choose your major and all the classes that you want to take – as well as when you want to take them! You have so much more freedom with how you will spend your time, as well as the classes you will take, if and when you will do your college work, and then some. At college, you are in charge!
New People – Your classmates aren’t the same people you’ve been to school with for the last 12 years, they come from across the US and even around the world. The same goes for your professors! You’ll have a chance to interact with people of different cultures and viewpoints which can really help you grow.
Location, Location, Location – Instead of going to school based on where your parents chose to live, you can choose to attend college anywhere. You can stay in the same state or move across the country, you can go to a college here in the US or even overseas.
cjelli
College Classes – From unusual college classes to English 101, your professors will dig far deeper into topics than you ever have before. In fact, based on your experiences in a class, your future may take a completely different track, and involve a totally different major!
Housing – No longer do you have to worry about your little brother pawing through your room. You can live in dorm housing or off-campus, you can choose from themed housing or living and learning communities. The housing options between colleges can be extremely varied from one campus to the next and definitely something to keep in mind as you begin the college search!
For Whom the Bell Tolls – In college, well, the only bell you are likely to hear is the sound of your alarm as it tries to wake you up in the morning. On most campuses, it is up to you to figure out when to get to your college class – and when to finally roll out of bed!