The average semester for a College student consists of 15 to 18 units. If a student wants to be cost-effective and graduate on time, they shouldn’t work or have an internship while they attend College.
A 15 to 18-unit class load is roughly four to five classes a week. If the student takes classes on-campus, then the classes will meet multiple times a week.
Registering for classes can be tedious and frustrating, especially if a course a student needs is only offered for one class period instead of multiple.
If a student has a job or an internship, it can be very difficult to schedule classes around their work or internship schedule. This will prolong the amount of time it takes to get a degree, and will also increase the amount of money students spend on their education.
Tuition increases every year. According to the Student expense and resources survey (SEARS), tuition for Pierce College for the 2013-2014 school year was $36 per unit. This year, 2014-2015, tuition is $46 per unit. That is a 28% increase in just one year.
Each class requires two to three hours of outside studying per week based on how difficult each is. If a student is taking 15 units, that is an additional 15 hours of school work on top of the hours spent in class.
Having an overloaded work and school schedule can cause lack of sleep. According to the National sleep foundation (NSF), sleep is vital to your well-being, and not having enough sleep can be harmful.
Not having enough sleep limits a student’s ability to learn, concentrate and solve problems.
The average college student works or interns 21 hours a week according to the American Association of University Professors. That does not give a student the appropriate amount of time to sleep or hours to study to be successful.
If a student is overwhelmed with work or an internship and taking classes, he or she can fall behind on their schoolwork causing the student to retake the course.
Re-taking courses requires more time and more money.
A college student will be successful if they balance work and internships during their college career. The more time they can spend focusing on school versus work or internships, the more successful they will be in their college education.
