High School to College Transition

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the transition from high school to college, particularly focusing on the perceived lack of engagement and challenge in high school courses compared to the more stimulating environment of college-level classes. Participants share personal experiences regarding their academic journeys, especially in STEM fields like physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express that high school courses lack depth and fail to provide mental stimulation, leading to boredom.
  • Others share that they felt unmotivated in high school but found renewed interest and motivation in college, particularly in subjects like physics and mathematics.
  • A few participants mention that advanced classes, such as college-level calculus and AP Chemistry, sparked their interest in previously dull subjects.
  • Some contributors reflect on their experiences with poor teaching quality and busywork in high school, which contributed to their lack of engagement.
  • There are mentions of personal academic success in college, with some participants achieving high grades after finding subjects they enjoy.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that high school can be unengaging and that many students experience a shift in motivation and interest upon entering college. However, there are varying perspectives on the reasons for this shift, and no consensus is reached on whether it is due to a lack of challenge, poor teaching, or individual motivation.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that their experiences were influenced by specific circumstances, such as the quality of teaching and the nature of the coursework, which may not be universally applicable.

Razael
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Hello, I usually just read the threads and watch the lectures on the forums so I haven't really had a reason to sign up until now. Given an academic guidance sub-forum I figured I'd give my question a try.

Did anyone of you find high school boring, but come into your own during college? When I apply myself I do the work well, but most of what I'm doing in high school has nothing to do with my current major of choice (neurology/medicine). Lately however, taking more advanced classes (college level calculus, chemistry, etc) I've found an interest in these previously dull fields. Was I not challenged enough? Was I just lazy? Did anyone else have this problem?

Thanks, and nice meeting you all. :smile:
 
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Welcome to physics forums =]

In general most high school courses don't have any "depth" to them so don't be surprised that you're not mentally stimulated. It will be mostly like that until you reach a junior in college then you get down to the good stuff - and that's just the beginning.

In all honesty I have not had the chance to be mentally stimulated by my work yet, high school is no exception. Currently I'm sophomore level and am so anxious to be a junior next semester so that I can actually start doing "real" work. So your problem isn't an isolated one, nor are you lazy. Many bright students have that problem, you're not alone =] Just keep chugging along until you get where you want to be, you won't regret it.
 
Razael said:
Did anyone of you find high school boring, but come into your own during college? When I apply myself I do the work well, but most of what I'm doing in high school has nothing to do with my current major of choice (neurology/medicine). Lately however, taking more advanced classes (college level calculus, chemistry, etc) I've found an interest in these previously dull fields. Was I not challenged enough? Was I just lazy? Did anyone else have this problem?

Thanks, and nice meeting you all. :smile:

No worries, Physics was very boring in high school, because we did such a poor job of covering it. My first year Mechanics and E&M have been incredible though. Interest is through the roof =D
 
Yeah, I was about as unmotivated as they come during high school. We're talking ~20% homework average in most of my classes, never once studied for a test/final, etc. because I just didn't care. I still managed to get into a good college, and then once I started taking my physics classes motivation shot through the roof and now I'm all set to make my second 4.0 in a row taking all physics and math classes. So, don't worry, it's pretty typical.
 
Razael said:
Did anyone of you find high school boring, but come into your own during college? When I apply myself I do the work well, but most of what I'm doing in high school has nothing to do with my current major of choice (neurology/medicine). Lately however, taking more advanced classes (college level calculus, chemistry, etc) I've found an interest in these previously dull fields. Was I not challenged enough? Was I just lazy? Did anyone else have this problem?

Thanks, and nice meeting you all. :smile:

I was the same way. For me, I didn't start enjoying math until I got to calculus in high school. With science, I didn't take a real interest in them until I started taking AP Chem. After learning in depth about topics general classes don't cover, it can be pretty fascinating.
 
Well, that's good to know. Here's to a 4.0 in college.
 
High school was uninteresting to me. Incompetent teachers, being stuck in a math class that was 2 notches below than my actual math level [ we weren't allowed to skip ], plus a barrage of busywork every night made me dislike high school.

I started attending a community college alongside high school and it was certainly a better experience.
 
I loved college when I first started. In high school I was taught to memorize very stupid things about magnets and electrostatics, like which way they rotate in the field. It is much clearer when studied in the context of cross products.

Super interesting problem sets... or handing in colored title pages? Hmm... let me think.
 

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