College Students visit AVID
Recently two former A.C. New and West Mesquite students visited the 8th grade AVID classes to talk about the transitions from middle school to high school to college. Since the majority of AVID students are the first in their families to attend college, many do not have a clear picture of the academic expectations of not only college but also advanced high school courses. Maggie Paige and Alyssa Jones could speak from direct experience because they had already traveled the paths that the current AVID students will be heading down soon. Maggie is in her first year at The University of North Texas while Alyssa is a freshman at Texas Women's University (which confused some that it's NOT an all-girls school).
Some of the things that the pair highlighted as differences between middle school and high school were:
- higher expectations from teachers including fewer requests for late assignments
- a greater emphasis on self-determination
- classes with older and more mature students
- a faster pace in a bigger place which can lead to a feeling of being "lost" or "just trying to stay afloat"
A few comments about the differences between high school and college were:
- success is completely reliant upon individual determination
- professors expect you to have/do work without reminding you
- so much more freedom it can be tough to adjust
- living on your own can be so fun but takes a lot of responsibility
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