Bridging the Gap between High School and University Education: Social, Psychological, and Environmental Challenges in Student Transition

Abstract

The transition from high school to university can be challenging for students worldwide. It has long been recognized that students face difficulties during the transition from high school to college. In particular, the significant failure rates during the first semester of the university are frequently caused by the differences in study levels between these two educational institutes. Students who have excelled in high school may still face psychological, social, and environmental difficulties at the university level, sometimes resulting in them failing their courses. The success rate in the first year of university courses is often average or below average. There may be different perspectives amongst many stakeholders, including administrators, researchers, university students, instructors, and schoolteachers, on the causes of this gap and potential solutions. This study aims to examine the various root causes of the challenges and provide potential approaches to closing the gaps.

This paper aims to investigate the connection between high school and university education and to explore various approaches to education that conceptualize this relationship. This study will use a mixed-methods approach to look into the factors that lead to the challenges faced by first-year college students. Surveys will be used to collect quantitative data from university teachers, schoolteachers, and university students for a brief survey about the transition period between high school and university education. This will shed light on these students' perceptions and experiences during their first semester of college.