Why is college Englih so hard?

[Aaliyah]

When I was in high school, English was a breeze. But I feel like it's SO much harder in college. Does anybody else feel this way? Does anybody else have to write 5 papers in one quarter?

I feel like it went from being my favorite/easiest subject to being my least favorite/hardest subject.

 

[K9_Trainer]

5 papers in one quarter? Wow!

It's been a while since I've taken my engish class, but I remember we had 2 or 3 in class essays, and 2 other papers....One an opinion type, the other persuasive. We had other writing activities as well, but they weren't essays. I didn't find the class hard at all, but it depends on the school and the teacher.

 

[Aaliyah]

Yeah...I wish I had your class. If I could just write 2 papers it would be so much easier. It's so stressful to have to write 5 papers in one quarter. It's like almost a paper every week. I know it's called English Composition but still...

 

[kittysbecute]

When I was in high school, English was a breeze. But I feel like it's SO much harder in college. Does anybody else feel this way? Does anybody else have to write 5 papers in one quarter?

I feel like it went from being my favorite/easiest subject to being my least favorite/hardest subject.

I had an English class my first semester in college that I had to write 5 papers... I think the last one was supposed to be 10 pages... but there were a lot of other crazy requirements in that same class... We had to go to the "Writing Center" for each of our papers, and get a paper signed saying that someone had gone over the paper with us, or a whole letter grade would be knocked off the paper.

I really think it depends on who your teacher is in college. Though I didn't care much for the English Composition class itself, it was much better when I retook it with a different teacher.

I had an English class last semester in college that was much better, it was actually enjoyable to me. It might have had something to do with having a really interesting teacher, but I think even with a different teacher it would have been more enjoyable than the first English class that's required.

 

[explodingboy]

5 papers really doesn't sound that bad for an English class (by the way I did lol at the thread title)

Generally your doing a paper per topic or style depending on the type of English class, but that's still only 1 a week and it's not like the class tends to set much other work.

 

[Darkness27]

It sounds like your doing English 101 composition. Your teacher just seems crazy, when I took it I had 4 major papers, and some small writing assignments. Compared to high school English I feel that I actually learned something, and my writing skills were improving. Although that just may be because all my high school English teachers were either incompetent to the highest degree or took a very laid back approach.

 

[BeautifulDestiny09]

I don't think I had five papers-well depends on the length of the papers, I just had alot of small 1-2 page assignments/summaries, etc...does your campus have a writing center/lab? Those are usually extremely helpful in helping u write papers!

 

[E.C.]

When I was in high school, English was a breeze. But I feel like it's SO much harder in college. Does anybody else feel this way? Does anybody else have to write 5 papers in one quarter?

I feel like it went from being my favorite/easiest subject to being my least favorite/hardest subject.

Because the academic standards within the high school system are an embarrassment.


Five papers in one quarter? Eh... I had to write about six essays in one English class and about ten essays (four were in class) and three to five major papers in another.

 

[Netbug009]

Yeah...I wish I had your class. If I could just write 2 papers it would be so much easier. It's so stressful to have to write 5 papers in one quarter. It's like almost a paper every week. I know it's called English Composition but still...

Huh. That's the name of my English class too.

Yeah, more to write, but you know what's awesome? Broader essay topics. It helps to relate your topic to something you like. I ended up writing about my favorite movie at one point last term.

 

[kevlite2020]

When I was in high school, English was a breeze. But I feel like it's SO much harder in college. Does anybody else feel this way? Does anybody else have to write 5 papers in one quarter?

I feel like it went from being my favorite/easiest subject to being my least favorite/hardest subject.

Get used to essay writing, english won't be the only subject that requires lots and lots of papers from you

Anyways, I have an english degree. If there's anything I can do to help you out, or if you just want someone to proofread anything, feel free to pm me.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

I probably had 8 papers or so in my comm1/2 classes, plus mid terms and finals which were in-class essays. This sounds pretty standard. My papers were shorter than average though, usually 3-6 pages in MLA format.

 

[Aaliyah]

High school English was soooo much different. We basically just read books and stuff like that and maybe wrote ONE paper the entire year. I'm just not used to it, it's so stressful. I think maybe high school should prepare you more for college.

Also, in high school it was so much more laid back. They were just like "write a paper about this" and you just wrote some paragraphs and put your name on it. In college, you have to like write in a certain style, in a certain format, and a bunch of other stuff I've never had to do before.There's just like all these rules I never had to know before. Was I supposed to know this already?

I'm in a different class now and we only have to write two papers so I'm very happy about that. It's the same school, just a different teacher so I think the teacher does have something to do with it.

 

[Aaliyah]

Get used to essay writing, english won't be the only subject that requires lots and lots of papers from you

Anyways, I have an english degree. If there's anything I can do to help you out, or if you just want someone to proofread anything, feel free to pm me.

Thanks.

 

[New_Found_Faith]

I'm in a different class now and we only have to write two papers so I'm very happy about that. It's the same school, just a different teacher so I think the teacher does have something to do with it.

Every semester before I register for classes I go to ratemyprofessors . com, and research what other peiople have said about that particular professor before I register for their class. This tool has helped me a whole lot in college, it can really help you sort out the tough ones and the ones who don't care about their students from the really good ones.

 

[Boss_BlueAngels]

When I was in high school, English was a breeze. But I feel like it's SO much harder in college. Does anybody else feel this way? Does anybody else have to write 5 papers in one quarter?

I feel like it went from being my favorite/easiest subject to being my least favorite/hardest subject.

Blame it on your high school teachers, they were too easy on you. lol I had very difficult english classes in high school and was relieved to see how much easier the assignments were in college. lol

Also, 5 papers in one quarter sounds pretty nice!

 

[Mr.Cheese]

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[aric714]

I guess my high school teachers knew what they were talking about because English in college was a breeze for the most part. I did have a World Lit II class where the teacher disected your every word but it did make me conscious of what exactly I was trying to say. BUT when it comes to other styles like we learn MLA all through out our life and then now my Junior year of college they throw in APA style out of now where and I hate it!

 

[GujuNilesh]

you have to be careful when taking english classes. take it with profs you know will grade fairly.. i used campus professor review sites before taking english profs since i know each prof has their own biased ways to judge papers on grammar.
though if you really want to be a better writer (and believe me its a great to have it) then you want those professors that will push you to new limits...

 

[johndale]

I like essay writing during grade school. College is cooler though. It takes a lot of practice for English essays but it's fun.

 

[Aaliyah]

BUT when it comes to other styles like we learn MLA all through out our life and then now my Junior year of college they throw in APA style out of now where and I hate it!

I KNOW! What the heck is APA style anyway? I still have no idea. Oh well the teacher I have now doesn't seem to care.

This is how I got through high school English. I would write about the topic that we were assigned and get an A or B because supposedly I'm a really good writer! We would turn in a rough draft, then turn in the final draft. I just WROTE the paper.

Now I get to college. We have to write 5 papers (2 in the class I'm taking now yay!) in one quarter. They have to be different styles. Never had to do that in HS. Not to mention you have to go through this big long writing process which I never did in HS. I'm the kind of person that just thinks of stuff and writes it down, so I had no clue how to do this pre-writing crap.
Oh and we always have to have a thesis statement and my thesis statement is never profound enough for my teacher. Oh well it's a new experience but hopefully I'll get through it somehow.