Transitioning From High School to College

High school is a TEACHING ENVIRONMENT in which you acquire facts and skills. College is a LEARNING ENVIRONMENT in which you take responsibility for thinking through and applying what you have learned. In high school you learned where the dots are; in college you learn to connect them. In college you discover connections between things you didn't realize were connected. Understanding some of the important differences between high school and college may help you achieve a smoother transition.

In the interests of clarity, we have presented these contrasts in a strongly delineated, somewhat simplified fashion. Our intent here is not to disparage either high schools or colleges; the central point is that the kind of schooling that fits your needs will change as you grow.

Please take a look at this chart, which provides an overview of how college is different from high school.