Don't judge me too harshly...
Published on October 14, 2005
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Misc
NOTE: THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT
The transition from high school to college is a scary experience. Such a transition is often eased by the help of admissions/registration counselors. Generally, there are three big differences that are discussed, these include the following; Classes, Teachers, and Scheduling.
The first difference is the classes. What you will be taking, who you have, and when you have it. Lets face it, you’ve got to know at least those three to actually attend college. The sizes of the classes at KCC will vary according to interest, in certain cases large classes are split. At KUHS, the classes tended to be stuffed full, as many students as possible. The locations of classes at KCC are spread out amongst several buildings, and as a result there is need for travel time, where as at KUHS the classes are in the same building, but, one only has to travel a mere floor to get to the next class. Comprehension of the each specific class is essential, if a student doesn’t comprehend what is taught, they won’t succeed. At KCC the subjects are easier to understand because so many resources are available to aid the student. At KUHS there are either the teachers at specific times, or your parents.
The second difference is the teachers. Each teacher approaches their classes differently. A students teacher at KUHS has a set curriculum and set steps to teach it, and can’t deviate from it. KCC teachers can change the steps to accommodate the students needs and still resulting in success. In class policies can be adjusted by the teacher as necessary, as long as it doesn’t violate the school districts set guidelines. At KCC the in class policies for certain things are regulated by the school board, others are at the discretion of the teacher. At KUHS some teacher teach to just teach, their empathy for the students is little, if they have any. At KCC the teachers are genuinely empathetic to the students and do indeed want them to succeed.
Thirdly, the final difference is the schedules of students. At KUHS students generally have more free time, to do as they please, than committed time, focused on school and studying. At KCC that’s a reverse, as is commonly accepted, it is a norm to study two hours per class credit, whereas a three credit class would equal six hours of study time per week. At KUHS most students are able to study an hour or less and pass the class. Stress is another factor for students. At KCC the stress is increased as result of the difficulty of the classes. Spending at the least six hours a week studying or more if the student needs more help , plus balancing home life, work life, and other aspects is extremely difficult. At KUHS you only had to focus on school, and, if you were old enough, work. Your housing and food were taken care of by the students parents. Organization at KUHS is fairly simple, most classes require as little as a binder to keep for the class, whereas at KCC certain classes require you to keep a notebook, index cards, and other supplies at hand.
Over all, life at KUHS and KCC is vastly different. A student has to carry more weight on his/her shoulders, more responsibility. The transition between the two are made a little bit easier because of ample help/forewarning from counselors, etc…