Classes

Obviously, your classes are going to be different in college than they were in high school. The typical high school student is in eight classes a day with only lunch as a break. The typical college student takes 15 credit hours, which usually evens out to five classes. These can happen all in a row with no breaks, spread out throughout each day, or only on certain days of the week. It’s important to look at all of the classes offered and know how many credits you’ll need each semester for your major or minor.

After you choose a major or decide you need a little more time to explore your options, the courses you take will be tailored to your degree path. While there are some credits that everyone takes no matter what major they choose, what you learn in college starts with declaring your major. From there your courses will be things you're interested in. That doesn't mean you won't be doing hard work, but it does mean you're more likely to be passionate about what you're learning.

Grades

SEMO does not have weighted classes like many high schools do. In general, 90-100 is an A, and it doesn’t matter the difficulty of the class. Some classes will curve your grade, but it depends on the professor. Your high school GPA is not calculated into your college GPA, so you have a clean slate. If you took dual credit, however, this is calculated into your overall GPA. Also, no one is checking your grades. Report cards won’t be sent home to your parents regarding your grades; it is on you to keep yourself responsible and on the right track. There are many resources you can utilize in college if you feel yourself falling behind in your classes; tutoring and your professor’s office hours are the most common.

Freedom

In high school, you have a very structured and monitored time frame of when you can do things. College gives you the freedom to live your life as you choose. You are in charge of your schedule, whether you work or not, who you hang out with, how much sleep you get, what clubs/sports you join, etc. College gives you an idea of being a “real adult” before you’re fully thrown into it.

Food

For high school lunches, you either have to bring your own from home or choose from limited options. College provides more choices for food on campus and off campus. You can cook, eat in the dining hall, or choose to eat out. There’s no specified break for you to do this; you do it whenever you can/want. Mealtimes are also a great time to hang out with your friends in college. Often, you can head to the on-campus dining places and leave with one of your friends who's already there.

Events

In high school, clubs, and events are usually only hosted after school. College holds a multitude of events happening during all parts of the day. No matter your class/work schedule, you are likely to find some events that interest and work for you. And if you can’t, you always have the option to host an event yourself! To make a club at SEMO, you only need five people and an advisor. After your club is official, you can apply for money from Student Government to help you fund an event you want to throw!