Is college really difficult? More so than High school?
Absolutely everything Nutty said.Depends. You have more freedom. Freedom to succeed. Freedom to fail. If you are goal oriented, define your goals and go. If you are easily distracted, save your money.
Also, High School teachers are motivated to get you to pass to make themselves look good, unlike colleges. There are college classes, freshman level usually, that are called "cut courses". Like cutting cows out of the herd, they cut the low performers out. The college wants only the best and brightest to represent their alumni. Not everyone should go to college.
It is really up to YOU whether you succeed or fail in all things. Intelligence is certainly one part. Dedication and ability to understand new concepts is another. Plan on teaching yourself.
Yep, I went to college and graduated. I'm now gainfully employed. Choose your major carefully. Arts, business and psychology are harder to get well paying jobs. Do able, but more difficult. DD#1 is freshly graduated in biology and doing the internship rounds. It pays, but isn't consistent or comfortable. Look at the publications that advertise the highest paying college graduates fresh out of school, if that motivates you.
What is the opposite of gainfully employed?
It takes much more studying, and preparedness, even when I was in the advanced courses. As long as you work hard, stay focused, know when to not overwork yourself, and get some sleep, sleep is important no matter what college students tell you, when you sleep you let your brain process what it learned.