How did you do in college, compared to high school?
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I went to a vocational HS way back in the 1980s. The academic bar was not that high there, I wasn't very motivated but I was a B, sometimes A, student.
Went to college in my 30s. I wanted a science degree. I was motivated. I'd never taken algebra in HS, so I had to work hard on my math skills starting at Pre-algebra, working my way up to Calc II. I graduated Magna CL (3.85) with a BS in geology/GIS.
I was also motivated not to borrow money and went after grants and scholarships while I was in college and graduated debt free.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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I had a 2.9 GPA in HS. I changed schools in 11th grade and did better at the new school even though the grading scale screwed me over.
I have a 2.95 GPA in college and graduate in a few weeks.. This was after totally slacking off one year, working at least 30 hours a week thoughout, dealing with an out-of-state move and my father passing away last year.
Did really well in high school, but it was a lower quality school and the work was easier.
It wasn't a good preparation for college, I was used to not really having to study so it was a hard adjustment. I had a B average as an undergrad, which I guess is not terrible but not all that great either. If I was interested in the subject matter I would usually get an A, but if not I usually was pretty mediocre.
Went to grad school in my 30s and did much better, of course again some of that was due to increased interest, also I was working toward a specific goal.
I did dreadfully in high school and was advised by a counselor to be a 'nice secretary' because I'd never make it thru college. I did great in college, graduating with an MA and on the dean's list. Difficult to say what changed but it goes to show that everyone should at least have the opportunity to try college.
I did bad in high school. So bad that I should not have been allowed to graduate. In fact, if it was not for a particular counselor who took an interest in me and was able to pull some strings, I would not have graduated. I wasn't a stoner or in trouble with the law or had a "bad home life" or anything. I was a bad student because I skipped school a lot. I actually liked being on campus, all of my friends were there and I liked some of my teachers, I just couldn't physically handle sitting in a classroom. I was partially bored, partially thought it was all BS, and spent most of my time fantasizing about being somewhere, anywhere, else. So much so that "having to sit through class" gave me bad anxiety and sometimes made me physically ill.
Usually, when I skipped school, I would wonder down to a local river and daydream (and no, I wasn't smoking dope. I just liked the openness and quiet; it allowed me to think). Other times I would stay on campus and either go hang out in one of the art studios (the art teachers seemed a bit more sympathetic and even though they knew I was skipping class they didn't seem to mind. I suppose they figured I was doing something creative with my time instead of doing something destructive, so they didn't narc on me as far as I knew. At other times I would hang out with the above mentioned counselor, finding reasons to not be in class and shoot the breeze with him.
Anyways, I began my college career with a community college and did quite well by comparison. I was not a stellar college student that first year; got an A, a few Bs, a few Cs and one D. That was the first A I received since jr. high. So, I was not a top college student that first year, but on paper alone the two me's were night and day. Despite the improved grades, I was never able to maintain any type of top student standing- I blame my poor study habits I developed in high school for that. But compared to high school, my college grades can be considered phenomenal. I got a few As, and two Fs. I retook four courses for a higher grade (including those two Fs--one for a C and the other a B-). I didn't have to retake the other two, but I did so with the hopes of improving my GPA. The rest of my grades were Bs and Cs.
I did receive a bunch of awards and recognitions from the same college where I received my first degree: mostly "outstanding" student type of stuff from being a member of the Student Senate to sitting as the Vice President of the Student to writing for the student newspaper to becoming the Editor-in-Chef of the same paper. I was even nominated for Student of the Year, but I didn't win. I was totally honored to have been nominated, though, and thankfully the criteria leaned more towards campus involvement and less towards GPA. Honestly, I think some of these awards where/are kind of corny, but I still have them all. I earned everyone of them and am proud of myself for that.
As such, I am not sure what clicked when I went to college. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I could take the courses that interested me, within reason, instead of being forced to take all the courses I had to take during high school. I also liked that I was expected to act like a responsible adult who took college seriously while simultaneously being allowed to do what I pleased regardless of any negative outcome.
Now, I'm looking at grad school. I will be applying at the end of this year. It's a weird thought: I didn't believe I would graduate from high school, and I never considered college until I went. Yet, here I am, pushing on even farther.
i did better in college. i was too hyper/immature in high school and being in class with your friends who are also immature didnt help. also i was too busy trying to get laid to worry about homework or doing good in school.
I took challenging classes in high school (all honors/AP) but due to a poor work ethic, finished quite mediocre (~3.3 unweighted). My low grades + high SAT score got me a modest scholarship at a decent (but not phenomenal) state university.
I buckled down in college and finished with a 3.91. That helped gain me admittance to an Ivy League law school (pronounced "lawl skool").
I did much better in college than high school. I too busy having fun instead of concentrating on getting good grades. By the time I got to college I was more focused. It also mattered that in nursing school if you do not maintain a certain percentage, you will be dismissed from the program. I graduated in a Registered Nursing school at the top of my class and was the tutor for 1st year students in my 2nd year.
I dropped out of high school in 10th grade, hated school. Hated everything about it. Dropped out for personal reasons also.
But today I am going to school to get my bachelors in business, and I have made the presidents honor roll once, and the deans honor roll twice. I have currenlty sat out a semester and it has been driving me crazy. Needless to say that I love school now. In some ways I regret not getting my education when I was younger, I know I would of probably been so much further in life by now. But it is what it is.
The first time I tried to go back to school my oldest sister died of cancer at the age of 32.
I just transferred to a new school and nervous but excited at the same time. I agree that a lot of college professors are not very organized. The work is harder but I am enjoying it. Next its my masters degree.
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