HOW TO THINK COLLEGE - HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE

By Think College Transition Project

​

Students getting ready to enter college need to plan for the ways that higher education will be different from high school. These differences include higher academic expectations, increasing independence, and new social environments. A key difference is that students must advocate for themselves in postsecondary

education. In high school, students often rely on parents, family members, and teachers to get the services they need. It is important for students to prepare for the changes that will occur within the college classroom and with receiving accommodations and services.

• Personal Freedom

       High School - Less freedom: living at home with parents​

       College - More freedom, especially if students live in a dorm or in an off-campus apartment

• Structure

       High School - More structure: school sets schedule​

       College - Less structure: student sets schedule

• Class Sizes​​

       ​High School - Frequent: may see teachers every day

       College - Less frequent: may only see professors one to three times a week

• Teacher Contact

       High School - Frequent: may see teachers every day

       College - Less frequent: may only see professors one to three times a week

• Study Time

       High School - May get studying done in study hall or spend minimal time outside of class studying

       College - Significant reading and independent work demands which may require an additional 2-4 hrs a day

• Tests

       High School - More frequent tests on less information

       College - May have only a few tests a semester & assessments may cover many chapters or be cumulative

• Grades

       High School - Course grade often based on many assignments

       College - Course grade may be based on only a few assignments

• Physical Environment

       High School - Classes often held in one building

       College - Classes may be held across campus in many different buildings

• Legal Protection

       High School - IDEA: students are entitled to a free appropriate public education

       College - ADA & 504: students must be found eligible for services and reasonable accommodations

• Special Education Classes

       High School - Specialized instruction, classes, and resource room services for students with disabilities

       College - Special education classes do not exist at the postsecondary level, but supports do exist

• Documentation

       High School - The school district evaluates the student & develops individualized education program (IEP)

       College - Student must provide disability documentation to receive accommodations

                       Student’s IEP or Summary of Performance (SOP) may not be considered sufficient documentation

• Accommodations

       High School - Determined as part of the IEP process

       College - Student must contact the person/office on campus responsible for providing accommodations

• Advocating

       High School - Teachers and parents advocate for services

       College - Student must advocate for accommodations and services

• Communication

       High School - Parents notify school when student is going to be late or absent from school

       College - Student must notify professor if they are going to be late or absent from class

• Parent's Role

       High School - Parents can see student records and are notified & must sign permission for any changes or decisions for the student

       College - Students are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Parents do not communicate with professors or have access to grades and student information

​

Adapted with permission from www.going-to-college.org (Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University) and centerontransition.org (Center on Transition Innovations, VCU).

​

The Think College Transition Project is funded by an Investing in Innovation Development Grant # U411C130149 from the Office of Innovation and Improvement with matching funds provided by the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.

Think College is a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston.