2. AVAILABLE RESOURCES

2.1 Information – transition

​1. Characteristics and challenges associated with the transition to adulthood and to college

The transition from secondary school to college is a stressful time because two types of transitions occur at the same time: a developmental transition (from adolescence to early adulthood) and an institutional transition (from high school to college). The co-occurrence of these transitions means that you have to deal with a lot of changes at the same time. Research-based indicators reveal that there are many important changes happening in the course of the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

This research conducted by American researcher Jeffrey Arnett shows that 40% of young people between the ages of 18 and 25 perceive themselves as adults, whereas nearly 60% of them consider themselves to be adults only in certain ways. You may want to take a look at these different indicators, listed in the sheet below. You’ll realize that you’ve already made or undertaken important changes, while you’ll be able to transform other aspects of your life eventually, in the future. You can check off each of these indicators by indicating the column that applies to your situation. This exercise will provide you with an overall picture of your journey to adulthood.

2. Arnett's Indicators of Transition to Adulthood

Click here or on the image on the left to download the *.pdf document.

3. Free online orientation test

Some websites offer free career/orientation tests that can give you ideas regarding your career path. You might also find helpful to talk to your guidance counselor.

4. Reference articles

Finally, if you’re interested in reading about the transition from secondary school to college, consult the "Texts" section of this tab.

Chantal Beaucher's text, which was published in 2006 in Vie Pédagogique, might be of interest to you (Click or on the images on the left to download the documents *.pdf ).