how much time do you actually study?

Truly_Blessed · Jun 6, 2004

For general courses I had been studying 2 to 2 1/2 hours about 3 nights a week. I was usually at school for two hours Monday through Thursday. I know that will all change once I start nursing courses in August. Don't know exactly how much studying will be involved, but I have already assumed it's ALOT. I have been told no less that four hours a night, plus studying on weekends. I will be in class from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. I will also have some clinicals at night, and some on weekends.

cherokeesummer · Jun 6, 2004

Well........let me think!

I study as often as I can. I try to find times as I carry my bookbag everywhere! LOL!

I try to read my chapters the night before class and I read during my lunch breaks at work. When I have tests coming up I read a bit on my notes every night.

I don't know how much time though, I guess all my free itme is balanced between studying and computers and FAMILY above all!

School hours:

Tues/Thurs - 6pm - 9 or 10pm

Every other Saturday and Sunday - 8am - 3 or 4pm

Semesters - Jan - June; July - Dec

Ari RN, BSN, RN · Jun 6, 2004

i tried to take a minimum of 75 questions a day. 1½ - 2 hours a day. i must admit i didn't study everyday. just the thought of opening another nclex book gave me chills. glad to say i passed the exam with a minimum of 75 questions. :balloons:

purplekath · Jun 6, 2004

I'm fulltime and I'm doing about 25-30 per week face to face at school. I study as much as I can. Whatever my energy levels are like, I study accordingly. If I'm feeling energised, I will work on assignments. If I'm feeling a bit sapped I will read my textbooks and notes.

Some people do well with only a couple of hours a day study - I can't. I would probably put in a good 4-6 hours a day on top of my classtime in one form or another. In general I think of non-study time as a "bonus"....rather than the other way around.

Having said that, I could probably get away with less - I just like to get good grades :-)

Berta · Jun 6, 2004

School hours are lecture Monday and Wednesday 8-1, clinicals Tuesday and Thursday 8-3. We are expected to put in our own time in the lab practicing required skills and movies. I generally spend 3 hours on Friday for that purpose. Once my requirements are done, I use Fridays as a study day.

My normal study time varies enormously. Somedays, I spend and hour or two. Somedays, four or more. And somedays, none at all. It all depends on the material being covered, amout of extra papers, and if its a test week.

Reading the chapters take a huge chunk of time for me. The thing that helped me the most was making a seperate chart that listed the required reading for each day. I used it as a check list. Beginning on Friday, I would start reading for the upcoming week. Then the night before class, I would quickly review the chapter. This system worked really good for me.

I also tend to always have either my textbook, notes, or index cards with me. That way, I can study if I get a free moment. I usually get a minimum of 15-30 minutes of study time per day while waiting to pick my daughter up at school.

Study time is a highly individualized issue.

Sheri257 · Jun 6, 2004

I don't keep track that much but, if I had to guess, it's probably around 40 hours a week, depending on what's due. It's absurd, but that's usually what it takes for me to make A's.

:crying2:

klone, MSN, RN · Jun 6, 2004

For my science prereqs I've been able to get by with about 4 hours a week per class (and maintain an A). With the CNA class I'm currently taking, no out-of-class studying is even necessary to get an A on the tests. I know that I will have to study a LOT more once I start nursing classes. I expect to be studying about 2-3 hours a day once I start the nursing classes.

Rhoresmith · Jun 6, 2004

My first semester of actual nursing classes I also had A&P II so it varied on what we were covering, since I had a medical backround the first semester was easier for me in the actual nursing classes because alot of the material was review. Second semester was only nursing classes and it was harder but again it varied on the topics covered sometimes you can look at material 1-2 times and it clicks and you have it other times 6-8 times till the light bulb goes on.... Our school says 2 hours for every credit hour in the regular classes but nursing say 3-5 hours for every credit hour, then you have the wonderful world of careplans and that can take 2-5 hours per careplan. I save my careplans on my computer and then I am building up a library of diseases and the meds so I can cut and paste and save allot of time. I also take books or notes with me everywhere and a few minutes here and a few minutes there really help allot. Note cards with just a few facts are great. I do not have A's in my nursing classes but I have B's in all of them and I am settling for that

louxloux · Jun 6, 2004

It depends. Last Semester (Spring '04) was my first semester. I had 4 lectures and 3 clinical labs. I spent alot of time at first, until I got a feel for the instructors, their testing style and their expectations. Toward the end, I was only putting in about 10 hours per week of study time. Studying did not take up the majority of my time... projects, presentations and papers were the time hogs. Finished with a 3.4 GPA for that semester, and felt like the grade reflected my comprehension and ability.

However, I just finished a two week interim semester, taking two classes. One was a clinical skills lab, the other Nursing fundamentals lecture. Classes lasted from 8am - 3pm M-F. During these two weeks, I spent about 3 to 5 hours per NIGHT either reading in advance or studying for an exam. During the weekend, I researched info for upcoming projects, completed them and also studied for exams. It was EXTREMELY intense you had to stay on top of things in order to keep up with the pace. Finished the interim with a 3.0 - and felt very lucky to get that.

nurseshanti · Jun 6, 2004

It depends on the semester. For e.g. during one semester in 2nd year of my nursing degree, I was only taking 3 classes but putting in about 20 hours of lecture/lab/tutorial time a week and then another 20-25 hours on top of the of studying. Thank goodness we weren't in clinicals then!! I know in 4th year, which I'm going into, we will have 1-3 days of clinical a week for the whole year (8 hour shifts ea. day) plus about 10-12 hours/week of lecture/tutorial time. I'm sure I'll end up spending at least 20 hours/week on studying and papers/presentations.

I'm so happy it's summer right now!!

Jill1215 · Jun 7, 2004

This past semester I took A&P II, Microbiology, Music, and Computers. Each night I would study from about 7:00 to 10pm. However, on the weekends my husband worked and my daughter spent Saturday with my mom allowing me to study about 10 hours each Saturday. On Sunday I would study from 7am until noon and then again that evening. I probably averaged 35 hours a week study time. However, I HAVE to study. I really have to go over and over something to understand it the way I want to. My grades reflect the amount of time I put in, and if I did not put in this much time I probably would have not gotten into nursing school!

Jill