Course overload: why balance is necessary

By Michelle Dustin

“How many credits are you taking?” a customary conversation starter in the world of higher learning. A question often asked by the student sitting next to you in class, amidst the other standbys: “What’s your major?” and “When will you graduate?”

It’s a familiar question requiring a simple significant answer.

Its significance is clear. The typical rigors of college life, hours of studying (in and out of the classroom), the need for meticulous time management, self-sacrifice. With family and social life yielding to the demand of deadlines, these rigors are only amplified by the number of credits a student pursues. While many variables affect a student’s scholastic experience, a strenuous course load is a considerable influence.

How much is too much? The definition of a “strenuous” course load is subjective and assigning a generic number of credits as “too much” is inadequate. Students must carefully consider their individual capabilities and define their own limits.

If these limits are exceeded, students will likely find that their coursework will suffer. Shiela Kunkle, assistant professor first college of individualized and interdisciplinary studies, sees firsthand the effects of an overworked student, “I find that students with too much on their plate—and especially full-time jobs—have greater absenteeism and are less able to keep up with weekly readings and assignments.” Crunched for time, students struggle to stay on top of assignments.

Cliffnotes.com reports, “Each unit of credit requires two to three hours of outside class work per week. So, a student carrying 15 credit hours should plan to spend 30 to 45 hours each week studying beyond the classroom. So if you tally study time and class time, a typical student invests from 45 to 60 hours in academic work each week.”

Senior Lisa Overby reveals, “I used to schedule time to do homework, now I squeeze it in when I can. I am no longer the 4.0 student I was years ago when I was young and childless. I now am just trying to get through.”

Undertaking a course load that is disproportionate to the amount of time and energy a student can give to his or her schoolwork is bound to hinder their quality of work. Quality of workmanship may suffer, but so too may the quality and depth of learning. With students scrimping through course readings and assignments,-and sometimes missing class altogether-it’s reasonable to assume that they are absorbing and retaining less. An overextended schedule makes it difficult for a student to fully engage in each of their individual courses. Studies have shown that students who study fewer topics in greater depth are more successful than students who study several topics with little depth. James McLeod, the college of arts and sciences dean at Washington University in St. Louis, concedes, “Part of an excellent education is doing a few things well. I think the fewer credits a student takes in the semester, the better.”

While achieving a thorough education is a primary goal, maintaining one’s health and stability is a chief concern in the potentially high-stress environment of higher education. A 2005 Huntington University survey found that “academic stress was positively associated with symptoms of depression and physical illness.” Anxiety and depression are real concerns for college students with unrealistic expectations of themselves and their ability to juggle several classes, work and family and social responsibilities.

Exams, of course, are major stressors in a student’s life-especially for students with a heftier class load.

Dow Medical College conducted a survey in 2006 in which 90.8 percent of participants indicated extensive course loads as a contributing factor to test anxiety. By choosing a more manageable course load, students may substantially reduce their risk of suffering a mental or physical health breakdown.

With registration for spring semester fast approaching, it’s important that students realistically assess both their capabilities and their limitations. When students respect these boundaries, they will undoubtedly find their college career to be more fruitful and gratifying. When registering for spring semester, Shiela Kunkle advises students, “Do not overload yourself. Education is a gift you are giving to yourself.”