The transition from school to university or VET

What's different at TAFE and uni?

Choosing what you study

University and VET courses cover a much wider range of subjects than secondary school and within each course you may be able to select a specialisation (sometimes called a ‘major’) or electives. You will have the chance to focus on the area you’re most interested in and ditch anything you found boring at school. If you have a particular career goal in mind, you should be able to see the link between what you’re studying now and what you’ll be doing after graduation.

Making your own friends

When you were at school you probably saw the same 30 people every day for years. In contrast, some first-year university classes will have hundreds of students, and you’ll be mixing with different crowds for each subject. VET classes are usually a little smaller, but it’s still hard to get to know people if you only see them once a week. On the upside, with such a large pool of potential friends to choose from you’re bound to meet a few you really click with.

Getting yourself to class (or not)

If you ever had trouble finding the right classroom at school, just wait until you’re switching between buildings, or even campuses and workplaces, for each subject. At least with those big classes the lecturer may not notice if you make it or not. On one hand you’re free to skip Friday afternoon lectures for a few rounds at the pub and no one is going to give you detention. On the other, many courses require 80% attendance and a note from your mum isn’t going to get you a pass.

Managing your own time

University and VET timetables are often a far cry from the regular 9–3.30 high school grind. You could have anything from two to ten hours of classes per day, known as ‘contact hours’, and you may even have days without any scheduled classes at all. Don’t get too excited though — low contact hours may seem like easy street, but there’s an expectation you will do a large amount of reading and personal study outside class (many courses recommend two or three hours of study per contact hour).

Keeping on top of things

Whereas secondary school assessment was often broken up into weekly tasks, tertiary courses are more likely to set essays or projects to be worked on over the whole semester. Unlike school teachers, professors and instructors won’t always remind you when assignments are due, chase up late work or notice if you're struggling. With thousands of students drifting through their classrooms each week, they may not even remember your name!

Setting up a home

For many students their first year at university or in VET will also be their first time living away from home. As well as mastering the Harvard referencing style or advanced chemistry lab work you’ll be balancing your own finances and learning how to cook and do laundry.

Doing things your own way is a lot of fun, but so many new experiences and responsibilities at once can be overwhelming. If you’re feeling confused don’t forget to ask your lecturer or instructor for help or take advantage of the student support services available.

What if you're not ready to adjust to uni life?

If you still don’t know what you want to do with your life, or can’t bear the thought of tertiary education or work straight after leaving secondary school, a gap year could be the right option for you. A gap year grants you time to discover yourself: likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, for example.

But if your idea of a gap year includes tropical beaches, banana lounges and beer, think again — that’s a year off! A properly planned gap year can prove a sound investment, adding real value to your curriculum vitae. Equally, a poorly managed year out may cost you more than a hefty overdraft. Most employers will expect evidence of time well spent, not a year of playtime.

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