College vs. High School

        College is different from high school in workload.  In high school you might, for example, have 24 hours of classes per week and 12 hours of homework.  In college, however, this reverses: for every 12 hours of class per week, you are supposed to complete 24 hours of homework.

        Why?  There is a national standard that college teachers are expected to follow.  It is based on credits.  This standard says that for every credit a class has, there should be—each week—one hour of class and two hours or more of homework.  (See right.)

Combating the Work Time

        Many college teachers believe that in college you should pay almost complete attention to your studies.  No teachers will lighten your load because of your job or family: all students are on an equal playing field.  If you are short on time, here are some tips:

Scheduling:

·     Create a written schedule of time and commitments.

·     Choose your total hours carefully—see chart at right.

·     Take a mix of hard, easy, and intermediate courses.

Efficiency:

·     Decide what grade you want and work for that.

·     Learn to do what is required—not twice as much.

·     Figure out shortcuts while maintaining results.

·     Study with others only if it creates better learning.

Place, Time, & Food:

·     Find study places where you won't be interrupted.

·     Use a comfortable place and comfortable clothes.

·     Prepare your food, drink, and music ahead of time.

·     Snack every few hours: protein helps thinking.

Brain Breaks:

·     Stay on task; then take short, regular breaks.

·     Change subjects/tasks every one to three hours.

·     Take a walk or exercise before studying or at breaks.

·     Sleepy?  Do something: nap, walk, or get caffeine.

Brain Health:

·     Study when you're bright, straight, and feeling up.

·     Exercise 20+ min. per day to be mentally sharper.

·     Get a reasonable amount of sleep each night.

·     Take a short nap or two each day for alertness.

·     Be efficient about being emotionally upset: run it off, write it out, or pound the floor; then get back to work.

·     Give yourself 1-2 hours of free time per day.

Average Expected Work for a Course

1-cr. course—1 class hr. + 2 hmwrk. hrs. = 3 hrs./wk.

2-cr. course—2 class hrs. + 4 hmwrk. hrs. = 6 hrs./wk.

3-cr. course—3 class hrs. + 6 hmwrk. hrs. = 9 hrs./wk.

4-cr. course—4 class hrs. + 8 hmwrk. hrs. = 12 hrs./wk.

5-cr. course—5 class hrs. +  10 hmwrk. hrs. = 15 hrs./wk.

School Work as a Part- or Full-time Job

If you take 6 cr.:   School is an 18 hrs.-per-week job.

If you take 12 cr.: School is a 36 hrs.-per-week job.

If you take 18 cr.: School is a 54-hrs.-per-week job.

How Much Work Do Students Actually Do?

        If you average all students, including those who flunk, you see less work time and poorer grades.    In the 1990s, a survey at the University of Minnesota among undergraduate students showed the following:

Freshman and sophomore students

·     finished about 1 hr. of homework per 1 hr. of class

·     received about a B- grade average

Junior and senior students

·     finished about 1.5 hrs./homework per 1 hr. of class

·     received about a B+ grade average

          Clearly, for an A or A- average, an average student must work 2 hrs. for every 1 hr. of class.  Some people may need to do more, depending on the class.

Do Some Classes Require More Time?

        Yes.  Choose courses carefully, as dramatic differences can exist.  Math and writing, for example, often require much more time than the average course.  Other courses may require less than average.  This may be so especially if you are, for example, a fast reader in a reading-rich course, a strong academic writer in a course with many papers, or a good memorizer or test taker in a course emphasizing objective testing. Your strength or weakness in a subject is important.

         Also choose teachers carefully, as they can differ in methods, expectations, and contents.  How a teacher's personality complements yours can be a factor, too. 

          In addition, your stress level can make a dramatic difference.  Materials or work methods you dislike or resist can make one hour of homework feel like three, but homework you enjoy may make three hours feel like one.  Being positive and healthy also reduces stress.