The college experience as a high schooler

Going to community college as a high schooler can seem like a very daunting and intense challenge. It may seem as though the courses will be much harder than high school, and that you will be drowning in the amount of homework you have to complete. Some say that college teachers are much stricter with how they operate their classes and that you will be on your own for getting your work done.

While that may be true for some, that is sure not what I have experienced going to Mt. Hood Community College as a high school student. I have seen many benefits in coming to MHCC, such as very helpful tutors, more interesting and in-depth courses, a wider range of academic focuses and courses, and finally, a much greater sense of freedom and responsibility.

Before starting my first term at MHCC I was extremely nervous to be taking college classes. I was worried that it would be hard to manage my time and keep up with all the due dates. And while it can be hard at times to manage my time, and make sure that I turn all my assignments in on time, I found that the college environment is much more conducive to being able to focus on my classes and getting the help I need.

One of the many benefits of college has been the value that tutors can bring to my assignments. In high school it can be hard to find and afford a tutor that can help with your coursework, but in college I found it rather easy to get help from a college-provided tutor.

Another way MHCC has differed from high school is the more understanding and caring instructors. While in high school I noticed that most of my teachers were strict, and since they had such a tight schedule of classes, there was minimal time for me to get help on my assignments. Compare that to college: Most instructors are friendly and open to answering students’ questions as well as helping them during office hours.

While there are many challenges that come with going to college as a high schooler, one big benefit has stuck out to me: The opportunity to have much more freedom and responsibility. Being able to have a greater selection of courses to take and being able to create a school schedule that will work for me has been one of the many advantages I have found here.

It is always scary and daunting to make a big change in your life, and especially when it involves changing your academic path. But as far as I am concerned, I have seen many benefits of choosing to go to college as a high school student. The wide range of courses and majors, plus the ability to choose a schedule that works for me, is just one of the many reasons I encourage high school students to think about going to college.

Andrew Hull