At some colleges, freshmen are required to reside on campus, but upper classmen are allowed to live off-campus. Dormitory living is considered to be one of the most important elements of adapting to life on campus, and many colleges now make specific efforts to match incoming students with roommates with whom they are likely to be compatible (DeVillers, 2006).
Because there are no parental authority figures present on college campuses, most colleges arrange for some element of dormitory supervision, most often in the form of one or two upper class students who live on each dormitory floor or section. They are intended to provide a first-level of general assistance and safety, and to assist dormitory residents (especially freshmen) with acclimating themselves to college life and dormitory residency (Raskin, 2006).
For many students, college life is also significantly different from high school in the much greater degrees of personal privacy in some respects, and lesser degrees of personal privacy in other respects. On the one hand, college allows for much greater personal autonomy and freedom in the way students spend their free time. On the other hand, dormitory living usually provides a much smaller living space than students might be used to at home, along with the additional complication of sharing facilities with roommates and sharing common areas with everyone else living in the same dormitory.
The increased personal freedoms of life in college compared to high school often account for decreased academic performance, especially among freshman. In high school, many students have positive influences and the continual encouragement of their parents to keep up their academic focus. In college, students must, for the most part, organize their own schedules and develop time management skills on their own. Many freshmen students encounter difficulty, especially initially, and their freedom from definitive rules and parental oversight can undermine their...
While the benefits of this freedom compared to their situation in high school are obvious, so are some of the potential dangers and complications such freedom represents. Similarly, while alcohol consumption is illegal for those under the age of twenty-one, college life sometimes provides a social environment where alcohol is much more readily available to underage drinkers than it is in high school.
Conclusion:
College life is significantly different from high school life. In terms of academics, college usually offers much greater choices and flexibility than high school.
However, the greatest differences between college and high school relate more to living independently. Initially, that increased independence can overwhelm students and undermine their academic performance, but ultimately, it is also a significant part of higher education and the process of learning to become a capable, independent adult.
References
College Life: What to Expect. (2007) the Princeton Review website.
Accessed October 23, 2007, at http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/life/expect.asp
DeVillers, J. (2006) the College Dorm Survival Guide: How to Survive and Thrive in Your New Home Away from Home.:New York: Three Rivers.
Koshzow, C. (2007)
College Freshman Fears; About.com website.
Accessed October 23, 2007, at http://collegelife.about.com/od/collegesurvivalbasics/tp/freshmanfears.htm
Raskin, R. (2006) Parents' Guide to College Life:181 Straight Answers on Everything You Can Expect Over the Next Four Years. New York: Random House
Westheimer, R. (2000) Dr. Ruth's Guide to College Life:the Savvy Student's Handbook. New York: Rowman & Littlefield
