If college were like high school, what would be the point of going? The two should be different. But knowing the differences will help your student adjust and help you provide the most effective support.
NO MORE Teachers
At college, instructors are called professor or doctor instead of Mr. or Ms. More importantly:
- Professors don't teach from the book or write notes on the board. Students must figure out what's important and take appropriate notes. Students are also expected to speak up in class.
- Professors don't give assignments class-by-class. Required readings and dates for exams and papers are posted at the beginning of each semester. Your student needs to stay on top of them.
- Professors don't check homework or seek out students who seem to be having trouble. It's up to your student to initiate contact if needed.
- Professors don't take attendance—but they are likely to downgrade students who regularly miss class. Those students probably won't do well on the exam anyway, since they'll miss so much content covered in class.
- Professors expect students to put in two to three hours of study time for every hour of class time.