By Patrick O’Connor
Last time, we talked about making sure you get the most value out of your classes and career training if you’re planning to transfer to another school. There’s another important way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your tuition whether you’re transferring or not, and it only involves some simple math.
Students coming back to school or going taking college or career training for the first time often wonder how much time they will need to study and prepare outside the class. Many students think this answer is pretty easy; they just think back to the amount of time they spent studying in high school, and decide that’s the amount of time they’ll need with these classes as well.
Why You Need More Study Time in College
Most students find this approach doesn’t work very well. For starters, your high school classes probably met every day, which means you spent less study time remembering what you talked about in class – since the subject was fresh in your mind, homework and study time went more quickly. On top of that, chances are your college and training courses cover more material than your high school classes did, and at a faster pace. The Algebra class that took up a year in high school takes only twelve or fifteen weeks in college; that usually means you need more time out of class to keep up with the ideas being presented in class.
Finally, there’s the difference between what your home life was like in high school, and what it’s like now. You may have kids now; you probably didn’t then. You may be working more now – or you may have a job that requires you to do some work at home just to keep up with the office. Combine this with the bowling league or the scrapbooking club, and life now many not be as open-ended as it was then, which usually means you need even more time to get in the groove of studying.
Study Tips: How to Budget Your Time
The best approach for new students to take to study time is the 2-to-1 rule, where you spend two hours studying outside of class for every hour you are in class. If you’re taking an English class that meets three hours a week, you’ll probably need six hours a week outside of class to read, copy your notes, study your notes, and write rough drafts. If your computer class meets two hours a week, set aside four hours to read the book, practice online, and write your own programs.
If this seems like more time than you thought you’d need, you aren’t alone; one student heard about the 2-to-1 rule and said “So taking one class is the same as working a 10 hour job.’ He was exactly right – that’s why most teachers and counselors recommend students working full-time start out with only one class, to make sure there’s time for work, school, and home. This could mean it will take longer to finish your training or degree, but the other alternative – taking too many classes and failing them – is much more costly in a number of ways. For the first term or two, taking it slow is the way to go.
This approach isn’t perfect – some of the more hands-on tech classes may require less time, and some math and science classes may require more – but this is a good place to begin. Keep track of your study time, and by next semester, you’ll have a good idea of exactly what you’ll need.
As a counselor and college adviser for 25 years, Patrick O’Connor has helped unemployed workers, veterans, returning students, and new high school graduates learn new skills, earn degrees, prepare for graduate school and get better-paying jobs. He’s a past president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and author of the widely acclaimed college guide, College is Yours in 600 Words or Less. Most important, he’d like to help you realize your goals for college and career success.
