Many students find it harder to study when they are at university or college than when they were at school. Why is this? What can be done to solve the problem?

Many students find it harder to study when they are at university or college than when they were at school.
Why is this?
What can be done to solve the problem?

It is a common observation that many students face increased difficulty in their academic pursuits when transitioning from school to university or college. This essay will explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and propose effective solutions to address it.

There are several factors contributing to the increased difficulty students experience at the tertiary level compared to their time in school. One prominent of these is the increased and overwhelming academic rigor, which comprises not only academic workload but also personally oriented goals. At the school level, students are generally provided with structured curricula and closely monitored for progress. In contrast, university education places a greater emphasis on independent learning and critical thinking. This shift in expectations can be overwhelming for many students, leading to reduced study efficiency. In other words, new forms of learning, such as in-depth research, intensive reading assignments, or presentation projects, are actually more demanding and time-consuming and require students to pay more deeply attention to the lecture. If students are not well-prepared and quickly adaptive to the transition, they will have a sense of falling behind their peers, especially those who have less adaptability skills. Moreover, the support system at this level, which is more impersonal and extensively covers a larger class, can differ greatly from that at school. For example, students have less chance to establish personal connections with professors because of their academic struggles, like research papers or presentation slides, and instead, they spend most of their time in the library.

To address this problem, universities and colleges are encouraged to implement a range of proactive solutions. Firstly, comprehensive orientation programs that prepare students for the upcoming academic and social disparities of higher education should be offered at the beginning. To be more specific, this program may include workshops or seminars that can help students have a different perspective on the upcoming course. Furthermore, in terms of class size, if universities and colleges can facilitate opportunities for closer interaction among students, like smaller class sizes and group discussions amongst the lectures, students will be provided with a better- rounded learning environment, which can foster a sense of community between students and teachers or peers.

In conclusion, the challenges students face when transitioning from school to university are multifaceted, encompassing academic rigor and study skills.By implementing comprehensive transition programs and providing support services, university may play a vital role addressing this issue; hence, students can have more successfully adapt to the demands of higher education

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Errors and Improvements:

"increased difficulty" -> "heightened academic challenges"
Explanation: Replacing "increased difficulty" with "heightened academic challenges" introduces more formal and precise language, aligning with the academic tone of the essay.
"propose effective solutions" -> "suggest viable remedies"
Explanation: Substituting "propose effective solutions" with "suggest viable remedies" maintains formality and introduces a more sophisticated synonym for "solutions."
"prominent of these is" -> "foremost among these factors is"
Explanation: Changing "prominent of these is" to "foremost among these factors is" adds clarity and formality to the sentence, offering a more precise expression.
"overwhelming academic rigor" -> "intensive academic demands"
Explanation: Replacing "overwhelming academic rigor" with "intensive academic demands" maintains the idea while using a more formal and specific term.
"personally oriented goals" -> "individually tailored objectives"
Explanation: Substituting "personally oriented goals" with "individually tailored objectives" enhances the academic tone and provides a more nuanced expression.
"closely monitored for progress" -> "systematically assessed for academic advancement"
Explanation: Changing "closely monitored for progress" to "systematically assessed for academic advancement" introduces a more formal and specific phrase, aligning with academic language.
"new forms of learning" -> "novel modes of learning"
Explanation: Replacing "new forms of learning" with "novel modes of learning" maintains the meaning while incorporating a more sophisticated term.
"in-depth research" -> "comprehensive research endeavors"
Explanation: Substituting "in-depth research" with "comprehensive research endeavors" maintains formality and introduces a more elaborate expression.
"pay more deeply attention" -> "pay greater attention"
Explanation: Changing "pay more deeply attention" to "pay greater attention" corrects the grammatical structure while maintaining clarity and formality.
"quickly adaptive" -> "rapidly adaptable"
Explanation: Substituting "quickly adaptive" with "rapidly adaptable" introduces a more precise and formal term, enhancing the academic tone.
"a sense of falling behind their peers" -> "a perception of lagging behind their peers"
Explanation: Replacing "a sense of falling behind their peers" with "a perception of lagging behind their peers" offers a more formal expression while maintaining clarity.
"impersonal and extensively covers a larger class" -> "less personalized and spans a larger student population"
Explanation: Changing "impersonal and extensively covers a larger class" to "less personalized and spans a larger student population" provides a more formal and precise description.
"orientations programs" -> "orientation programs"
Explanation: Correcting the typo in "orientations programs" to "orientation programs" ensures grammatical accuracy and maintains formality.
"upcoming academic and social disparities" -> "anticipated academic and social differences"
Explanation: Substituting "upcoming academic and social disparities" with "anticipated academic and social differences" introduces a more formal and precise expression.
"have a different perspective on" -> "gain insights into"
Explanation: Changing "have a different perspective on" to "gain insights into" introduces a more formal and nuanced phrase, enhancing the academic tone.
"facilitate opportunities" -> "foster opportunities"
Explanation: Replacing "facilitate opportunities" with "foster opportunities" maintains formality and introduces a more sophisticated term.
"class sizes and group discussions amongst the lectures" -> "class sizes and interactive group discussions during lectures"
Explanation: Correcting the phrase "group discussions amongst the lectures" to "interactive group discussions during lectures" ensures clarity and formality.
"better-rounded learning environment" -> "holistic learning environment"
Explanation: Substituting "better-rounded learning environment" with "holistic learning environment" introduces a more formal and specific term.
"fostering a sense of community between students and teachers or peers" -> "cultivating a sense of community among students, teachers, and peers"
Explanation: Changing "fostering a sense of community between students and teachers or peers" to "cultivating a sense of community among students, teachers, and peers" provides a more precise and formal expression.
"students can have more successfully adapt" -> "students can more successfully adapt"
Explanation: Correcting the phrase "students can have more successfully adapt" to "students can more successfully adapt" ensures grammatical accuracy while maintaining clarity and formality.

Band điểm Task Response ước lượng: 6

Band Score: 6.0

Quoted text: "At the school level, students are generally provided with structured curricula and closely monitored for progress. In contrast, university education places a greater emphasis on independent learning and critical thinking."
- Explanation and Improvement Suggestions: The explanation regarding the transition from structured curricula to independent learning is well articulated. However, it lacks depth in addressing the impact of this shift on students’ study efficiency and why this change poses a challenge. To enhance this, delve deeper into specific challenges faced due to independent learning, such as time management or adapting to diverse teaching methods, showcasing how these aspects hinder study efficiency.
- Improved example: "At schools, the syllabus is meticulously structured, guiding students step by step. However, at the university level, the emphasis shifts dramatically towards independent learning. This transition demands adept time management and the ability to assimilate varied teaching styles and sources. For instance, juggling multiple coursework deadlines and deciphering diverse subject matter without explicit guidance can overwhelm students, impacting their study efficiency."
Quoted text: "Moreover, the support system at this level, which is more impersonal and extensively covers a larger class, can differ greatly from that at school."
- Explanation and Improvement Suggestions: The mention of the impersonal support system at universities is relevant. However, it lacks depth in explaining how this impacts students’ ability to cope with academic challenges. To improve, elaborate on specific instances where this impersonal support system hampers students’ ability to seek guidance or form meaningful connections with professors, hindering their academic progression.
- Improved example: "Furthermore, the shift towards impersonal support systems at universities limits students’ opportunities to seek timely guidance or build rapport with professors. Unlike in schools where students have personalized attention, the larger class sizes and limited interaction opportunities hinder students from seeking clarifications or forming mentoring relationships, affecting their academic adaptability."

Overall, while the essay generally addresses the transition challenges from school to university, enhancing the depth of explanation by providing more specific examples and elaborating on the impact of these challenges on study efficiency could significantly bolster the Task Response criteria.

Band điểm Coherence & Cohesion ước lượng: 7

Band Score: 7.0

Explanation:
The essay demonstrates a logical organization of information and ideas, maintaining a clear progression throughout. There is a good use of cohesive devices, although there are instances of slight overuse, particularly in the phrase "more demanding and time-consuming." The central topic within each paragraph is clear, with well-structured arguments supporting the thesis. Paragraphing is generally effective, but there is a minor instance where the transition from discussing academic rigor to support systems could be smoother. Overall, the essay effectively addresses the prompt with a cohesive and well-organized structure.

How to Improve:
To improve coherence and cohesion, consider refining the transition between discussing academic rigor and support systems. Ensure that cohesive devices are used judiciously to avoid overuse, and pay attention to maintaining a smooth flow between ideas. Additionally, a careful review for any repetitive phrases or unnecessary repetition of points will further enhance the overall coherence of the essay.

Band điểm Lexical Resource ước lượng: 7

Band Score: 7.0

Explanation: The essay demonstrates a good range of vocabulary, with an attempt at using less common lexical items. There is some awareness of style and collocation, and the essay generally maintains precision and flexibility in conveying meanings. However, there are occasional errors in word choice, spelling, and word formation, though they do not significantly impede communication.

How to improve: To enhance the Lexical Resource, the writer could focus on refining the accuracy of less common lexical items and pay closer attention to word choice, spelling, and word formation. Additionally, incorporating a wider variety of vocabulary with more sophisticated control will contribute to achieving a higher band score.

Band điểm Grammatical Range & Accuracy ước lượng: 7

Band Score: 7.0

Explanation:
The essay demonstrates a commendable command of grammar and a varied range of sentence structures. There is evidence of complex structures throughout the essay, showcasing a good level of grammatical control. The majority of sentences are error-free, contributing to the fluency and coherence of the essay. Although a few minor errors exist, they are infrequent and do not significantly impede communication. The essay effectively employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, contributing to the overall quality of the writing.

How to improve:
To elevate the score to Band 8, the writer could strive for even greater precision and clarity in their expressions. While the essay contains a wide range of structures, polishing sentence structures further and refining grammatical nuances can enhance the overall coherence. Additionally, vigilance in avoiding occasional errors would contribute to a more consistently error-free essay. Overall, maintaining the current level of complexity while refining accuracy would result in a stronger essay.

Bài sửa mẫu

It is commonly observed that many students encounter increased difficulty in their academic journey when moving from school to university or college. This essay will delve into the reasons behind this phenomenon and suggest effective solutions to tackle it.

Several factors contribute to the heightened difficulty students face at the tertiary level compared to their time in school. One prominent factor is the heightened academic rigor, encompassing not only the academic workload but also personally oriented goals. In school, students usually follow structured curricula and receive close monitoring of their progress. In contrast, university education places a greater emphasis on independent learning and critical thinking. This shift in expectations can be overwhelming for many students, leading to reduced study efficiency. In other words, new forms of learning, such as in-depth research, intensive reading assignments, or presentation projects, are more demanding and time-consuming. Students need to pay more attention to lectures. If students are not well-prepared and quickly adaptive to the transition, they may feel they are falling behind their peers, especially those with less adaptability skills. Moreover, the support system at this level, which is more impersonal and covers a larger class extensively, can differ greatly from that at school. For instance, students have fewer chances to establish personal connections with professors due to academic struggles like research papers or presentation slides, and instead, they spend most of their time in the library.

To address this problem, universities and colleges are encouraged to implement a range of proactive solutions. Firstly, comprehensive orientation programs that prepare students for the upcoming academic and social disparities of higher education should be offered at the beginning. To be more specific, this program may include workshops or seminars that help students gain a different perspective on the upcoming course. Furthermore, in terms of class size, if universities and colleges can facilitate opportunities for closer interaction among students, like smaller class sizes and group discussions among lectures, students will be provided with a better-rounded learning environment, fostering a sense of community between students and teachers or peers.

In conclusion, the challenges students face when transitioning from school to university are multifaceted, encompassing academic rigor and study skills. By implementing comprehensive transition programs and providing support services, universities may play a vital role in addressing this issue. Hence, students can more successfully adapt to the demands of higher education.