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Adaptation Advice for University Students

Differences Between High School and University

Perhaps the most obvious issue for new students entering university is that the academic work and experience are unlike anything they have previously encountered. They may have had some preconception of the differences in the academic environment, but they likely did not anticipate them to be exactly as they are.

Students may not have expected that they would have to interact with peers from different regions with various cultures, which in itself is a new experience.

At this point, the student knows they belong to the academic community, but they feel like an outsider. If this feeling does not change after the first few months and the student has difficulty adapting to the new environment and making new friends, it is recommended that they consult a counselor or psychologist.

Freedom and Autonomy in the Academic Process

At university, unlike high school, students are given a great deal of freedom and autonomy to organize their academic process according to their personal circumstances. However, if a student is not prepared to make use of this freedom and autonomy, they will encounter problems.

The first point in granting this freedom is the assumption that upon entering university, the student has entered a new stage of their development. At this stage, the individual is capable of managing their own affairs and, based on their stage-specific goals, can plan a path to achieve them.

In high school, goals and schedules were set by others, but at university, this responsibility falls on the student. A student who does not develop plans to utilize their autonomy has, in practice, proven that they have not reached the level of development required to be responsible. Another important point in using freedom and autonomy in academic decision-making pertains to individual differences.

Students differ from their classmates in terms of internal conditions, interests, abilities, motivations, goals, as well as external circumstances, such as family background, financial status, employment, being single or married, etc. Therefore, following others in decisions related to academic matters, such as course selection and the number of units, hours spent at the university, study methods, etc., shows that they assume they are one hundred percent like others. Students should strive to plan their decisions and academic process only according to their own internal and external circumstances to achieve their goals and should not compare themselves with others.

Adult Supervision and Oversight

Another difference between high school and university is that in high school, students are under the direct supervision of adults who are constantly concerned about their academic progress and even the details of their grades. We all remember the control and relentless efforts of our parents to get us into university. However, as soon as we enter university, experience shows that the vast majority of adults do not supervise the student's academic process and leave this responsibility to the student themselves.

In many cases, it has been observed that the student lacks experience in unsupervised situations, which causes them to take their academic affairs lightly and suffer a decline in performance. In such cases, students are advised to think about their long-term life goals and realize that there is a direct relationship between their presence at university, academic success, and achieving their future objectives.

Educational Regulations and By‑laws

Educational regulations at university differ from those in high school. In high school, the same textbooks and curricula were taught nationwide, and the types of exam questions were specified. Additionally, teachers were obliged to grade exams according to specific answer keys. However, at university, the only source of evaluation is the professor of that particular course. The professor determines the course resources and specifies the exam format.

Article 20 of the educational regulations states that the professor of each course is the authority for evaluating that course, and they assign the final grade based on the student's regular attendance and active participation in class throughout the semester, as well as midterm exams and final exams. It is essential to note that the grade given by the professor to the student is final and unchangeable unless the professor themselves changes it. Given that one of the evaluation criteria is class attendance and participation, if a student is not regularly and actively present, even if they achieve good grades at the end of the semester, the professor may assign a lower grade, and complaints in such cases will not help the student. No recorded grade can be removed.

The maximum duration for completing a Bachelor's degree at the university is 6 years, although most students typically finish their studies in 4 years. The time required to complete university courses is entirely a personal matter, and students should not unrealistically follow their friends.

A student may have circumstances that do not allow them to take more than 12 units per semester. When selecting the number of units, students should keep in mind that they should enroll in only as many courses as they are confident they can successfully complete. Taking all classes with the same group of friends is not a valid reason for course selection. Make your decisions in a way that ensures you can graduate successfully.