What makes college better than high school?
Freedom.
At least that is the answer from William Porter, dean of students at The University of Memphis.
But Porter said newfound freedoms can be problematic if poor choices are made, such as the decision by a student to watch MTV in his or her dorm room instead of attending class.
Porter said that it’s always in students’ best interests to go to class, but in college there isn’t always somebody to ensure students stay on track academically.
“You don’t want to let yourself get behind,” Porter said. “Putting off class leads to things building up on you.”
If class cutting becomes second nature, methods of catching up must be acquired, such as those established by Lindsey Fredrick.
“If I don’t feel like going to class, I don’t go,” the junior fashion merchandising major said. “I just get the notes from someone else.”
Fredrick said her professors were familiar with students accustomed to the high school routine.
“In high school, my teachers knew when I missed class,” Fredrick said. “In college, some of the professors I’ve had didn’t even know my name.”
In most cases, college professors expect more of their students than their high school teachers did but offer less hands-on help to them.
“In high school, teachers would help me during class,” Fredrick said. “In college, I had to go see my professor during office hours.”
Porter said it is up to the students to know what is expected of them.
“Get the syllabus and make sure you understand,” Porter said. “In college you have to be responsible for yourself.”
But therein lies a trade-off. While college students have to assume more responsibility for themselves, the wider boundaries of their new environment keep the nosy and dramatic away.
“In college, you meet random people in class and then become friends with them,” Fredrick said. “In high school, it’s hard to make friends who are different than you are.”
College permits the freedom for life planning as well.
“You finally have more freedom to start exploring what you really want to do with your life,” said Stephen Pickett, a senior studying emergency medical technology.
One thing Pickett learned about himself is his dislike of 8 a.m. classes.
Other students agreed that having the freedom to choose a schedule that fits their lifestyles is another thing that makes college preferable to high school.
“The freedom of choosing what time your classes will start and what professors will be teaching them is great,” said Nathan Babcock, a senior studying supply chain management who frequently blew off 8 a.m. classes.
Ultimately, Porter said, the new freedoms of college must be balanced to achieve academic success.
“It’s about setting priorities,” Porter said. “Students have to choose what is important to them and figure out a way to achieve it.”
