As a first year student at Miami Dade College, I am still adapting to a new college environment. Throughout the semester, I have spent lots of time comparing high school to college. I discovered that most teens enjoy college more so than high school mainly because colleges seem to be more open minded. In high school, many students are often depressed because of the large number of classes they must take and the rigorous homework they are assigned.
During my senior year of high school, students seemed to have the hardest time as they were trying to balance their classes and extracurriculars with college and scholarship applications. From my experience, high school teachers don’t always explain assignments thoroughly, leading kids to struggle with their homework.
But the biggest difference between high school and college is how students are treated. In high school, teachers and administrators typically have to hold your hand through the process of graduating while college professors treat you like a true adult—at least for the most part. College students are expected to be more independent in their studies and hold themselves accountable for completing their assignments. Hence, managing your time wisely is crucial in both high school and college.
Another great aspect of high school is having friends who you can enjoy the journey of school with and have fun, which you tend to not experience as often in college. On the other hand, college gives you a greater opportunity to truly find yourself and discover your real passions in life.
As I reach the end of my first semester at MDC, I have found that I prefer college more than high school because no one treats me like a kid here. Yes, some aspects are more stressful than high school—the tests make up a huge percentage of your grade, books are expensive, the curriculum is more intensive, you have to apply for scholarships and financial aid all the time, and much more.
But, college also pushes you to make new friends and develop your skills and passions as a young adult. For many students, college is a chance to start over from an academic perspective if they didn’t excel in high school. For me, it was simply a chance to start over. As hard as it was to adapt at first, I truly believe that there is no place like college.
