When someone is asked to say what comes to mind when they hear high school he or she might say pointless, going to athletic events, homecoming, prom, parties, hanging out with friends, etc. And when college is mentioned the first things that come to the same person's mind are going to clubs, a lot of homework, lectures, exams, etc. Then when that person is asked to state how college and high school are similar they could have a problem with being able to come up with things, when really there are several. Although beginning high school students believe high school and college are two totally different worlds a student might be able to do better in college if he or she learns to do some things earlier, such as set goals, managing time, and taking care of their health. .
Although reaching goals in high school may not seem very important, setting them in high school helps students when they go to college. Two types of goals are known as minor and major. A major goal is long and distant and a short term goal is more simple. High school students set minor goals all the time. Some examples are passing a test, completing a homework assignment early, or even getting a chapter read before eating dinner. These goals may seem small and even though no one has achieved great success from one assignment or quiz, reaching small goals can add up and help students reach their major goals (Pauk, pg. Six). Examples of major goals are for beginning high school students are getting straight A's all four years of high school and getting into Harvard. To reach these big goals students must obviously work hard and achieve small goals along the way. They must study hard, do well on assignments, and avoid things that could get in the way of reaching these goals. This takes a great amount of self-discipline. Setting goals is something that is very important to learn how to do in high school that will help students in college.