Study Time Matters

Study Time Matters By Vicki Nelson

New college students want to do well, but they don’t always know what’s required to do well. Finding and spending quality study time is one of the most important skills to master, but it's not as simple as it sounds.

If a student is struggling in class, one of the first questions I ask is, “How much time do you spend studying?” Very often, a student’s answer doesn’t match the expectation that most professors have. There’s a disconnect about “how much is enough.” Most college classes meet for a number of “credit hours” — typically 3 or 4. The general rule is that students should spend two or three hours on outside-of-class work for each credit hour or hour spent in the classroom. Therefore, a student taking five 3-credit classes spends 15 hours each week in class and should

be spending 30 hours on work outside of class.

When we talk about this, I can see on students’ faces that for most of them this isn’t even close to their reality. According to one survey, most college students spend 10–13 hours a week studying — less than half of what’s expected. Why Such a Disconnect?

College is very different from high school, but the total time committed to academics is more similar than you might think. Let’s crunch some more numbers.

Most high school students spend six hours a day or 30 hours a week in school. That adds up to about 1,080 hours in school a year. On average they spend four to five hours a week on homework, or 180 hours a year. That puts the average time spent on class and homework combined at 1,260 hours per school year. Now let’s look at college: Most semesters are 15 weeks long. That student with 15 credits (five classes) spends 225 hours in class and, with the formula above, should be spending 450 hours studying. That’s 675 hours a semester or 1,350 for the year. That’s more than the 1,260 in high school, but only 90 hours, or an average of three hours more a week.

Being a full-time student is a full-time job. Start by looking at the numbers with your student and then encourage them to create strategies that will keep them on task. With understanding and practice, your student can plan for and spend the study time needed to succeed in college.

The problem isn’t necessarily the number of hours — it's that many students haven’t flipped the equation and recognized the time expected outside of class.

In high school, students did much of their work during their school day. The hour or so a day of homework was an add-on. In college, students spend a smaller number of hours in class and are expected to complete almost all their reading, writing, and studying outside of class. The expectation doesn’t require significantly more hours — the hours are just allocated differently. What students sometimes see as “free time” is really just time that they are responsible for scheduling themselves.

How to Fit It All In?

Once we look at these numbers, the question that students often ask is, “How am I supposed to fit that into my week? There aren’t enough hours!” I remind students that there are 168 hours in a week. If they spend 45 hours on class and studying, that leaves 123 hours. If they sleep eight hours per night (few do!), that’s another 56 hours which leaves 67 hours, or about 9.5 hours a day for work or play. Not every student will spend 30+ hours a week studying, but understanding what’s expected may motivate them to put in some additional study time. That takes planning, organizing, and discipline. Students need to be aware of obstacles and distractions (social media, partying, working too many hours) that can interfere with their ability to find balance. What Can Your Student Do?

Here are a few things your student can try.

‡ Start by keeping a time journal for a week. Record what you’re doing each hour as you go through your day. At the end of the week, observe how you spent your time. How much time did you actually spend studying?

Socializing? Sleeping? Texting?

On social media? At a job? Find the “time stealers.” ‡ Prioritize studying. Don’t hope that you’ll find the time. Schedule your study time each day — make it an appointment with yourself and stick to it. ‡ Limit phone time. Many students find it almost impossible to turn off their phones. It may take practice, but putting the phone away during designated study time can make a big difference in how efficient and focused you are. ‡ Spend time with friends who study. It’s easier to put in the time when the people around you are doing the same thing. ‡ If you have a job, ask if there

is any flexibility with shifts or

responsibilities. Ask whether you can schedule fewer shifts at prime study times like exam periods or when a big paper or project is due. You might also look for a campus position (for example, at a computer lab, library, or information desk) that allows for some study time while on the job. ‡ Strengthen your time management skills. Block out study times and stick to the plan. Plan ahead for long-term assignments and schedule bitesized pieces. Don’t underestimate how much time big assignments will take.