Making the transition from high school to college will be one of the biggest changes you will experience. It may feel overwhelming with new students sometimes struggling to make this transition smoothly. During the transition, it is important for you to keep in mind the differences between what you have experienced with high school and what to look forward to with post-secondary education.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), protects the rights of students by mandating schools to identify the student’s disability and accommodate their individual academic needs. This special education law protects the rights of children with disabilities from birth through the age of twenty-one.
Accommodations received in high school are not required to be offered at the same level of support in a post-secondary setting. Students enrolled in post-secondary education are covered by Section 504 and the Americans with Disability Act Amendment Act of 2008.
Below you can find additional differences between high school and college, so you know how to better prepare for the transition.
High School
Fewer social distractions
Most classes meet everyday
Lesser workload, slower pace and less stress
Fewer responsibilities
Career decisions are not expected
Students are assisted with decisions or decisions are made for them
Attendance is well monitored as well as progress in the class
Grades can be based on a variety of activities
Instructors more readily prepare students for exams
Help is readily available, students do not need to seek it out
Tasks are more structured, step by step instructions given
High school teaches you mostly from the textbook
You may receive more one on one support in high school
Teachers help you to review and go over new material for several classes
College
More social distractions
Classes meet less often
Increased workload, faster pace and more stress
More independent living skills
Students are expected to know what they want to do with their lives
Increased number of decision, students are expected to be able to make important decisions
Attendance and progress may not be monitored. Time management and organizational skills are critical
Grades could be based on fewer tasks or larger projects
Exam questions may be more difficult to predict, and you will need to demonstrate your understanding of the material
Students must independently seek help using effective communication skills
Tasks are less structured and students are held responsible for developing a method to completed tasks
College professors expect you to understand the text, and teach course material in many other different ways
College professors are often too busy to provide one on one support
College requires you to learn most material independently, with a greater amount of reading and studying required