Campus Connection

For students

By Charlene Holler, Academic Specialist, Counseling and Testing Center Have you ever heard of a “rule of thumb” as to how many hours you should study in college? When I ask this question most often I get the response of “two hours outside of class for every hour I am in class.” But when I ask those same students where they heard that piece of advice they are unsure. Some say high school teachers, some say their parents, and many do not know. Could it be an “urban myth?” But “urban myth” or good advice, try to think of putting in twice the effort outside of class for the learning covered in the class. Keep in mind that not all classes are created equal when it comes to study efforts. If you lack the knowledge background in a subject, if you are only taking a class because it fulfills a requirement, or if you really have no interest in the subject matter, odds are that you will not treat that class as you do one in your major. I would like to stress the point however that you must balance your study time. The total amount of time you study cannot be skewed to just the classes that you like. In fact, with any of the tips I present I would like you to remember that when the class is the hardest for you that is when you need to use all the learning tips possible to master the material. If you are very purposeful in what you need to learn you will be much more effective in your learning. Think in terms of the quality of your study time instead of just the quantity.