High School vs. College:
A Comparison of What to Expect
Part II: Classes and Instructors
Classes
High School
College
Students follow a
school-directed
schedule and are
told how to spend
their time.
Students (along with
their advisors)
create their own
schedules and
manage their own
time.
High School
College
Classes are
determined by
state/district
requirements.
Classes are
determined by field
of study.
All students follow a
similar curriculum.
Requirements may
vary widely among
majors.
High School
College
Class attendance is
mandatory and
monitored.
Attendance policies
vary by professor.
High School
College
Classes may have
Classes usually do anywhere from 5 to
not have more than
more than 100
30–35 students.
students.
High School
College
Textbooks are
usually free or
provided at little
expense.
Students must buy
textbooks, which can
be expensive.
(Average cost is
$200–$400 per
semester)
High School
College
Students spend
Students spend only
approximately 6
12–16 hours per
hours per day
week in class and
(30 hours per week)
often have several
in class and proceed
hours between
directly from one
classes.
class to the next.
Instructors
High School
College
Professors seldom
check or grade
homework but
Teachers check and
assume that
grade completed
students have
homework.
completed it and are
able to perform the
same tasks on a test.
High School
Teachers may
remind students of
incomplete
assignments.
College
Professors usually do
not remind students
of incomplete work.
It is the student’s
responsibility to
ensure requirements
are being met.
High School
College
Professors may
lecture nonstop and
Teachers often write write on the board
information on the only to support the
board or overhead
lecture, not to
projector to be
summarize it.
copied for notes.
Good note-taking
skills are essential.
High School
College
Teachers often take Professors expect
class time to remind students to read,
students of test
save, and refer back
dates and
to the course
assignments.
syllabus.
High School
College
Teachers have been
trained in teaching
methods to assist in
imparting knowledge
to students.
Professors have
been trained as
experts in their area
of research and may
never have been
taught “how to
teach.”
High School
College
Teachers teach
Professors expect
knowledge and facts, students to think
drawing direct
independently and
connections and
connect seemingly
leading students
unrelated
through the
information
thinking process.
on their own.
High School
College
Teachers often
approach a student
if they believe the
student needs help
in the class.
Professors expect
the student to
initiate contact
if the student is
struggling in the
class.
High School
College
Professors expect
students to attend their
scheduled office hours
Teachers are often
if they need to talk to
available for
them. Professors often
conversations before,
have somewhere else
during, or after class.
to be before and after
class and won’t take
time away from the
lecture for
conversations.
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