In this article--What’s Different About College Writing?--from the University of Minnesota, the author points out the differences between high school writing and college, or "academic," writing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a great article because of its friendly tone and full understanding of common misconceptions that first-year college students may have about college writing.  

​

It is true: high school writing is way different from college writing.  Many of the students who struggle with college writing usually say it is because their high school teachers were too easy, or that their college professors are too harsh.  This could be true, but the most plausible reason for the struggling is that the student just has not adjusted to the change in expectations of writing.

​

Oftentimes, high schoolers will only have to write an essay for their English classes.  And it is usually a literary response essay.  This is because high school teachers have so many students and so many standards to meet, that writing essays may not be essential in every curriculum.  As the article points out, however, most professors in college can and will ask you to write about a plethora of topics, not just literature.

​

As I was once a college freshman, I can vouch for what this article says.  As a freshman, I needed to learn that there is more than one genre of writing, and that it is perfectly okay to stray away from the five-paragraph structure.  This really sunk in after I got a few cruddy grades on some essays for my G.E.'s.  

​

College professors love giving plentiful feedback on writing assignments, and the feedback I got was as helpful as it was blunt.  Constructive criticism can be harsh, but it's building a thick skin that helps you (and has helped me) become a better writer in college.

​

I think that what this article says is also quite applicable to writer's block.  When you're a new college student, your mind is full of what your high school teachers taught you.  You are displaced into this new, adult, college environment, where you then have to essentially learn 'how to college.'  This includes developing your writing strategies anew, among other things like doing your own laundry and cooking meals other than instant noodles.  

​

My point, though, is that when you receive the writing prompt for a college essay, it will likely be quite open ended and possibly confusing to you, a new freshman.  An essay prompt I had for my Shakespeare class recently, for example, was: "What is the nature of gender roles in the plays we have read? Respond in 3 to 5 pages." 

 

Now, a high school essay prompt would be more like:

 

"Shakespeare's women are not subordinates to men in the plays. They are complete characters in their own right; they influence other characters, and by so doing they influence the plot; they have dreams, ambitions, feelings, and desires; they are capable of sin and guilt, as well as joy and love; they (like men) can become tragic figures. With specific reference to scenes and events in the play, discuss how much of this is true for Lady Macbeth. Respond in 700-1000 words."

​

The college question is concise and open for interpretation, while the high school question is very narrow and specific, with hints of the high school teacher's own interpretations of the text at hand.  College questions are less leading, and they require you to form your own opinions about the text.  This new sort of freedom can be quite overwhelming, especially since up to the point before you started college, you (probably) relied on various adults to make your decisions for you.

​

Like the article says, if you need extra help you should feel free to talk with your professor.  This is  a smart piece of advice.  Find out when your professor has office hours, and pop in for a visit.  Many students do not take advantage of office hours, so your professor will be glad you dropped by.  

​

The What’s Different About College Writing? article is a great reference point if you are having a hard time transitioning from high school to college writing.  It is a tool that you can use to help familiarize yourself with what you should continue to expect from your professors. 

 

It's nice to have a warning about this sort of stuff beforehand, but it is more impactful when you are already immersed in the environment.