University experience includes the societies and activities that you take part in and the skills that you learn from them as well as the memories and friends that you make. To compare is to find the similarities and contrasting is to find the differences. In this essay I am going to compare and contrast my high school experiences and my university experience. There were many factors that influenced effective learning at school included learning, teacher qualities, the school itself and parental trust. Research supports the commonsensical view that the more time a student spends learning, and the more efficiently that time is used, the higher the achievement.
Socio cultural factors affect the high school experiences and the university experiences in many ways. They include mode of upbringing which affect both sides that is at high school, if ends are not meeting at home, it is easily identified and also at college. However, at university level it can change as the student mix and mingle with student of varieties of statuses. At high school, there was no infusion of values but at university, values changed drastically because it is a mixture of many people from different walks of life. Universities are making a globe a village. At high school we had certain people who were known and many of them were from neighbouring villages. Language at high school is maintained especially the vernacular one but at university it becomes diluted.
Financial factors also play a role in both sides of the institutions. At high school, we used to be chased away for school fees and we would go home leaving others in class and at university also if you do not get bursary, school fees can also affect the performance of the student. In contrast, at university level, a student can get a bursary for school fees for example NASFAS for UNISA, students apply straight away. At high school, there might be no such opportunities.
Psychological factors also played a pivotal role in my high school days. They include self efficacy, motivation, stress, test and test anxiety for the subject they study. At high school, teachers used to motivate us. There was individualism whereby we used to concentrate on positions and at university we do collectivisation, where we do discussions for exams, for assignments and even copy from other student’s work. At high school teachers used to encourage us to read and at university we read at any time that you feel like reading and towards examinations. At high school, there is reading time even on timetables, nights also there is reading time mostly at boarding schools. At high schools, you can also be beaten by parents if you fail and at university a student can actually lie after failing and parents understand you. They do not beat you but encourage for a better. At high schools we used not to love school and it seemed our parents were the ones who pushed us. We had no focus, at university level now am focused that I know what I want and what I do.
All the above factors affected my high school time and my university time positively and negatively. Most things I did at high school were like I was not focused and now at university level, am mature that I am focused and follow my career.
