Students study more than professors think

According to a new study for IU-based National Survey of Student Engagement, professors aren’t happy with the amount of time that students put into studying for their classes. 

But, according to the same study, students spend much more time preparing for classes than their teachers think they do. 

The study, conducted among 285,000 freshmen and seniors at 546 four-year colleges,  found there is a marginal difference in the amount of studying that teachers believe students do and the amount they actually do. 

Students studying the professional field, such as nursing, architecture and other health sciences, say they study about 17.6 hours a week preparing for class, while professors believe they only spend 15.9 hours preparing. 

Also, men typically spend less time studying than women.

Students earning A’s,  on average spend four hours or more than those earning lower grades.

“I study about three to four hours a day,” sophomore Aviva Taeidkashani said.  “That means I probably spend about twenty to thirty hours a week studying.”

Junior Jason Abramsohn said he can spend 20 hours or more in the library a week.
With finals coming up, students such as freshman Alexa Paige think about where they want to study. 

For Paige, sitting at her desk while listening to her iPod is the best location.  
Other students prefer to study in a public area.

“I study best in a place where others are studying,” sophomore Leslie Theisen said. “In a place where it isn’t too quiet.”