Comparing and Contrasting KUHS school life and KCC school life.
Ok, this is the final draft of the paper i posted earlier. -Luke
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The transition from high school to college is a scary experience. However, such a transition is often eased by the help of admissions/registration counselors. Generally, there are three big differences between high school and college that counselors discuss with students that are discussed. These include the following areas: classes, teachers, and scheduling.
The first difference between high school and college are the classes. What students will be taking, who students have, and when students have it. Let’s face it; students have to have answers to at least those three questions to actually attend college successfully. The sizes of the classes at Klamath Community College (KCC) will vary according to class popularity, availability, and whether or not there is a waiting list. In certain cases large classes are split into multiple classes with reasonable rosters of twenty to twenty five students. At Klamath Union High School (KUHS), the classes tended to be stuffed full, as many as thirty five students in a single class. The locations of classes at KCC are spread out amongst several buildings, and as a result, there is need for travel time to get from one class to another. 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 material taught in each class is essential. If a student doesn’t comprehend what is taught, students won’t succeed. At KCC the subjects are easier to understand because so many resources, such as the Learning Resource Center, and Tutors are available to aid the student. At KUHS the only resources available to the students are either the teachers at specific times or the student’s parents, who may not be much help to the student.
The second difference between KU and KCC are the teachers. Teachers approach their classes differently. Teachers at KUHS has a set curriculum and set steps to teach it, such steps might include reading the text, taking notes, and doing the worksheets. KUHS teachers can’t deviate from it. However, KCC teachers can change the steps to accommodate the student’s needs. In-class policies such as allowing or not allowing drinks in the classrooms can be adjusted by the teacher as necessary, as long as the adjustments do not 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 teachers teach only to earn money, rather than to educate students, they have little empathy for the student’s needs, such as one-on-one tutoring. At KCC the teachers are genuinely empathetic with the students and do indeed want them to succeed; they have been known to schedule time to help students.
Thirdly, the final differences between the two schools are the schedules of students. At KUHS students generally have more free time to do as they please, than they do committed time that is focused on school and studying. At KCC priorities are a reverse, it is normal to study two hours per class credit. So that a three credit class would equal six hours of study time per week. However at KUHS most students are able to study an hour or less and pass the class. Stress is also enters into a student’s schedule, such things as finals and projects can push students to the brink. 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 of one’s life is extremely difficult. At KUHS student’s only had to focus on school, and, if students are old enough, work. Student’s housing and food were taken care of by 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, and more responsibility. The transition between the two schools, however, are made a little bit easier due to ample help and forewarning from counselors, teachers, friends and family.