How to Succeed in College
Hints on How to Succeed in College Classes
The Key to Success: Study Time
The single most important key to success in any college course is to spend enough time studying. A rule of thumb is that you should expect to study about 2 to 3 hours per week outside of class for each unit of credit. For example, a student taking 15 credit hours should expect to spend 30 to 45 hours each week studying outside of class. Combined with time in class, this works out to a total of 45 to 60 hours spent on academic work—not much more than the time a typical job requires, and you get to choose your own hours. Of course, if you are working while you attend school, you will need to budget your time carefully.
As a rough guideline, your study time might be divided as shown in the table below. If you find that you are spending fewer hours than these guidelines suggest, you can probably improve your grade by studying longer. If you are spending more hours than these guidelines suggest, you may be studying inefficiently; in that case, you should talk to your instructor about how to study more effectively.
If Your Course Is:
Time for Reading the
Assigned Text (per week)
Time for Homework
Assignments (per week)
Time for Review and Test
Preparation (average per week) Total Study Time (per week) 3 credits
2 to 4 hours
2 to 3 hours
2 hours
6 to 9 hours
4 credits
3 to 5 hours
2 to 4 hours
3 hours
8 to 12 hours
5 credits
3 to 5 hours
3 to 6 hours
4 hours
10 to 15 hours
General Strategies for Studying
Budget your time effectively. Studying 1 or 2 hours each day is more effective, and far less painful, than studying all night before homework is due or before exams.
Engage your brain. Learning is an active process, not a passive experience. Whether you are reading, listening to a lecture, or working on assignments, always make sure that your mind is actively engaged. If you find your mind drifting or falling
The Key to Success: Study Time
The single most important key to success in any college course is to spend enough time studying. A rule of thumb is that you should expect to study about 2 to 3 hours per week outside of class for each unit of credit. For example, a student taking 15 credit hours should expect to spend 30 to 45 hours each week studying outside of class. Combined with time in class, this works out to a total of 45 to 60 hours spent on academic work—not much more than the time a typical job requires, and you get to choose your own hours. Of course, if you are working while you attend school, you will need to budget your time carefully.
As a rough guideline, your study time might be divided as shown in the table below. If you find that you are spending fewer hours than these guidelines suggest, you can probably improve your grade by studying longer. If you are spending more hours than these guidelines suggest, you may be studying inefficiently; in that case, you should talk to your instructor about how to study more effectively.
If Your Course Is:
Time for Reading the
Assigned Text (per week)
Time for Homework
Assignments (per week)
Time for Review and Test
Preparation (average per week) Total Study Time (per week) 3 credits
2 to 4 hours
2 to 3 hours
2 hours
6 to 9 hours
4 credits
3 to 5 hours
2 to 4 hours
3 hours
8 to 12 hours
5 credits
3 to 5 hours
3 to 6 hours
4 hours
10 to 15 hours
General Strategies for Studying
Budget your time effectively. Studying 1 or 2 hours each day is more effective, and far less painful, than studying all night before homework is due or before exams.
Engage your brain. Learning is an active process, not a passive experience. Whether you are reading, listening to a lecture, or working on assignments, always make sure that your mind is actively engaged. If you find your mind drifting or falling