You Asked, They Answered

College students answer high schoolers’ burning questions

The team of student contributors at the GapWell Guide are on a mission to help college-bound high school seniors successfully navigate the transition from high school to college.

That first year can be tricky so leveraging wiser older students is a key ingredient for setting up a teen for success. GUEST CONTRIBUTOR & current high school junior Seth Gehl from Bethesda, Maryland talked to high school juniors and seniors and asked them one simple question:

What are your biggest questions about college?

Below are the most common questions, and their answers—straight from college students themselves!

How much work is college compared to high school?

“For me it was around 3 times the amount from high school,” said Noah (Washington University in St. Louis ‘28). “This seems like a lot more, but considering there are typically seven classes every day in high school versus around 2-4 in college, it won't be daunting.” 

That doesn’t mean it’ll be a cakewalk. According to Wake Forest University, “Most faculty would agree that students should be spending 30 hours a week on homework in a traditional 15-credit semester.” However, careful time management and consistency (rather than last-minute cramming) can make this a very manageable workload.

Plus, there are ways to effectively schedule classes so as not to get overwhelmed: Noah added, “When registering for classes, make sure not to take too many hard classes at once, and take lighter classes during the winter if you’re in a place where the winters get bad.”

What will I do for fun in college?

“I think the biggest thing is to try as much as you can and to meet a ton of people,” said Sam (Brown University ‘26). There are a number of ways to do this, he explained: “Whether it’s social groups, greek life, clubs, intramural sports, or whatever else, definitely go for it.” 

These are all tried and true methods of having fun in college: roughly 10% of college students nationwide are involved in Greek life, around 20% are involved in intramural sports (with a disproportionately high percentage of freshmen taking part, making it an especially good option for first-year students), and over 60% are involved in at least one club on campus.

Over 60% are involved in at least one club on campus.

No matter what your interests are, you’ll likely be able to find peers in college who share them. From the coloring club at the University of Alaska to the University of Chicago’s Zombie Readiness Task Force club, no passion is too niche for collegiate clubs.

And if none of those options are of interest, there are always ways to have fun in a less structured way. Sam added, “Just hanging out with friends is always a good time.”

What do I do if I don’t like my professor?

Most college students know the feeling of walking into a new class and quickly realizing that they and the professor aren’t a good match. Luckily, it isn’t always an unsolvable problem.

“Usually during the first week or so of classes, you will be able to swap out classes,” explained Gabriel (Worcester Polytechnic Institute ‘27). “If you can tell early on that you aren’t going to like your professor, you can try to find another class to take instead.” Even if that isn’t possible, there are often resources available to students that allow them to learn effectively even with a subpar professor. Gabriel said, “If your professor is bad, but there’s a good TA, then I recommend using that TA’s discussions and office hours as a sort of replacement for the professor.”

Additionally, it is often possible to avoid the issue of a bad professor before even attending a class. By vetting potential professors before registration, you can escape the hassle of dealing with bad ones. “Look up all your tentative professors on Rate My Professors to avoid having a terrible professor, as 95% of the time these reviews are accurate,” Gabriel recommends. Additionally, at a number of colleges, it is possible to visit a number of classes before choosing which ones to sign up for; this allows students to see if both the professor and the content of the class are a good match for them.

How do I get a research opportunity in college?

“I just talked to one of the professors at my university,” said Kevin (Vanderbilt University ‘26). “I hadn’t even ever taken a class with her; I just looked for professors on my school’s website, and emailed a number of them asking if they had any need for undergraduate research assistants.”

There are many advantages to getting a research position in college. Beyond just providing a way to get involved in fascinating research, many of these positions have added benefits. Some positions, for example, may reward students with credit hours; others pay research assistants an hourly wage. Plus, for students interested in potentially pursuing graduate school, research experience is a guaranteed way to bolster an application.

At some colleges, like Towson University or Carnegie Mellon University, there are also dedicated research clubs. If your school has one of these, it can be the ideal, easy way to find your way into a lab. 

There are no shortage of ways to find research opportunities in college. Whether it be by emailing professors, going to research club meetings, attending professors’ office hours and asking them in person, or even just talking to older students to see how they found their research positions, there’s really no wrong way to go. “People don’t realize just how easy it is to find research opportunities. Professors are always excited to get undergrads involved,” Kevin said.

What’s it like to study abroad?

“I’m currently studying abroad, and it’s great so far,” said Micah (Cornell University ‘26). “I’m living with a host family in Sevilla as well as taking direct enrollment classes at the University of Sevilla, so it’s quite the immersive experience.”

Studying abroad is increasingly common: according to the Association of International Educators “the number of U.S. students studying abroad for credit during the 2022-23 academic year increased by 49%.” And this increase is for good reason; there are a number of advantages to studying abroad.

Micah explained, studying abroad is an “amazing opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the country and world, learn new things, travel to new and exciting places, and really immerse yourself in what going to school in another country is like.”

There are a wide variety of options for those interested in studying abroad. You can learn Spanish in Spain, immersing yourself in the language to reach fluency faster; study philosophy in Greece, the home of philosophical juggernauts like Socrates and Plato; take music classes in Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Mozart; study business in Hong Kong, a growing hub for global trade; and more. 

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