Reflections From The Other Side
I wish I had been told that/taught/prepared for:
More critical thinking skills
More active reading
More practice in documenting sources
More practice in using and citing quotations
More reading skill practice instead of just assigning pages to read
To read as often as possible
Reading, not tests, quizzes or homework, is a big part of college
Research is a huge part of college papers
To ask for help—teachers in college will help you
Homework is not as easy and is more important
Professors do not usually give study guides
Better study skills
To study continuously—don’t wait until the night before the test
The college grading system
How important it is to maintain at least a C average in every class
Grammar!!!!
To make studying the main priority
To be independent and allowed to make mistakes
College doesn’t give you lots of second chances
College professors have higher expectations than my high school teachers
College doesn’t lighten up on us like my senior teachers did
Run-on sentences and comma splices.
More writing assignments
How important it is to prioritize tasks
How much reading and writing there is in college
Revising my own paper is just as important as having someone else look at it
How much I would enjoy college—professors really want you to succeed
How to balance my time between my job and my studies—scheduling!!!
Thesis statements and how to decipher stories
Note taking—what’s important and what’s not
College (even with HOPE) is expensive. Study hard to get the most from your investment
College is mostly independent study!!!
There is less homework than in high school, but higher expectations.
Not to “half do” your assignments. They count for more than you think!
Better note taking skills
Better time management skills
Different ways to study material—different subjects need different approaches
How to read directions and know what is wanted and DO IT FOR YOURSELF!
How to be more independent and manage your money.
To work Hard; Hard to get many scholarships—It is expensive!!!!!
Reading and studying are good habits to have
If you don’t do your homework, you could really fall behind.
reading is essential!
To practice more with the MLA format
How to make a works cited page
To practice more with grammar—I lost the most points for spelling and comma splices on my first college papers
Every hour in class in college requires at least 2 hours of study/work outside of class
More class discussion and interaction in high school. It’s everywhere here.
More emphasis on writing
More emphasis on mechanics, grammar and spelling
Better time management
How to learn without someone else teaching me
Books are expensive!
To get involved in school activities
To develop good study habits
To learn to balance your time
To ask questions
About budgeting and credit and meeting deadlines
How to communicate with your professors, how new students make new friends
Power Point
There aren’t any re-tests or second chances. It’s one shot.
There are no class participation grades and home work grades.
I should work harder in high school. High school teachers should expect more of high school students.
Writing research and term papers
Plagiarism is a serious offense
Reading is required for every class. You have to read ahead of the class lectures and discussions.
Less class work time means more homework time
Misconceptions from high school
No one will help you
You’ll need to know the 5-paragraph essay
All tests will come from the textbook
You’ll fail in college
Things teachers did that really helped
Assigned lots of papers in MLA format
Taught me how to use a comma
AP Literature—analysis of stories and learning lit terms
Did not focus on the 5-paragraph essay—broader essays/ fewer structure restrictions
Taught me that listening is the most important skill for learning
Plan before I write a paper, use a thought web and write down brainstorming
Told us that tests would determine our grades—not a lot of extra work
Told us not to be surprised at our first English paper grade.
Warned us that English college teachers grade much more harshly than high school teachers
Taught us how to make a good outline
Taught us how much freedom we would have in college
Taught us literary terms
Taught different types of literature and terminology
Taught us grammar