Challenges Faced by Fresh Graduates
Leaving High School and going to college or university is a significant change for any student. So this is why we are laying out the challenges fresh graduates face.
Related post: Here Are Some Resources For Choosing A College
High school grads mostly find themselves in a different world from their previous time at school, a world in which they will face new challenges and opportunities in the world.
Perhaps their first crack at independence from home and the temptations of a potentially limitless social life.
For High School students preparing themselves for the transition to college, there are several factors with which it is wise to get familiar before that first day at their new home of study.
This article looks briefly at some of the differences a student will face in their new life.
Today’s college scene is composed of an interesting dichotomy of experiences and learning environments that prove one method highly successful while proving another, time-worn method to be more and more deficient.
Ordinarily, high achieving students would focus on the brand names of education, with their prestige and instant name recognition, which would provide many assumed benefits.
Choosing a Major
There is a lot of pressure to choose a major. It is easy to think that your major will determine your future career and how much money you will make, which means that making the right decision now feels hugely important (and stressful). Here are some of the challenges faced by fresh high school graduates:
A New Class Format
One of the significant differences students will face is the lecture style used in colleges and universities, which can seem very different from the High School recitation type of teaching.
Attending lectures, and making the most of them from an educational point of view, requires a different attitude and some new study skills from the student.
Adjusting to the college lecture room from the High School classroom is one that the student needs to make from the outset if they are to perform well.
The Quantity and Quality of Work
Any High School student probably realizes that their work at college or university will be more advanced. That is what going to college is all about.
However, it can still come as something of a shock to new college students to be thrust into this new level of learning suddenly.
Sites like Chelsea International Education help you get prepared for those specific challenges.
It is best to be mentally prepared for a far more demanding level of education, stretching the student’s mind right from the start.
There will no be time to “ease your way in.” Falling behind in the first few weeks can be challenging to recover from and achieve your desired grades.
New college students should also be aware that the work required is higher than High School and much greater in quantity.
Those who are not prepared for that will also suffer in the early stages of college life. The workload may seem overwhelming if you are not ready for it.
Hooray, Freedom at Last
Many students who go away to university or college will be their first taste of freedom from parental discipline.
That is an essential step that all young people have to take at some time or another, and it can be a wonderful time in your life when the transition to adulthood starts to occur.
However, that new found freedom can be a distraction from your studies if it is allowed to dominate your new college life.
It is possible to enjoy the freedom of college life and succeed in your primary purpose of being there: get good grades and graduate with honors.
Both sides of your new life require self-discipline, and by applying that self-discipline to your study and college social life, you can find the right balance. It is not easy, but it can be achieved.
Homesickness
Since it is the first time away from home for most students, homesickness can strike very hard.
However, thanks to modern communication, most students feeling homesick can stay connected with their parents, family members,
Managing Your Finances
Many students may disagree, but one of the most critical changes from being at home and going to High School and then going away to college is the need to manage your finances.
This is probably something you have not dealt with before, but you will probably always have to from now on.
How you deal with your finances at college may well dictate how well you do so when you get your first job. Check this article out on why you might not want to do an internship.
Your finances are one subject for which you can plan in some detail before going to college to know what to expect once you get there.
Learning about budgeting your finances will stand you in good stead for years to come.
Consequences
This situation can be complicated for those who require financial assistance to continue college education, which requires 3 to 4 years to complete.
As a result, high school graduates are increasingly taking up low-end, monotonous jobs of lesser importance, challenge, and value.
These have little potential in offering a lucrative and rewarding career.
The recent tendency of employers seeking professionals who already possess pre-developed skills and talents instead of hiring fresh high school graduates who need training has further worsened this scenario.
Moreover, be it from the point of view of salary increases or promotions, or simply a foundation for taking up post-graduation courses, college graduates always enjoy an extra edge over high school graduates.
New Age Syllabus
Nevertheless, some schools work towards helping their students in choosing a suitable career path and succeed in post-high school career opportunities.
These schools work in alliance with organizations that identify the ordinary skills of students and place them on the right path.
Such programs allow students and teachers to combine studies with technical instructions and vocational training. Some of the significant streams that students may choose from include:
- Industrial and engineering services
- Arts and communications
- Information technology
- Business and management
- E
nvironmental and agricultural systems - Health services
- Human resources
These programs usually certificate courses and allow the students to enter the work field directly after graduation from a high school.
An example of an academic institution that has implemented such programs successfully for high school graduates is Cleveland Schools.
It helps students obtain a potential career path based on their skills and interests as soon as they enter the ninth grade.
Employment Prospects
Apart from this, several employment opportunities for students of all levels, including high school graduates and undergraduates, can be found on the Internet with a list of the work location and job profiles.
Both full and part-time sessions are available, depending on the school hours and vacation periods.
The salary ranges are also displayed, which may vary according to the job type.
The eligibility criterion for applying to these jobs may require the students to be enrolled as degree-seeking students in an accredited high school or vocational/technical school.
Federal, state, or local laws and standards that govern the employment of minors are applied for participation in these employment programs.
Finding New Friends
It is difficult to make friends in a new place, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will have to fit in with people who have different interests to make new friends at university.
You can be yourself and find friends simultaneously; you have to be patient and involve yourself in activities you like.
Housing Problems
You may get a place in the hostel or dorm, but it isn’t easy to find student accommodation right for you.
You have to consider distance, rent rates, facilities, roommates, etc. Students face housing problems all the time so if you can, have a place ready before you leave home.
Student accommodation is a big issue in the UK, and you would do well to have a solution prepared.
Time Management
I know, it’s one of those skills which we all believe we have under control, mainly because we don’t and are not as disciplined enough to take a closer look at the things we spend time on.
Since kindergarten, scheduled school days for students in grade school are primarily fixed and structured based on a portion of time during the day that remains the same.
Students experience this for some 12 years, and then within 90 days from the end of their senior year to the first day of college classes, they must make a drastic change to a more flexible and unpredictable schedule.
This can be challenging for students as they will have to decide what time they will take their courses and align with other obligations.
A student taking a course at 9:00 am and having a class gap until 1:00 pm may be challenged to effectively and efficiently do with that time.
Academic Workload
Many first-year students are surprised their first semester at the amount of reading and the length of the research papers they must write in college.
Students in high schools complete substantially more assignments than college students; the workload will change.
The greatest demand will be reading and preparing for class.
This is a challenge because many students report not having to complete any substantial reading for classes in high school, studying for the test 15 minutes before class, and performing well based on memorization.
The difference in college is that you will have homework every day. Even if none is officially assigned, you still have required readings that must be done.
In many high schools, very little reading is required outside of class. Some college students find themselves reading 2-3 chapters each night.
An excellent model to follow is that for every 1 hour of class, you should be spending 3 hours outside of class studying and preparing yourself.
Pressure of Studies
Most students pay their education expenses themselves, so the pressure to get good grades is immense.
Even if it is not them paying, there are still massive social and educational repercussions of not succeeding in the studies.
Students should expect their studies to be much more complex than before, and at the same time, should focus more on learning rather than getting a good GPA.
Personal Responsibility
Personal responsibility means students understand that the buck stops with them, and they are ultimately responsible for what happens in their lives.
When we were young, it was easy to blame parents, teachers, or siblings for making us feel better about our fault psychologically.
Yet, the truth is that both failures and successes should be accredited to the person individually.
In college, personal responsibility is a wake-up call, as no one will be there to make sure you make it to your 8:00 am class when you would rather sleep in.
Your professor may not remind you to complete and turn in your research paper on time.
You will not be able to blame
Conclusion
In closing, they are making the transition from high school to college can and will be, for many students, the most challenging experience they have faced in their lives.
Students should take the time to plan out their schedules from week to week and month to month.
This will allow students to celebrate the success they are experiencing and begin to develop good habits.
Students should use any time gaps efficiently to study and prepare for upcoming classes or review notes from the previous class.
And finally, students should place a sign on their mirror in their room or bathroom, which reads “the buck stops here,” so they will see it as a frequent reminder.
