<p>I was wondering if you guys who are already in college could share your experience/wisdom about transitioning from a not-so-academically-ambitious high school to an elite college? (Please comment on whether you thought there was significant catching up to do to match your peers or not)</p>
<p>(skip unless you want to read my rant)
I'm been very stressed about being unable to adjust to the academic setting of my college since finding out my high school is almost( several places from the last) in the state---as reference..only 60% graduated and about 98% ofeverybody is going to a community college. This anxiety has only been exacerbated by knowing a friend from out of state who not only comes from a super selective and prestigious high school but also has stellar(stellar even on CC terms) achievements to back will also be going to same college. While people tell me "everybody starts from zero when they start college", I know this is not true as the students from top high schools have access to more AP/IB/ advanced college courses that students from the average/below average HS do not and thus can have a head start on courses. I am worried that having a slower start would cause all me to be disadvantaged all four years T_T</p>
<p>Advanced thanks for all who can contribute their experience!</p>
<p>My advice is to take it slow your first semester and allow time for transition. I had an issue a zillion years ago when I went from a small HS to Rice. Everyone was leap years ahead of me and familiar with the material.</p>
<p>For my DS that just finished his first year in college, we spent a ton of time researching his first semester classes. First we looked at what was required for his major(s) and mapped that out for four years. We then looked at GPA gradebook and ratemyprofessor to determine best classes to take. I also found a site at school that had all of the top ranked professors by student evaluations.</p>
<p>By doing the research, he had a great start and was able to build up confidence. He also joined a few networking groups which is wonderful because you are able to get peer recommendations on future classes.</p>
<p>The key in my mind is to network and do your research. If you do both, you should be fine. </p>
<p>Also take hardest (weedout) classes in local community college during summer. </p>
<p>(This is an edited version of a school-specific post I made elsewhere.)</p>
<p>I think it might help, mentally, not to underestimate the size of the transition to college for everybody else. Your first semester probably be more difficult than it will be for some of the kids from intense college prep high schools, yes. The people from bad schools do adjust, though–some within a couple weeks, almost all by the end of the first semester or year. That said, college life and college courses are a shocking transition for almost everybody. I went to one of the most rigorous public high schools in the country, and I spent at least the first couple weeks of the semester floundering around feeling like I was drowning in the strangeness that was college. Since I talk far too much when I’m nervous, I sometimes expressed this feeling. The reaction I got, every time, was “oh my god I feel the exact same way I was just too intimidated by everyone else seeming to be on top of it to say so!” It’s pretty universal, so you won’t be alone in feeling a bit overwhelmed.</p>
<p>That said, there are resources to help you. I can’t recommend which ones with utmost helpfulness without knowing your school and without having taken advantage of them properly myself. (My very good high school education would nevertheless have left us barely able to string two words together without any outside effort, and my writing has not improved all that quickly in college.) But I can make some general pointers. What are you interested in studying? There are a probably a variety of writing resources if you’re into the humanities; most TAs are quite willing to help you; other students can try to help. Some large intro freshmen courses may have less helpful TAs, in which case try to form a study group. Everyone else will be grateful to be in it, too.</p>
<p>I lived this and would suggest you don’t worry about it. I’d suggest …
Being conservative about you schedule (don’t push course placements, don’t carry extra courses, be sure to include some electives in your first year schedule
Stay up on your school work … attend class, read the reading BEFORE lecture, do the homework, etc. If you slid by in HS not doing all the work do NOT try this in college … I tried it and got smoked big time!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you find yourself behind some it is not a big deal … things catch up within a year.</p>
<p>For me I found three things I needed to adjust to. One, my lousy work habits did not work in college. Two, my writing skills did not match those of kids who went to tougher high schools … I should have gone to the writing center. Three, taking the entry level courses my high school courses did not prep quite as well as some other students … however lots of those kids APed out of the entry level courses … so for the courses I was in by the end of the first semester of a subject we were all even again.</p>
<p>The one issue brought up on this board a lot that I did NOT find at all was an issue with being among all the rich kids. Were there rich kids sure … some small subset of them were rich snobs who hung out among themselves and lived a life style beyond my means … however these folks had NO impact on my life at all. I found my tribe and we hung out and lived the basic starving student lifestyle … among my friends were poor, middle class, and rich kids … and it was darn hard to tell who was who.</p>
<p>I didn’t attend an “elite” college, but a decent LAC in my area. I came from a high school where there was no such thing as honors or AP courses (it was a technical high school), so those with learning disabilities were in the same courses as those who would’ve been in AP courses at another school, so the pace was very slow. We also did not have textbooks for most of our classes, and the classes that did have books stayed in the classroom, you didn’t take them home. Rarely did we have homework due to this. Most students did not attend college, and those who did went to trade schools or community college. </p>
<p>I started at CC and then transferred out, only because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. I think this may have helped since I didn’t have very rigorous courses at CC, but when I transferred to a much better school with professors who expected considerably more from their students, I rose to the challenge no problem and had a much higher GPA there than I did at my CC. </p>
<p>My suggestions are to take it easy your first semester. Keep in mind that every professor is different, and will expect more or less of you than another professor. You will learn that some profs really do expect you to do all of your reading, while others you can slide by doing little or none of it. Some professors will suck at teaching and will leave it up to you to teach yourself, while others will be fantastic. </p>
<p>Leave plenty of time in your schedule to socialize and enjoy yourself. There is no need to overload yourself with tough courses in the beginning. Also, colleges have a lot of resources if you’re having difficulty. There are tutoring centers, writing centers, professors have office hours so you can discuss material with them. Students may form study groups. </p>
<p>The most important thing is to get help at the <em>first</em> sign of trouble, not halfway through the semester after several poor grades and a lack of understanding of key concepts. If you have trouble, don’t be shy; ask why you got a certain grade, or ask someone to rephrase or re-explain the material to you until you are able to understand it. You will fall into the swing of things in no time if you put your mind to it.</p>
<p>Remember that the college you are going to accepted you because they believe in you and believe you can do the work. Believe in yourself. And give yourself the time to make the transition. The first grades you receive may be good or great or not so good…but they are only first grades, you will learn through experience, and you will emerge the stronger for it. College is not a sprint, it is a marathon…don’t give up right at the starting block.</p>
<p>If you don’t have AP classes coming into college, then you’ll be taking a whole lot of 101 courses. That means the professors aren’t going to expect you to know anything. You’ll probably have to take some placement tests (math and foreign language are popular), and those will seat you in whatever class that you’re prepared for.</p>
<p>Seriously. Do not worry about it. If you are worried, then take only 12 hours first semester and spend your summer reading (anything you want fiction, non-fiction, whatever), watching the History Channel, and brushing up on your math skills on Khan Academy.</p>
<p>During the semester, take every opportunity of extra credit and regularly see the professor in Office Hours. Professors like students who give a genuine effort and usually will try to help them out when they can if they know the student actually cares.</p>