The rigor of college...

College Life
1

<p>Hello, I have a sister who did not do too bad in high school - she had about a 3.5 gpa and an act composite of 21, which was about average for the gpa and act score of the university that she went to. However, when she went to the university, she felt swamped. She was studying nursing and got many low C’s and a D and eventually had to transfer universities in order to continue pursuing a degree in nursing. </p>

<p>I was just wondering, how rigorous are colleges and universities? I have excelled in school and have taken as many advanced classes as possible, achieving solid grades. After my sister had to transfer, my parents have really been nagging me to attend a “safety” university, because they feel that even though I have a high gpa and reasonable test scores, I may feel overwhelmed if I attend one of my dream universities (Notre Dame, NYU, Georgetown). Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Being successful in a dream university like NYU or Georgetown can really look good for job opportunities. Your sister had to transfer. If you feel the need to do so, then you will have to. But your parents should at least give you a chance to prove yourself.</p>

3

<p>It’s true that the workload will probably be heavier at one of your dream universities. However, with dedication and persistence you will be able to succeed. If you do succeed, it does pay off: the opportunities will be better after you graduate.</p>

4

<p>Any university can be “easy” or “hard.” It depends on the program you’re in, the classes you take and your work ethic. I agree with Mathcountser…your college experience may be nothing like your sister’s. Give yourself a chance!</p>

5

<p>I generally think that anyone who did well in high school has the potential to do well in college. The biggest GPA droppers often tend to be bad scheduling, wrongful advising, poor time management or study skills from high school, enjoying the newfound freedom too much, or a sudden lack of motivation because they’re not the top students anymore. The classes themselves usually aren’t impossible.</p>

6

<p>One thing to keep in mind is that maybe nursing wasn’t right for your sister. Maybe she could have done just fine at her first school if she had majored in something else. At the same time, I think first few years of nursing maybe very hard and they maybe using some of those courses to weed out students.</p>

<p>I would say if you have done well in high school, don’t be afraid to go to those more rigorous colleges. You will do fine as long as you pick the right courses and put your effort into it.</p>

7

<p>Like Oldfort said, nursing is a very intense major and doesn’t leave room for much of anything else. If you’re planning on taking something a more laid back, you’ll probably do better.</p>

8

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<p>Agreed. It’s important to stay on top of things. Study Hacks - Decoding Patterns of Success - Cal Newport has some fantastic advice. </p>

<p>Personally, I’ve seen a lot of kids get so involved with ECs/clubs in college that they’re exhausted from running from one thing to the next. I think the smartest thing for a college student to do is to avoid joining clubs until second semester freshman year, or even sophomore year, after getting a feel for the rigor of courses and the best way to study. School should be your priority. If you stay vigilant, you shouldn’t have a problem.</p>

9

<p>From what I’ve heard from friends who have already graduated high school, the work load does increase, but so does your amount of free time (Which may or may not depend on what you’re majoring in). I suppose it’s really about time management, and how good you are at devoting X amount of time to studying and Y amount of time to ventures unrelated to your schoolwork.</p>

10

<p>Did your sister ever tap into tutoring services? Services for time management and study habits can be stigmatized, but they are useful. Being successful in college is often about resisting negative pressures (like partying too much or ignoring tutoring or prep programs because they are for “losers” or not utilizing the writing center because someone thinks it “sucks”) much like as in high school.</p>

11

<p>The first year or so of nursing, like the first year of engineering is notorious for the demands placed on the student. In both of these majors, lots of students drop out of the major, transfer to another “easier” college/university, or drop out of college entirely. Not knowing your sister’s individual case, we have no way of knowing if she could have recovered and completed her degree at the first place, or if the first year would have gone badly for her no matter where she started out. What you do know for certain, having observed her experience, is that college-level work combined with college life is likely to be much more demanding of your organizational skills and your study skills than high school has been. Bearing that in mind, and knowing where you and your sister differ in organization, study habits, and temperament, you can consider your college list more carefully than you might otherwise have.</p>

<p>Since your parents have expressed concerns, you should discuss this issue with them. Do they feel that she wasted a lot of money by starting out in a program that proved to be too difficult? Do they feel that she has lost much needed self-confidence by struggling academically at the first place? Are they afraid that you won’t be able to keep up the grades necessary to maintain a merit scholarship necessary to make College A affordable? Try to talk this over with them using your head, not your emotions. They know that you aren’t your sister, but they are your parents, and what your sister experienced has made them re-think a lot of things.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

12

<p>If this is what you really want, go for it. But you have to be determined. When someone comes up and asks you to go to a party downstairs, but you have a mid-term test your really sweating, you have to have the determination to say no even if you would rather die than study for that test right then. </p>

<p>One of biggest problems freshmen have is they expect it to be like highschool even after everyone tells them its not. They can’t help it though, they have nothing else to compare it to. </p>

<p>Its not big deal really, just make sure to load your first year in your favor. Take the minimum number of credits to still be full time and keep your financial aid. Its different at each university, some its twelve, many its sixteen. If your really worried about it, do what I did and take summer courses but don’t get a job and don’t go full time. It’ll give you time to adjust and your grades wont suffer.</p>

13

<p>I think that your parents should give you a chance - and that you should give yourself a chance as well! You and your sister are different people and will likely have very different experiences in college. Your high school grades and course rigor indicate that you’re willing to do work, and if you continue that work ethic on college, then I think you’ll manage.</p>

<p>I can’t exactly be a voice of experience since I’m not a freshman yet, but I can tell you this: your dream schools are very difficult to get into, and if you’re admitted, then the admissions staff believes you are capable of succeeding there, maybe moreso than some of the people they turn away. If they believe in you, then have confidence in yourself! You can do anything you set your mind to. :)</p>

14

<p>You shouldn’t let your parents doubt you when applying to college. Just saying. I don’t have that much to add since I’m an incoming HIGH SCHOOL junior.</p>

15

<p>Agree with previous posters. I like how AtomicCafe summarized the many of the challenges. One major factor I have seen with my own kids struggle with is the huge change between living at home and living in a dorm and making those choices on your own:
Time management is a big difference.<br>
Knowing when to go to bed.
Making healthy food choices.<br>
Deciding whether you should go to a party or hang out with kids down the hall vs going to the library to get some serious studying.
Figuring out how to spend all that time between classes productively</p>

<p>Having parents to help guide you and talk to about issues that come up is another big difference. In college, there isn’t the same type of homework and follow-up you might have experienced in HS. In your freshman year, you’d more likely have weeder classes and be in very large classes.</p>

<p>So yes, there’s a lot of difference between HS and college, and you’d experience a lot of that that first year. If you’d benefit from smaller community, more like HS, then possibly an LAC is the way to go. But if going to a large dream school is your goal, and realistically understanding that’s your style, then go for that dream. </p>

<p>I suggest you investigate both school environments as you put together your list and think about what’s right for you.</p>

16

<p>Agree with many of the above posts. Some do well in h.s. but not in college since they don’t apply themselves, can’t focus on studying or get into too many extra-curriculars that burn up their free time. Some also don’t adapt well to being away from home for probably the first time in their lives and the assoicated freedom it brings. Very difficult to generalize since even at ‘top rated’ schools, so will do well while others may not. There is no magical predictor of college success even if you attended and did well at a top notch high school.</p>

<p>I think your first priority needs to be focused on the admissions process. You first have to get accepted to those schools before you can consider making a choice of which one to attend. Try to visit with your parents any college you are seriously considering to see if you feel it is right for you and someplace you belong. You really only get that first-hand knowledge by being on campus and talking with current students. Catalogs are a good intro, but certainly no replacement for actual tours/visits.</p>

17

<p>To the OP: If you are able to summon the motivation to study, college is not hard at all, whether it’s Kutztown State or Cornell U. Some students pick a major that is not a match for their skills (the left brain, right brain thing) and struggle even when they put in the work. Pick a major that works for you, put the time in, and you should have no trouble.</p>

<p>I thought college was way easier than HS, but I admit to rarely cracking a book in H.S. As a result, I could only get in a third tier college as a freshman. Once admitted, I studied for the first time in my life and got straight A’s. I then transferred to a competitive private university in New York City, a school I never could’ve gotten into from H.S., not in a million years, and continued to get Dean’s List level grades. True, it was more challenging than the third tier college, but not that much harder. I went from a 4.0 to a 3.65. Like I said, I graduated from an ordinary public H.S. with barely a 2.0, and in the bottom fifth of my H.S. class. College was (and is) a piece of cake. Don’t worry.</p>

18

<p>Some people have trouble adjusting to college due to personal choices on how they manage their time. In high school, my grades weren’t amazing (my grades ranged from 3.0-3.67) and I didn’t make it into my “dream school”. I started college at another, still competitive university, and ended up doing great. I spent my time between classes in the library or studying at the cafe, got enough sleep every night, worked out every day, and was involved in multiple extra-curricular activities (including hosting a radio show and going to a Model UN conference at UPenn). I ended up getting a 3.85 my first semester and a 3.75 my second. All week, I dedicated all of my time to going to classes (I think I missed two classes my entire first year) and completing all of the work they assigned, as well as spending time to exercise and go to my extra-curriculars’ meetings. On the weekends, I did all of the fun college stuff and it didn’t interfere with my classes. Second semester, I did all of that and worked 16 hours a week. I found college to be easier than high school because I found the courses more interesting and I was more motivated to do well.</p>

<p>I reapplied to my “dream school” (USC) and I will be going there this Fall. Hopefully, there won’t be a huge enough difficulty jump that it will change my results. I genuinely think that when I went to college, my study habits and everything else adapted and I’ll be able to keep that up, even at a “dream school”.</p>

19

<p>I agree, Tutoring was one of the best things I have experienced in college so far. I wouldn’t have got a 4.0 for both semesters if it weren’t for tutors. I’m not even trying to brag either, its just that I put weekdays and weekends into school so its all about the work you put into it.</p>

<p>If they’re free, DO IT! Seriously, the smartest kids in college have tutors. It sucks being on your own for various topics aka when a tutor doesn’t necessarily show up for a meeting but then again, you have the power to do anything. You just have to manage your time, man.</p>

<p>Its all about school first though. Its your one chance to prove yourself but then again, you got to make time for yourself too whether that be a hobby like guitar (me) or watching movies or something else.</p>

<p>You’ll do great. College seems so daunting at first but believe me after a year of going through college, its like this: your classes are more flexible for you have time between classes to do whatever you want (hopefully use that time to do homework and such) and the professors have office hours so that you can go to them for help even when your tutor doesn’t necessarily know what he or she can help you with.</p>

<p>I’ve been to EVERY office hour that my General Chemistry II professor allowed.</p>

<p>It only helps to receive help lol. Trust me, you’ll do fine. Just don’t party too much like most people I know. You got to stay focused, but know this, there’s always a way out for everything so try your best!</p>

<p>Personally, I’m struggling to find a science based career that I would enjoy but I’m at the “certain” point. I don’t necessarily know if I want to go to med school yet due to funds and the big commitment but I definitely know I’ve tried my best so far. I originally wanted to do Respiratory Therapy but they don’t make that much so I’ve had the idea of being a doctor for the past year. </p>

<p>Recently, it has switched to Pulmonologist but I also have the idea of maybe going into male LPN nursing or be an anxiety therapist after my BA degree (all I need to do is get a master’s for 2 years and then I’m qualified as long as I have the psychology credits).</p>

<p>Anyway, the main point I’m trying to make is that your thoughts on what you want to be will change but accepting change is life, so at least have fun with it for its the most exciting decision you’ll ever do in your life.</p>

<p>By the way, if you have a hard time trying to decide on careers, write a “Do List” aka a huge Microsoft Word document describing what you feel at the time your career should be, include research on the career in question, and describe your feeling in writing again! Do this every day so that one day when you look back, the best career you can think of will suddenly flood your heart and mind with the answer you are looking for. I’m still searching but I’m trying my best.</p>

<p>Try your best! :D</p>

20

<p>I would say go for it, because it all depends on your own motivation. However, be careful…I just agreed to my loans for NYU, and I’ll be paying for this education for a longggggg time. You wouldnt want to take $50,000 in loans for NYU only to realize you belong somewhere less intense and less expensive. That would be a huge waste, especially if you cant transfer any credits.</p>