“I’m gonna talk a bit about the jump from school to university. I call it a jump because that’s exactly how it feels. Like a leap. With your eyes shut. Off a cliff. At night. Into shark-infested waters. At least that’s how it felt for me the first time.” 

(One student describing her experience of starting university in the book Humanising Higher Education)

The transition from school to university is difficult. It is a time that can cause great anxiety for any student, and the fact that many arrive unprepared for the demands of university study and its lifestyle doesn’t help. 

They often struggle to manage their time, to understand the academic skill requirements and even find it difficult to manage their feelings. Covid-19 hasn’t helped. Students entering university in September may find it even more difficult to settle in after a year of interrupted learning, lack of social interaction and a general sense of uncertainty.

The good news is that there are things schools can put into place to support their students to prepare for this transition. There are three key areas that, if embedded correctly, can make a positive impact on this enormous change for young people.

How schools can prepare students for university

Critical-thinking skills

Ensuring that students develop critical-thinking skills and the academic skills to succeed is vital. Universities require students to be self-directed learners, so only being able to memorise information to regurgitate in an exam will not cut it.

At university, students are encouraged to debate and challenge views to develop their critical and analytical skills, as well as their creativity. They are expected to understand academic conventions such as referencing, academic writing and plagiarism. In fact, this is an area that causes a huge amount of stress for students, and it could be very easy to fix before they join university by providing opportunities for students to practise.

Life skills

There are a lot of life skills that students need at university - like budgeting, cooking and self-care - and these can be decisive in whether they sink or swim. We see large numbers of students who spend thousands of pounds of their student loan and by the middle of their first term have no money to buy food and other necessities. Some have never had their own bank account and don’t understand what an overdraft is or how to use it.  

Others struggle managing their self-directed study time. If they’re accustomed to having every spare hour filled with top-down ways of learning, suddenly having so much time on their hands can be overwhelming. Getting them into the habit of managing themselves can be transformative. 

Socio-emotional intelligence

Socio-emotional intelligence has a great impact on students’ sense of self, confidence, empathy and, ultimately, their wellbeing. It can help them to manage their emotions when they are homesick, engage in pro-social behaviours while on campus and to be motivated to learn, even when that’s disrupted and online. 

Opportunities to discuss important issues, wellbeing check ups and giving students opportunities to reflect on their feelings, behaviours and reactions are great ways to begin this journey of discovery and ensure a successful transition into higher education.

Camila Devis-Rozental is senior academic lead in socioemotional intelligence and service excellence at Bournemouth University