One of the challenges traditional first-year college students face is adapting to a new learning environment. Compared with a high school class, some college classes can be very large, especially at a typical public university. Going from a high school class with maybe 30 students to a class with hundreds can be a jolt. If students don’t have any extra incentive (in class clicker points, random quizzes, etc) some will decide to skip large classes believing it is fine to just “keep up” with the reading.
While some students can get away with this for awhile, most can’t. Although students can feel anonymous in big classes, important information (often beyond the required reading) is there to be had. Most instructors go over key points, test questions, and information that may or may not be easily explained in the course materials. Scheduling changes, reminders, and other announcements may also occur during a “boring” lecture. These are the little things that can make a difference in a final grade. Simply showing up doesn’t guarantee an A grade, but attendance still matters.
The daily structure (or lack thereof) is also very likely to be different. Whereas a high school day generally begins and ends at the same time, all week, all school year, a college schedule can vary widely and change from one semester to the next. Plus, most college courses only meet two or three days per week (some just one day) and cover significantly more material than any high school course. Keeping up takes much more discipline and motivation.
Managing a ton of material often requires new study skills, too. Frequently, the strategies that worked well in high school do not work well in college. Recall (just remembering facts) isn’t always enough. While many courses still expect recall, there may be a much greater need to be able to apply information. Students need to demonstrate that they understand a concept in addition to knowing vocabulary or similar things. Cramming, doing a paper the night before, and counting on extra credit later on can get students into a lot of trouble in a college course. Not everyone got through high school that way, but lots of us did.
So, the transition to college can be an academic jolt because college really forces students to learn how to learn. More specifically, students have to learn how THEY learn. In some cases, that can mean unlearning old habits and developing new ones. In many cases, students will need to experiment with different strategies before discovering what works best. Some benefit more from group interaction while others need quiet time to absorb material. A dorm room might be distracting even when alone. The library might actually be too quiet. An online course might be great for one person and all wrong for another. It takes work and willingness to adapt to do well in college. It’s not always easy, but it is worth the effort.
Meta-skills like this translate into the workplace and beyond. It’s a very practical application of a college education.
