History Main / CollegeIsHighSchoolPart2

* Both averted and lampshaded in Creator/StephenKing 's "Hearts In Atlantis": The first-person narrator of one story comments that he and his friend were wishing college were more like high school without even realizing it.

''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In "Rebel Without a Glove", Daffy ends up teaching a political science course at the local college. Bells ring to mark the start of classes.

Many television and movie writers, however, seem unusually clueless about how different college life really is from high school life. Thus, they'll apply many popular high school tropes to university settings. Some, such as the SadistTeacher, are perfectly applicable in a college setting. Others, however, are not. Either because they're unrealistically below the maturity level of your typical college student, or they're simply not feasible within the general structure of university life. For example, a team of thuggish [[JerkJock football player]]s perpetually bullying a shy/awkward freshman is ''highly'' unlikely in a university setting since they will not live in the same building, attend the same classes or have remotely the same schedule. Just as unlikely is a close-knit group of students having the exact same class schedule each semester.

* ''{{Accepted}}''

* Played completely straight on ''Series/{{Community}}''.

Many television and movie writers, however, seem unusually clueless about how different college life really is from high school life. Thus, they'll apply many popular high school tropes to university settings. Some, such as the SadistTeacher, are perfectly applicable in a college setting. Others, however, are not. Either because they're unrealistically below the maturity level of your typical college student, or they're simply not feasible within the general structure of university life. For example, a team of thuggish [[JerkJock football player]]s perpetually bullying a shy/awkward freshman is ''highly'' unlikely in a university setting. As is a close-knit group of students having the exact same class schedule each semester.

** Actually Justified and Inforced, as it is a fake college for people who couldn't get into any real college due to a variety of reasons, mostly personality disorders; and are acting like immature people because that's what they believe College to be like.

re and compassionate than in the first two movies.

* ''Possibly'' averted in ''ToyStory3''. Andy, who is now 18 years old and going off to college, is depicted as being appropriately more mature and compassionate than in the first two movies.

One could argue that the reason why this trope exists is because most college-themed works are aimed at a high school audience. And, since most people would be uncomfortable watching "naive" high school students (for example) engaging in raunchy/anti-social behavior, writers instead use a college setting, while implementing enough high school tropes that their works will still be relatable to the average high schooler. In other instances, it's simply a matter of [[DidNotDoTheResearch not doing the research]].

-->-{{MST3K}}, ''The Home Economics Story''.

The transition from high school to college is typically one of the biggest transitions you'll make in your entire life. Abruptly gone are things like principal's offices, standardized school scheduling and forced/required teacher compassion. Similarly, "popular crowds" are mostly relegated to certain dormatories. And bullying now takes on a more subtle and "adult" form (for example, the "Young Republicans" vs. the "Young Democrats"). In college, no matter how athletic or smart you are, you're basically a nobody in the midst of a large and culturally-diverse student body. And, unlike in high school, your instructors and parents will not determine your general course of action. Your life plan is now completely up to you.

Many television and movie writers, however, seem unusually clueless about how different college life really is from high school life. Thus, they'll apply many popular high school tropes to university settings. Some, such as the SadistTeacher, are perfectly applicable in a college setting. Others, however, are not. Either because they're unrealistically below the maturity level of your typical college student, or they're simply not feasible within the general structure of university life. For example, a team of thuggish [[JerkJock football player]]s perpetually bullying a shy/awkward freshman is ''highly'' unlikely in a university setting. As is a close-knit group of students having the exact same class schedule each semester.

One could argue that the reason why this trope exists is because most college-themed works are aimed at a high school audience. And, since most people would be uncomfortable watching "naive" high school students (for example) engaging in raunchy/anti-social behavior, writers instead use a college setting, while implementing enough high school tropes that their works will still be relatable to the average high schooler. In other instances, it's simply a matter of [[DidNotDoTheResearch not doing the research]].

* Justified in ''AnimalHouse'', since the Delta Tau Chi fraternity is depicted as the fraternity that all the burnouts and "dumb kids" join.

* Both averted and lampshaded in StephenKing 's "Hearts In Atlantis": The first-person narrator of one story comments that he and his friend were wishing college were more like high school without even realizing it.

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[[folder:Theater]]
* The play ''{{Wicked}}''. Glinda and Elphaba are in college, despite Glinda singing about the Pop U LAAAR and Fiyero being the big man on campus.

Needless to say, this trope occurs in almost EVERY college-themed comedy. Also, expect to see this in television shows starring a group of high schoolers that go off to college mid-series.

[[folder:Films -- LiveAction]]

->'''Crow T. Robot''': "Iowa State College, the high school ''after'' high school."

* ''SavedByTheBellTheCollegeYears'': the main characters usually shared the exact same classes and still found the time to remain as close knit as ever.

* Played completely straight on ''{{Community}}''.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same plots and conventions they've been using since Urkel became a mainstay.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same stale "be yourself" [[AnAesop aesop]] they've been using since Urkel became a mainstay.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same stale "be yourself" [[TheAesop aesop]] they've been using since Urkel became a mainstay.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same stale "be yourself" aesop they've been using since Urkel became a mainstay.

* The play {{Wicked}}. Glinda and Elphaba are in college, despite Glinda singing about the Pop U LAAAR and Fiyero being the big man on campus.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same stale "be yourself" aesop it's been using since Urkel became a mainstay.

** This is particularly sad when you consider that Urkel going to college actually could've breathed some new life into the series and given it some interesting new storylines. Instead, the writers played it safe and continued using the same stale "be yourself" aesop it's been using since Urkel became a mainstay.