1. The amount of study material
At university, the amount of study material covered per lecture is much greater than in secondary school. I still remember a teacher asking us to study a full chapter for our very first lecture, and me panicking while trying to understand 40 pages of cell biology. What I didn't know at the time was that at university, you don't have to read and memorise everything word for word. Whereas in secondary school you had to read and memorise the entire chapter, at university the trick is to filter the material and understand the main points. Pro tip: images with captions and the summaries and practice questions at the end of a chapter are your best friend. The lectures themselves are often a good summary, too. So, make sure you take notes, because that's half the work!
2. The language
Many study programmes at university are English-taught. Not only are the lectures in English, but books, academic articles, and other study materials are in English as well. Plus, you will also meet students from all over the world in your lectures, on campus, or at your sports or student association, so English becomes your go-to language pretty soon. Luckily, you will get used to this quickly!
3. Scientific articles
In secondary school, you mostly learn from books, but at university, you will get to work with a new type of study material too: scientific articles. Not only are you expected to learn from them, but you also have to use them to support reports and assignments. Whereas in secondary school, you might have been able to get away with using a random website or your own opinion, at university, you actually have to rely on scientific literature. Don't worry if you don't understand anything at first, because nobody does. Eventually, you will learn how to read an article efficiently. Pro tip: start with the abstract (the summary) and the conclusion to get a general understanding of the article, and then filter out what else you need.
4. Broad versus specialised subjects
In secondary school, you probably took various general subjects, such as chemistry, mathematics, physics and biology, for example. At university, you take about 3 to 5 specific subjects per 10-week quartile. Because you take fewer subjects, you go much deeper into the material and learn everything in your field in great detail. This way, you not only learn the general principles of a subject, as you did in secondary school, but you also learn, for example, the physics behind imaging techniques or the mathematics behind algorithms.
5. Freedom and responsibility
At university, your “homework” (aka self-study assignments) is no longer checked, attendance is rarely compulsory, and you won’t get detention if you are late. Long live freedom! However, this does mean that you have much more responsibility: you have to keep track of what material you need to study and when, and which assignments you need to complete. This so-called self-study probably takes more time than you are used to from secondary school, and therefore requires good planning! The content of a course and its deadlines can be found in the syllabus. My tip: give it a good read during the first week of a course.
6. Number of tests
In secondary school, you probably had several tests for each subject, spread throughout the year. At university, you usually only have one exam per subject, for which you often have to master more material. Your exams are the main factor in determining whether you pass the course, although assignments and reports you complete may also count towards your grade. That's why it's extra important to start studying early at university.
7. Number of fellow students
When you think of university, you might imagine large lecture halls with hundreds of students. Quite different from the smaller classes you are used to in secondary school! However, I must say: it's not that bad. Yes, you will occasionally attend lectures with many other students – that also depends on your study and the course you are taking – but at the University of Twente, for example, the lectures are relatively small-scale. It may not be quite what you are used to from secondary school, but especially during the seminars and practicals, there is plenty of room for questions and personal contact with your lecturer and fellow students.
8. The timetable
Your timetable at university is also very different: instead of having the same timetable every week, your timetable at university varies much more. One day might be packed from 8:45 to 17:30, while another day you’re off in the morning, afternoon, or even the whole day. However, sleeping in and relaxing during all these moments is not necessarily the intention ;). These moments are planned for self-study or project meetings. Moreover, at university you will probably have much longer breaks: the lunch break lasts 75 minutes and you get a 15-minute break between classes.
9. Types of education
At university, you will come across some different types of classes:
- Lecture: The lecturer explains the material.
- Tutorial: You work on various assignments related to the material. The lecturer or student assistants are there to help.
- Q&A: You can ask questions about the material or the assignments.
- Self-study: You study the material and make assignments independently.
- Practical: You train your practical skills.
- Project: In each module, you work on a societal or business challenge with group members.
In secondary school, these components were more or less incorporated into one class, whereas in university, they will all be separate classes. This way, you know exactly what to expect when you look at your timetable!
10. Holidays
Bad news: at university, you often have fewer holidays than you’re used to. Most universities only have summer and Christmas holidays. At the University of Twente, you’re in luck, since we also get a spring break. Besides, resits for most study programmes are scheduled in the week after the exam week, so with a bit of luck (and effort) you'll also have some time off between modules!
Hopefully, you can now start university with peace of mind. And even though there are some differences with secondary school, studying at university is something you get used to very quickly. Good luck and, above all, have fun!
