How long should I study for classes?

This will be highly dependent on the subject matter and the individual student. However, a good rule of thumb is that you should spend between 2-3 hours of study time per credit hour that the course meets. For example, if you are taking a 3 credit course, then you should spend 6 to 9 hours per week studying for the course. If you are spending less time, you are either brilliant, already know the material or are inadequately preparing. If you are spending more than 9 hours per week on the course, then it is likely that you do not have the prerequisite background for the course or you are not studying effectively.

I note that study time should include only actual time spent reading, doing problems, etc. -- not time spent chatting with friends at the library, or time spent watching YouTube videos while "studying."

One way to assess whether you have studied enough for a class is to take a practice exam (from a prior semester). If you achieve a perfect or near perfect score (i.e., >90%), then you likely have studied enough. If you score less than that, you likely have to study more.

Many of my students (I have taught college classes and law school classes as an adjunct professor) have argued that my guideline hours are excessive. However, I disagree strongly. College should be a full-time job (assuming that you are taking a full course load of 12 credits), and you should be spending at least as much time (i.e., 40-50 hours per week, not counting commute time) on your studies as if you were working full-time.

Hi Alex: You should study math at least every day. Even though your math class might only meet twice a week, study math every day. Here are a few points:

*Do the reading first

*Do the homework

*Refresh your memory every day. Repetition and practice are key

*Take a small bit of information at a time. Don’t try to learn a lot at one time or remember it without reviewing the information you learned again daily. 

*Source: https://www.dominican.edu/academics/advising/aaac-how-to-study-math

Additional Info on Studying

When it comes to studying, managing your time is of the upmost importance. You should determine how much time spent studying is enough, which varies from student to student and from one class to another. The amount of time studying depends on how many classes you are enrolled in, your personal study habits, and your educational goals. So the amount of study time is an individual decision and there's no one right or wrong way. You'll also want to manage your time wisely because distractions could easily crop in. Here are some tips on managing your time effectively:

#1 - Make a detailed study schedule and write it down

#2 - Prioritize your assignments

#3 - Prepare for temptation

#4 - Find a production study environment

#5 - Stay organized

*Source: https://www.intelligent.com/manage-your-time/

From a parent's true experience. . . When I was studying for my PMP (Project Management Professional) Certification I had to prepare for it twice due to life experiences got in the mix (ie, death in immediate family, sell property in another state, etc). I got my family on-board and went full steam ahead until I got my certification. One thing that helped me out tremendously was that I went to the library on Saturdays and Sundays from open till closing so I could stay focused and not get distracted by what was going on at home (ie, cooking, housekeeping, running errands, etc). I did this for a set time frame until I took and passed the exam.

I share my personal experience with you to say this. I know that studying for a professional certification may be slightly different than studying for a class - or not. You could still use the same concepts listed above to help you get started. I wish you well with studying. Do not let it overwhelm you. Don't forget to take breaks to recharge the brain. :)

Best of Luck to You!

Hi Alex

You have to manage your time between english and Maths , if you are very good in english then daily 1 hour is sufficient for english and minimum 2 hours for maths .So if you face any issues to understand the maths then you need to do practice , practice and practice after than you will love maths.

I would encourage you to not get stuck on time. In my experience, and the same for my 11 year old son today, he dedicates time based on the topic. Set goals for yourself to complete a certain number of math problems and then create personal rewards for accomplishing that goal.

If if you need to focus on a time to discipline yourself, start with a target time. Go with one hour and see how far you get. Additionally if you have a study hall during the day, leverage that time too.

One great eat tip for math, always show your work and then do the opposite of your problem to confirm it’s accurate. i.e. if you are doing division, do the multiplication problem that would compliment the question to confirm the answer.