University of Alabama Parent Guide
The Difference Between High School and College Tests
Every fall semester, new students may be disappointed by their first experience with university tests. Students who enroll at the University have been good students in high school and are accustomed to performing well. At UA, they will attend their classes, read their textbooks, and study their notes. Yet, in spite of doing these things, many beginning students still do not perform as well as they would like on their first exam.
One difference in college is instructors expect their students to really understand the material. Tests in high school often require simple recognition or memorization while college tests require thorough understanding.
College tests also tend to cover considerably more material than high school tests. While tests in high school often covered only one chapter (15-20 pages), it is not unusual for college tests to cover three, four, five or even six chapters (100-200 pages).
The amount of material covered should influence how students prepare for tests. Just because “waiting until the night before” worked well in high school, many beginning University students try this same method of studying and may invariably find that they cannot learn a large amount of material in a short amount of time.
It’s definitely possible for students to perform well on their college tests if they adapt their study habits early and realize that it will take more time and studying. Poor grades on college tests should serve as a wake-up call to students and remind them that high school study methods will not work in college.
Poor college grades are not an indication of lack of ability or lack of intelligence. They are more often than not an indication of procrastination and lack of preparation.
The University of Alabama provides a multitude of resources for students. Encourage your student to start on the right track by visiting the Center for Academic Success early in the semester. For more information visit our web site.
