Name: Phan Pham Quynh Giao
ID: 1656110038
COMPARISON- CONTRAST ESSAY
Task: Compare two educational systems that you are familiar with.
OUTLINE
A. Introduction
Hook: Have you ever imagined what college life would be when you were in high
schools?
Connecting information: When students enter colleges, they will experience total
different changes compared to high schools.
Thesis statement: The three major aspects to consider when comparing high schools and
colleges are cost, curriculum and social environments.
B. Body
I. Differences:
1. One of the most notable differences between the two educational systems is the cost.
High school:
Books provided are little to no cost.
Students live with their parents, so no extra cost is needed.
College: Attending a college is much more expensive than a high school because it provides a
higher level of education.
Textbooks and materials cost a small fortune.
Living distant from home involves paying for an apartment, food and publich
transportation.
2. Another thing to consider when comparing high schools and colleges is the curriculum.
High school:
Students are forced to learn all the subjects.
Attendance is mandatory.
Studying just a few hours per week may be enough to understand materials and pass tests.
College:
Students have a freer choice of courses to study in accordance with their major.
Attendace is not obligatory, but highly recommended.
Students need to build a certain set of skills to succeed in college education.
3. Academic and social environments have changed significantly since you entered colleges.
High school:
You know everyone in your class.
Students are expected to follow every teachers’ instructions, so you may have difficulty
in voicing your opinions.
College:
It is harder to have close friends, but you have chances to meet people from all walks of
life.
Students have more freedom of speech and their opinions are much more valued.
College students need to be more responsible.
II. Similarities:
Both provide students a good education and leave unforgettable memories.
They all cover many extracurricular activities such as clubs, events, etc.
Students have to work hard to get good results.
C. Conclusion
There are striking differences between high schools and colleges in cost, curriculum and
environments.
They still share some things in common in terms of education, extracurricular activities
and study load.
Balance is the main key to succeed in both educational systems.
ESSAY
Have you ever imagined what college life would be when you were in high schools? High
school and college are two important steps that we go through. When students enter colleges,
they will experience total different changes compared to high schools. Even though the two
educational systems share plenty in common, there are still significant differences between them.
The three major aspects to consider when comparing high schools and colleges are cost,
curriculum and social environments.
One of the most notable differences between the two educational systems is the cost. Of
course, attending a college is much more expensive than a high school because it provides a
higher level of education. While books provided are quite affordable in high schools, college
textbooks may cost a small fortune due to a variety of courses and reference materials. Paying
merely for education is expensive, but many people have to pay even more if their college is far
away from where they live. Unlike high schools, living distant from home involves paying for an
apartment, food and public transportation. All in all, colleges prove to be more costly than high
schools.
Another thing to consider when comparing high schools and colleges is the curriculum.
Whereas highschool students are forced to learn all subjects, some of which are probably not
needed, college students have a freer choice of courses to study in accordance with their majors.
For example, if you major in English Linguistics, you can choose to study Translation and
Interpreting or English Methodology based on your interests. In high schools, studying just a few
hours per week may be enough to understand materials and pass tests. Teachers often prepare
students for upcoming tests by providing sample assignments and questions. In contrast, college
students need to build a certain set of skills to succeed in the education. Self-studying is
extremely important because a lot of in-depth research and soft skills are require to obtain. Also,
unlike high schools, attendance in colleges is not mandatory, but highly recommended.
Finally, academic and social environments have changed significantly since students
entered colleges. Classes are one of the main reasons leading to these changes. In high schools,
classes generally consist of no more than 40 students, so it is easier to make friends and deepen
the relationships. On the other hand, some classes in college may have more than 100 students,
which means it is lucky to have close friends. This can be hard for some people, but it is also an
advantage that you have chances to meet people from all walks of life. Moreovers, the
relationship between students and teachers in high schools differs from that in colleges.
Highschool students are expected to follow every teachers’ instruction, so they may have
difficulty in voicing their opinions. Compared to them, college students have more freedom of
speech and their opinions are much more valued. It is also important to mention that college
students need to be more responsible for their life and studying since no one helps them
anymore.
Despite all the differences above, high schools and colleges still bear many similarities in
some ways. First, both provide students with good educations and leave unforgettable memories.
They are two most vital educational stages to go through. Additionally, they all cover many
extracurricular activities such as clubs, events, etc that students are highly encouraged to
participate in to develop many other soft skills. Lastly, students have to work hard to get good
results. The workload of both systems is similarly heavy. Although college students seem busier,
some highschool students have to go to extra classes after school, which sometimes results in
study stress.
In conclusion, there are striking differences between high schools and colleges in cost,
curriculum and environments. It is obvious that college offers a higher level of education, which
means more efforts need putting into. However, they still share some things in common in terms
of education, extracurricular activities and study load. Therefore, balance is the main key to
succeed in both educational systems.