Making the transition: differences between high school and college experiences
The staff in Assisted Learning Services provides support to you as you encounter the challenges and opportunities of gaining a college education. In order to transition from high school to college more successfully, it is important to be aware of some of the differences between the two environments. Once in college, you are regarded as adults, and will assume greater responsibility for your own educational decisions.
Law
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Guided by The Rehabilitation Act of 1970, Section 504, Subpart D and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) | Guided by The Rehabilitation Act of 1970, Section 504, Subpart E and the Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) |
| Entitlement – students have a right to a free and appropriate public education | Eligibility – students must be eligible to attend college and need to meet program eligibility requirements as well |
| The goal of the accommodation process is to ensure that students are SUCCESSFUL | The goal of the accommodation process is to ensure that students have equal ACCESS |
| Standards may be modified to ensure success | Standards are not fundamentally altered |
Responsibilities
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Public schools are required to identify students with disabilities through free evaluations and the individualized education program (IEP) | The students are responsible for contacting the disability office about accommodations |
| Provide the resources and program placement necessary for student success | Coordinate reasonable accommodations only, while deferring to college practices for resources (tutoring, counseling, etc.) |
| Parents, counselors, and teachers usually do most of the advocating and accommodation coordination for students | Students are their own self-advocates and managers of the accommodation process |
| Parents and teachers tend to play active and lead roles in monitoring attendance, homework, and course progress | Students are expected to take the lead in monitoring attendance to classes, completing homework, and knowing course progress |
| Parents, teachers, and counselors often are the lead advocates for the students; these advocates keep the students in the loop when necessary | The students are the lead advocates while the disability office advocates for accessibility; the students are expected to keep parents and others informed |
Course Instructors
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| More likely to give routine homework that is regularly graded | More likely to expect students to read and review notes on own outside of class without busywork assignments |
| May approach the students regarding poor attendance, poor performance, etc. | More likely to leave it to the students to contact if concerns about attendance or performance and often have scheduled office hours for students to attend if desired |
| Present guided information to help students understand what is in the textbook, what is discussed in class, and to give an idea of what may be on the exam | Guided information, such as a detailed study guide prior to each test, is less likely to be available |
| More likely to take time to discuss in class upcoming assignments and responsibilities for completion | More likely to discuss an upcoming assignment one time but then expect that students will use the course syllabus to understand expectations and deadlines |
| More likely to have open access to parents | More likely to close access to parents; strongly prefer speaking with the students about any student-related matters |
Social Environment
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Teachers, counselors and parents tend to monitor and be more in tune with students’ use of time | Students are expected to manage time wisely in order to successfully balance class, work and social expectations |
| Teachers, counselors and parents may have a greater voice in the activities students choose to participate in | Students are expected to choose wisely among numerous involvement opportunities |
| Support is centralized by school staff, family and friends | Support is available but is not centralized; students are expected to create own support network |
| Close guidance is provided for students so that they are aware of course and overall graduation requirements | Course requirements vary by course and graduation requirements vary by program with students responsible for understanding both |
| Class sizes tend to be smaller in number and relatively consistent from one class to another | Class sizes can exceed 100 students per class, at some universities, and can vary widely from one class to another |
| Outside of class study time is often very minimal and students may not be forced to learn quality study habits as a result | The general rule is that students should study 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour in class in order to achieve passing grades that allow one to retain scholarships and other financial aid |
| Tests tend to cover small amounts of material and can often be passed through basic memorization studying—cramming can be a successful long-term strategy | Tests tend to cover larger amounts of material and require a deeper level of understanding analysis, and application – cramming is likely not a long-term strategy for success |
| Final course grades often consist of many different grading opportunities (including regular small homework assignments); poor test or paper grades can be overcome by excellence in other areas | Final course grades often consist of only a few major events (tests, papers, or projects) with few other grading opportunities (homework) available; poor performance on one test or paper will often impact final grade |
| Good effort often counts and will be highly considered in a final grade | While effort is important, results matter; academic performance must satisfy the goals and objectives of the course and/or the degree program |