In high school, your child was busy, so busy that many times you felt he was overscheduled. He was required to be in school a set number of hours, like 7:30 to 2:30.  Then there was almost always something after school — whether it was practices or games, band or play rehearsal, SAT prep, driver’s training or other extracurriculars. Plus homework.  Now, as a college student, your child seems to have an abundance of free time.  Why is that?

In-class time versus preparing-for-class time

In higher education, a fairly standard formula is applied to time in class versus class preparation:  For every hour a student spends in class, he is expected to spend two to three hours studying and preparing for that class.  So, if your child is taking a full load, he may be in the classroom only 12-15 hours a week. Under the formula, your child should also be spending a minimum of 24 to 30 hours preparing for class and studying.  On the high side of the formula, that would go up to 36 to 45 hours in preparation.

Maybe your child has too little free time? 

Consider the freshman who plans a pre-med course of study.  At most schools, this will require that he take two pre-med related courses per semester.  If he enrolls in both a Biology and a Chemistry course, he will be in class three hours a week, with at least two hours in labs and possibly yet another several hours in a study group. Each science/lab class consumes about 14 hours in class; multiply that by two and then add in additional study time.  Those two science classes are almost a full time job…yet he still needs to take two other classes. 

Time mangement skills are critical

Most schools offer workshops, seminars and other materials designed to help students adjust to their new calendar.  George Mason University offers “Academic Skills Workshops” in study strategies, exam strategies, concentration and motivation.  Virginia Tech offers similar workshops online. Wake Forest University’s  Learning Assistance Center (LAC) offers similar training, including increasing reading speed.  James Madison University’s online Learning Toolbox offers help with organization and advanced thinking in addition to test taking, note taking and writing.  In the next week alone, The College of William and Mary has five strategic learning workshops scheduled.

Is your child reading and writing effectively?

Academic success is tied to directly to the ability to read and write effectively.  Amherst College offers students The Writing Center where they can review a specific assignment with a mentor, attend workshops, and receive instruction on writing skills.  Graduate and undergraduate students trained in writing will meet with students for up to an hour at Georgetown’s Writing Center.  There are three writing workshops scheduled in the upcoming week at Christopher Newport University’s Alice Randall Writing Center.

Help is out there

Managing all that “free” time is a challenge for college students and one that doesn’t always come naturally.  Colleges and universities commit resources to providing help for students.  If your child is finding the adjustment challenging, encourage him to take advantage of the services available on campus.