Scolon/Edison How many hours do you study?

19. April 2010 by student.

How many hours do you study in college every day?
Do you have time to read your highlights? Or should you make notes as you go along, besides taking notes in class?

Is being in a study group really helpful?

I try to do my homework soon after class so it’s fresh in my mind. It varies how long I study- I study enough to grasp and understand the material. On the highlights/notes, I usually try to review my notes and highlight the important point’s right before class for 10-15 mins.

For me, study groups have never helped because there’s always been more socializing then studying.

I was told by a professor, that a good rule of thumb is 2 hours per credit per week. Example: a 3 credit class equals 6 hours per week of study/homework. What helps you will be different for every person, and the amount of study needed for a class will differ for every class. Study as much as you need to grasp the material. The first term of your freshman year, sample a lot of different study techniques and find the best that works for you. Personally, I’ve found:
1) Highlighting helps me, because I can refresh before a test without rereading the whole book.
2) Study groups are really not for me, but if you can get one together that really limits the socializing then its worth a try.
3) I’ve found retyping my notes very helpful. It reinforces what I learned, its a great review, and is much quicker to read during a test or review.
4) Bring out the flash cards again. If you’re taking any class that requires a lot of memorization (language classes, a&p, biology, etc.), making flash cards can be really helpful. You can easily stick them in your back pocket and spend time reviewing them while waiting in line at the cafeteria, waiting for class to start, or anywhere else that you find 5 minutes with nothing to do.
5) Figure out a system and stick to it. Some people like to get all their work done during Su-Th so that they can reward themselves with Friday and Saturday. Other people like to spend a little bit of time every day so that the work is spread out more. Find what works best for you and stick with it. 

6) Stay away from home; go to a library, or park, somewhere quiet but away from home. I found that trying to study at home gets you nowhere. You will always find something to do that will distract you from your studies.

7) Try to work part-time instead of full time if possible; I know it’s hard especially during this economy. Apply for as many grants as possible to help with your tuition cost and living expenses.

Eat right and get enough sleep, studies show that college student eating on the run and not getting enough sleep are getting the poor grades vs the students taking the time to eat a proper meal and getting enough sleep. Your education is important, but your health is more important. 

The general rule of thumb regarding college studying is, and has been for a long time, that for each class, students should spend approximately 2-3 of study time for each hour that they spend in class.  Many students carry a course load of 15 credits, or approximately 15 hours of class time each week.  Doing some simple math indicates that the student should be spending roughly 30 hours of study time and 15 hours in class.  This 45 hours is the equivalent of a full time job – the reason that a student is called a full time student.  For many students, this number is a surprise.

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