Most people see teachers and professors in the same light. They perform similar tasks. They teach. However, a subtle line of distinction separates them. High school teachers help a student build a foundation of knowledge and train them to focus on learning. College professors help shape and define a student's knowledge base and challenge them to cultivate their minds. High school teachers and college professors have similar goals and guidelines, but they take a different approach to achieve the end result. The way the course is delivered, academic expectations, and students' view of responsibility are just some of the contrasts between high school teachers and college professors. A high school class and a middle school class work in different ways. In high school, teachers exercise control over the flow of information, while college professors encourage the student to search for relevant information. Throughout the year, a high school teacher will remind the student of upcoming due dates and homework requirements. If a student misses a test or assignment, the teacher will provide missing notes or study guides so that the student is kept up to date with the rest of the class. For example; When I was in high school, I missed a week of school to go on vacation with my family. My mother spoke with my teacher before we left and he agreed to let me turn in my homework when I returned to class. Additionally, my teacher allowed me to make up the one quiz I had missed while I was away. Neither the late homework nor the missed quiz was reflected in my grade. A college professor would have made me choose between a good grade and a family vacation. In contrast, the university professor ... middle of paper ...... student must monitor his or her own progress and find solutions to problems as they arise. A university professor will not listen to excuses and neither will the consequences of failure be remembered. For example; I failed a math final by only six points, but the rules say ac minus doesn't pass. It was my responsibility to realize that I needed help in math before taking that final. I had to face the consequences and retake the course. A high school teacher provides a foundation of knowledge in preparation for the higher expectations of college. The college professor strives to encourage independent learning, critical thinking, and self-reliance. High school and college professors may have different viewpoints, but both affect the world at large. Henry Adams once said, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence ends.’