@bleadingheart The workload is quite a lot, but is manageable if he has built up his organization and time management skills. It is all an intricate balance of academics and everything else (sleeping, eating, exercising, socializing, clubs).
An average quarter will be around 13-16 units and be around 18-25 hours in class or lab. You can estimate around 18-25 hours minimum of studying to keep afloat. That leads to 36-50 hours of school work. If you want higher grades add in more time, club work and projects can also add in more time. I would estimate my workload varied from around 40 hours freshmen year to around 70 hours junior and senior year. Keep in mind that I had a full load and was leading a club. I’ve seen people get by with around half of that, but they often don’t get the competitive internships and/or scholarships.
It really comes down to the person and what they want out of college. Personally I love exercising and it helps me relieve stress, but when things got busy it was one of the first things to go. Often you will see people who choose to do more socializing and less club work or sleep. I found club work to be one of the most rewarding parts of my college career and invested heavily into it.
Like all things, your mileage will vary, and it’s important to surround yourself with the correct tools to succeed. What works for one person may not work for others. It’s probably most important that your son picks school that is right for him and the rest will fall into place.