College report
There is a new 2011 university report about the study of 480,000 college students attending over 600 U.S. universities. The report found that study time of college students varies significantly depending on the fields of study. Students in Computer science and Engineering averaging about 28 hours study per week, while students in Sociology, History, and Humanities averaged around 12 hours per week. Business and Natural science averaged about 18 hours a week. Although the common rule is for each hour in class, students must spend at least 2 hours to study individually. However, some fields such as computer science and engineering often require more study time than other fields.
There is an alarming trend about college drop out. The report found that about one in nine student entering college quit after the first year. Many considered college too hard as they had difficulty learning the materials, managing time, and interacting with faculty. Many of these students were not prepared for college study or received proper guidance when entering college. The study also found that only three out of ten students sought help when they had problems but often too late. Few of them would talk to school counselors about their problems but often quit school as they felt they were failures. Many of them found works in restaurants or department store. Some involved in drug and crimes.
The study found that first-generation college students (neither parent went to college) spent significantly less time preparing for college than students with at least one college-educated parent, yet they were more likely to study harder, taking careful notes during class, connecting learning to things they already know, and identifying key information from readings. They had more disadvantages but overcome them by working harder.
Among successful students who graduated and found jobs, over 84% of them had career plans in their first or second year. Most have discussed their future with faculty members or career advisors. About two third of them participated in summer job in their field of study to gain experience. However, participation rates differed by field of study: from a high of 78% for computer and engineering to a low of 42% for business majors.
The study concluded: “Our findings suggest that college faculty and school leaders need to review their expectations for academic work, particularly by field of study. They can also do more to help students become effective learners by explicitly teaching study skills and career planning as early as possible. To reduce the rate of drop-out, it is recommended that all students entering college must take study skills training course to prepare them to be successful and all students must have a career plan on file with school counselors to set the direction for their study. These plans must be reviewed annually to ensure students are still following them….”
The report points out the important of connecting student to specific training programs, career paths and encourage more collaboration between schools and students to improve their learning experience.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
