College is an institution for higher education, but education is more than merely academics. A complete higher education includes becoming knowledgeable about life lessons, such as finances, communication and responsibility. Being an intellectual individual means that you are articulate, open to new ideas and willing to do something out of the norm to better yourself, a company, a community or society in general. It is in college where young adults are able to learn these skills and discover how these certain skills are attained.
High school seniors are at the prime age for this learning experience. They are eager to gain knowledge and are willing to make a difference if they are given the opportunity to do so. Seniors, graduating from high school are graduating into the next phase of their life; they are anticipating what will come next, the good situations, such as being the first student who answers a question correctly, and the difficult situations, such as being called on while not being prepared.
Some people have said that high school seniors lack the maturity to be successful in college, but it is in college that maturity and responsibility are learned. College freshmen are forced to understand the importance of attending lectures. If they don’t attend classes, their tuition money has been wasted. They are also forced to perfect time management and organization skills within the first few weeks of their first semester, or they will find themselves far behind, skills necessary for success.
Freshmen at universities are required to meet deadlines and set priorities for themselves, more than they had to in high school, but also in the same way the seniors are required to in the months before their graduation. All the years of a college student’s career is spent the same way, attending lectures, meeting deadlines and setting priorities, this is learned within the first semester and is executed throughout the duration of the college education.
If a student lacks time management and organization skills it will become apparent to them very soon in that first semester. A college freshman does have the ability to be organized and complete the assignments by deadline, because that was the expectation that they came to college with. Otherwise, freshmen would have never taken the time and the effort to fill out that lengthy application.
High school seniors are ready for college, they are eager and excited to have some freedom and discover what it takes to succeed on their own. They have the motivation and the maturity that it takes to be successful in college. Freshmen enter college with what is needed for success: a fresh attitude and an open mind.
