Stay FocusedAre you a high school senior, ready for the big transition from high school to college? Many students don't realize that this is a big transition and a big leap forward. Many think that there is no difference other than the assigned work. They will face a rude awakening when that time comes. Students will realize the difference very quickly, even before experiencing real university life. Students usually begin to glimpse this when they apply and when visiting campuses. The costs/expenses, workload, and social atmosphere are what make high school and college two different educational institutions. The cost of college is expensive. Anyone who wants to eventually attend college full-time or even part-time has to pay ridiculously high tuition. Tuition fees can vary, but a regular community college can usually start at $2,000 per quarter or even cost $3,500 per quarter. Tuition also sometimes includes fees for living on campus. While some may not live on campus, students usually rent a room somewhere else to be close to the school. Textbooks are usually some of the extra fees that are part of college. It is required for almost all lessons and could cost a few hundred dollars for a lesson. In addition to tuition and books, most students still have fees that include transportation and food. Both could usually easily cost $50-$75 per week. The cost of high school is nothing compared to the cost of college. High school students have a very easy life in every way compared to a college student. A huge factor that differentiates a high school student is that they don't have to pay for school. High school is free because it is funded by the government. Tax money… half the paper… The social aspect in college is a different atmosphere, in a good way, than high school. There are many more activities, sports, and clubs that any student can participate in than in high school. College students have both the privilege of being able to join sports teams and the privilege of being able to use all the sports facilities that the college has to offer. For example gyms, swimming pools and weight rooms. Colleges also like to host special social events that aren't offered at high schools. Examples of these events are orientation week and social evenings. Colleges also offer more clubs than most high schools. Colleges usually ensure they have a club for each student due to the number of students attending the school. Sports facilities, social events, clubs and special interests meet prove that college life is much more social than high school.