University Culture

Although both universities and high schools are educational institutions, their differences can often make the transition between them challenging for students. This transition is further complicated by the fact that students moving from high school to university are typically teenagers navigating the development of their new adult identity (Brunton & Buckley, 2021).

Additional challenges include the need for some students to relocate to another city or country to pursue their studies, while others may take on part-time jobs to fund their education. These factors can intensify the difficulties of transitioning, both personally and socially.

The differences between high school and university have been extensively explored in the literature and include the following:

• Differences in terms of academic work (Pownall et al., 2022; Thompson et al. 2021; Charalambous, 2020; Pennington et al., 2018)
• Differences in the rhythm and amount of work (Cameron et Rideout, 2022; Trautwein & Bosse, 2017)
• Differences in university rituals (Zibanejad-Belin, 2019; Taylor & Harris-Evans, 2018)
• Differences in what is made explicit and what is not in terms of teachers’ expectations (Bournaud & Pamphile, 2021; Thompson et al., 2021; Knoesen & Naudé, 2018)
• Differences in communication codes (Pollard & Bamford, 2022; Gill, 2021)

The expectations for students at high school differ significantly from those at university, and the literature identifies certain areas that students may find particularly challenging, including the following:

• Time Management: In high school, the time between organising and submitting prescribed work is typically much shorter, and teachers often remind students of due dates, allowing them to plan accordingly. At university, however, students are expected to organise and plan their work independently and meet deadlines autonomously (De Clercq et al., 2018).
• Socialisation: At university, students face the challenge of developing and expanding their social networks. They must integrate into a much larger and more diverse community than they were accustomed to in high school (Amundsen, 2022; Willem et al., 2022; Gill, 2021; van Herpen et al., 2020; De Coninck et al., 2019).
• Sustaining Career Orientation: Some students may invest considerable time and energy in questioning or reaffirming their career goals (Trautwein & Bosse, 2017; Bloch & Ghedamsi, 2006).
• Maintaining Learning Motivation: High school teachers often provide regular encouragement and specially designed activities to engage students. By contrast, some university instructors may not view motivating students or designing engaging activities as part of their role.
• Study Methods: University students are frequently required to adopt new study strategies, including taking notes at a faster pace, reading large volumes of material, and working collaboratively. Adapting to these demands can take time for some students.