Skidmore vs Reed

SHolmies
Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:23:56 +0000

Reading. Reading. Short written assignment. Reading. Reading. Big paper. Reading. Big other project. Reading. Reading. Response. Reading. Problem set. Reading. Conference prep. Reading. More Reading.

It’s kinda like that.

I think the only ‘studying’ (read: cramming) I did was for tests, and the only tests I took were in science and language. Reed isn’t real big on regurgitation. Other than science, language or ‘applied’ art classes, most midterms and finals are papers, so ‘studying’ is more like reading/researching and writing. Sometimes they’re group or other projects instead, but even those will often have a written component.

It’s hard to say “Oh you spend 2.41 hours outside of class studying for every 1 hour you spend in class” because the amount of time spent in class can vary so much. Most courses meet either 1 hour 3x/week or 1.5 hours 2x/week. Classes with a lecture usually have lecture 1 hour 3x/week and conference 1.5 hours 2x/week. Science courses are that plus 4 hour labs (btw science classes KILL your schedule so get them out of the way early). Art classes meet 3 hours 2x/week. Etc. So it can vary from 3-9 hours/week per class, and you take 3-4 classes each semester. Plus Chem/Physics is more math/problem set heavy, while Hum/Lit/History/PolySci is more reading and writing heavy, which will dictate different amounts of work outside of class.

I’d say I probably averaged 4-6 hours per night on homework, 5 days a week, and that included readings, short written assignments, art stuff, and problem sets when I was taking a science course. Big papers/projects, midterms, and finals required more time on top of that, so then I usually worked 7 days a week. But as I mentioned on the other thread, I set rules for myself (no all-nighters, no work on Friday nights), which I’d recommend in order to retain some balance in your life and make room for other stuff, whether that’s more sleep, time with friends, or an extracurricular you are passionate about. I’m someone who needs 7-8 hours of sleep per night to function properly, other students I know function on 4-5 hours so they are able to squeeze more in.

I think in recent surveys, students said they averaged 3.8- 4.8 hours of work per night, though I’m not sure if that’s limited to school nights or every night.

I think your first and last semesters at Reed are the most difficult-- getting into the swing of things and learning how to manage the workload as a freshman, and then completing your thesis as a senior. I remember during my first semester I would ask people, “Do you really do ALL of the reading EVERY night?” because I came from an environment where that was a) expected b) possible and c) necessary to be a great student. But at Reed, sometimes it’s not humanly possible to read every single word of every single assignment, so it’s important to learn how to prioritize your assignments, how to study efficiently, how to skim, how to find and absorb the important stuff. The DoJo tries to help students learn those things early on, and they also offer free drop-in peer tutoring every school night. If you do end up coming here and feel overwhelmed, just remember that a) You can do it! You are smart and capable! It wasn’t a fluke that you got in! and b) There are people and resources available to help you succeed, so don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

If Reed’s academic environment/intensity sounds 20% scary, 30% daunting, and 50% secretly thrilling, you’ll be in good company. I was worried when I first started, but I lived to tell the tale and it was totally worth it.