IMAC Education

Transition from School to University

See also School to University Transition

Many staff and students do not realise that there is a major transition problem current for students moving from secondary education to tertiary institutions. After many years of hard work to gain the high ENTERs needed for the course that will lead to their career of choice, a horrifically large number of students make rapid exits from the system. Research reveals that the probability of an Australian student completing a university course, once enrolled, is only 64% overall, and in some areas, such as Engineering, it is as low as 50%.

In major universities students who were in the top 30% of their VCE group are having a terrible time academically, with 40% failing AT LEAST one subject. In most areas 10 – 15% of each subject enrollment make little or no headway. They don’t succeed, don’t seek help, are unable to explain what is going wrong when asked, and do not respond to improvements in teaching that produce dramatic gains in other students. These students seem to be “sleepwalking” through inappropriate courses.

Students interviewed in ongoing research consistently mention the same issues affecting their first year at university:

Changes in motivation and sense of purpose: While undertaking VCE, students have a very clear goal, with parents, teachers, peers and society all pushing them hard to achieve the maximum possible score - their best ENTER. However, after the rigors of VCE many first year students are emotionally exhausted, suffer long periods of letdown, and with their next major goal (of achieving a degree) many years in the future, find it hard to get motivated, and lack a sense of purpose.

Changes in teaching and assessment: During VCE there is emphasis on the process of learning and creating pieces of work. Small classes encourage trusts between students and teacher, questions from students, confident student participation, and provide constant feedback, all leading to quality outcomes. Teachers manage subjects for their students, keep track of tasks that must be done and provide detailed breakdowns of the criteria and timelines for completion. While students are usually pleased to see the end of this teacher dependence, they often have not learned how to manage their own learning when cast into the tertiary arena.

Teaching at tertiary institutions is more remote and transmissive, with emphasis on “independent learning” and retention of knowledge for exams. Most tertiary educators have no education training and regard their role as one of selecting the “good students” from the rest, tending to classify rather than engage and educate students. Inspired teachers exist but they have to be sought out and valued. All courses expect students to do large amounts of work on their own, but rarely check to ensure that this happens. Consequently students do not regard the work as necessary or important, and fail to do it.

Isolation and loneliness: After spending years with the same group of students at secondary school, most students have developed strong support groups and friendship structures. Teachers know them and care about them. Suddenly at university this is all taken away. As one of thousands at a vast and rather impersonal campus, many students feel overwhelmed and intimidated. Making friends in these situations is difficult, with students who were contributors at school finding themselves unsure and inhibited in tertiary classes – reducing their learning experience. Without a support group to share these experiences with and help regain confidence, some students wilt and withdraw.

Social life and living changes: For a large number of students, the move to tertiary study is linked to the move from the family home. Away from school rules and home regulations, and lured by the possibilities of university life, it is easy to “lose the plot” and have social and living situations swamp all academic aspirations. The opportunity to experiment with image, relationships, drugs of various kinds, and alternative lifestyles can be a great temptation, but also a necessary part of developing as a unique individual. Maintaining a balance between the conflicting needs is one of the greatest challenges of tertiary study.

Virtually all students experience these issues to some extent. What determines those who pass from those who fail seems to be their capacity to manage the issues. Students look forward to the changes that tertiary life brings, but feel intimidated by them at the same time. They are concerned they do not have the skills needed to deal with the changes, even though they are excited about making those changes. Unfortunately, many are also ignorant about what tertiary study will be like and how institutions operate.

Advice to students for a successful transition

Preparation while still at school:

Choose the right course: Your first priority is to choose an area of interest that will lead to a career that appeals to you, not the highest ranked course possible. Spend time working this out and seek information from sources other than your school’s overburdened career counselor, such as people working in the field.

Know your institution: Once you have selected some courses that appeal, visit the campus that you would attend during an open day, or by appointment. Talk to the staff involved in teaching that course and ask a range of questions, including:

How many students are in the course?

What are the subject choices?

How are the subjects taught?

are there lectures, tutorials, labs or seminars?

how many hours of each?

how many students in each group?

How they are assessed?

by exams, assignments, lab reports, folio, participation etc?

Where are the classes taught?

which campus, which rooms, and what are they like?

What resources are students expected to use?

libraries, computers, studios, workshops etc

What student services and resources are available?

support services?

work spaces for students out of class?

Once you have collected all this information and thought about it, find a day when universities are in action, but school is not (such as the September break), or take a “flexi-day”, and go to visit the institution. Make sure you walk around the campus, sit in on some lectures, and visit facilities.

Build up your independent learning skills: The capacity to manage a program of study is one of the skills most demanded at tertiary level and the one students are least capable of demonstrating. Independent learning refers to the capacity of the student to make informed decisions about the next step in a learning situation, not working in isolation. While at school get used to the idea of working in teams to share understanding and interpretation of work requirements. While teachers may be able to tell you all you need to know if you ask, at a tertiary institution you need to have the capacity to form groups to solve problems.

Looking ahead to next year, a successful transition is more likely if you:

Become part of a learning community: Successful students almost always say they have a group of friends or colleagues with whom they work regularly. These groups tend to be work based rather than social, meeting at regular times to discuss concepts behind the work being done, and ways to manage the assessment requirements. Members of these communities look after each other, and make sure that no one is “losing the plot”. You can make it easier to form these groups if you:

Attend all orientation activities

Join clubs and societies

Make an effort to get to know people in your subjects

Give yourself time to succeed: Make sure you spread out your classes evenly through the week, allowing time to think about what you have done, and ensuring you are not attending classes that demand intellectual engagement in a “zombie” state of exhaustion. You can then use the time between classes to collect references, or meet with your learning community. Unsuccessful students are often attempting to do 20 to 30 hours of paid work a week, on top of full time study. Keep your priorities clear: you have many adjustments to make before you can be sure how much time you can afford to spend on money earning work.

Make contact with your teachers and use their knowledge. If you are unsure about teaching or assessment - ask. You may have to walk a bit further, or be a bit more persistent, but it is vital that you are sure of what is expected of you.

If you find you are struggling - seek help early. Most students who present to the student welfare services are already in such extreme situations that it is difficult to make effective interventions. Find out during orientation week where counseling services are located and what sort of services they offer. Most have preventative courses on study skills and stress management that may be just what you are about to need!

My message here is that transition to tertiary study is not easy. VCE is not the most difficult year of a student’s life - with university a relative breeze. Such images are dangerous. Transition problems are many and powerful and too many students are suffering preventable catastrophes through poor preparation and simple lack of knowledge. Don’t waste your hard work getting to university through poor planning.

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