Workload

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

<p>I was just wondering what the average work load is like? Obviously it varies by major for Chemical Engineering majors are going to have a lot more work than say a Communication major. I am a sophomore transfer majoring in Legal Studies. I was just wondering what the average workload is like. Are most people in the library Monday-Thursday and Sunday? I know it obviously depends by majors and classes. Just wondering if I could get a general idea. Where I am transferring from, I am barely working and I taking upper-level Legal classes. NO ONE goes to the library. Really not a challenging environment at all. Really hoping to challenge myself academically at Madison and not take easy, worthless classes I feel like I am taking now. Appreciate the help. Sorry if this is kind of a stupid question. </p>

<p>P.S... If anyone is a Legal Studies major, any advice/tips on classes, workload, etc would be much appreciated.</p>

2

<p>The workload is intense all around. I, in fact, am a Communications and English Lit major, and my work is cut out for me every day. This is the case across the board here. You are will be doing several hours of work after class every single day - the “easy” classes here demand something of you. Average work load? - maybe 6-8 hours a day of studying on a non-finals week. Of course, this will vary depending on personalities and course schedules (exam weeks, weeks with papers being heavier). Be prepared to have to study all the time - it’s how UW operates. That being said, there’s a work hard, play hard mentality on campus.</p>

3

<p>The workload depends on the student, not the major. The best students will be the ones that choose something they actively like and want to learn a lot. Those students may choose a major that is more challenging for them than another major would be and may take more credits per semester than the average. Some will have a lot of aptitude and make their major seem easy- English or Engineering can easy or hard depending on your background. A math course may require as many hours of homework doing problem sets as reading/writing papers for a literature course. Never assume one major is easier than another- they all have enough opportunities to challenge any student. Neve think someone majoring in one field is smarter than someone in another major- they hopefully chose majors that work with their strengths. The engineering major may flounder with papers and the English major with the problem sets- different, not easier/harder types of work.</p>

<p>The general rule has always been to anticipate spending 2 hours outside of class for every credit. This means a typical 45 hour week for 15 credits, including class time. Some weeks could be lighter, others more intense. It also depends on how much you retained from previous school work- study habits and learning/paper writing strategies developed.</p>

<p>kimu08 said it well. You are paying for the education- get as much from it as you can. This means you get out of it what you put into it. UW obviously thinks you can do it- they admitted you, and they have advisors to help you get started.</p>

4

<p>Mehhh…I think it depends. I honestly don’t have a lot of work most of the time. Right now there’s a lot since the semester is ending, but generally I don’t really have to do too much. I generally don’t take more than one hard class at a time, though, so that could explain it. I’m a psych major, and I mostly take electives that interest me, so I already have a lot of knowledge about the topics as well so that helps.</p>

<p>Just saying that not EVERYONE has to study like crazy here. A lot of people do. I don’t know too much about Legal Studies other than the department doesn’t seem to have a lot of classes, so you might wind up with a lot of electives. That’s fine, but that’s going to mean your workload is directly related to which electives you choose.</p>

5

<p>Is College Library pretty busy during the week? the reason I ask is at the school I am at now it seems like the library is also empty and no one ever goes there to study (even during finals time!) Are all nighters and late nights pretty common? What my schedule is looking like next year I think is Reason in Communication, Law,Politics and Society, Intro to American Government, and Communication B (not sure if my credits transfer for that or not). I know the workload depends. Just where I am at now I don’t feel challenged at all. Looking to be busy academically during the week like I assume most people are.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>** P.S. I understand that Communication B is like a writing class. I took at writing class at the school I am at now called Writing and Research. Do you think those credits will transfer? Also what exactly is the Ethnic Studies requirement?</p>

6

<p>College Library is somewhat busy all the time, I’ve heard it’s pretty packed during finals so I honestly just steer clear of it then. There are usually people studying there somewhat late, though the latest I’ve ever been there is like 10ish. All-nighters depend on your work and on the person I think - I don’t think you can really make that generalization.</p>

<p>Have you been to SOAR yet? They will explain everything to you…as far as I know there is no “Comm B” class, and I think Reason in Communication fills Comm B, so you’ve got a bit of overkill there, I think. I would not try to come up with too intense of a schedule until you go to SOAR. They will explain everything to you. No one can say if your credits will transfer, though that writing class might. For Ethnic Studies there are a bunch of classes all on different cultures that will fill the requirement. There’s no one class you have to take at UW, you just have to look at different classes and see what requirements they fill. </p>

<p>I really wouldn’t try too hard to come up with a schedule before SOAR. Everything will be explained to you there.</p>

7

<p>The library is so filled that ‘nobody’ goes there any more!!!</p>

8

<p>Yeah, I don’t even bother going to College during finals week. It’s like a zoo at the moment. However, during non-exam weeks, it’s a different story. I’d argue that College is the most busy library on campus/sees the most traffic - it’s kind of considered the more “social” library, if you will. A place to go study with friends vs. a place to go if you need solitude to get some stuff done.</p>

<p>I second the comment about waiting until SOAR to pick your classes. Wait until you can talk to an advisor - they’ve got student advisors, too - so you can get a feel for what you’re actually signing up for. You’re going to learn about a lot of different opportunities in academics that you haven’t heard about yet. If anything, go in with an open mind and do pick some alternative courses in case your picks are closed.</p>

9

<p>Would having a earlier SOAR date help my chances of getting the classes I want? I thought I heard it doesn’t matter if your SOAR date in June 1st or late August, everyone has the same chances for getting classes. Also, on average how much time does the average student spend on HW a night. I know it obviously depends. I just want to be busy with HW during the week. Where I am now I have WAY too much free time and feel like I am just gliding by.</p>

10

<p>How many classes a semester do most students take? Currently I am taking 4. How many do most freshman and sophomores take? Want to be challenged but not completely overwhelmed. Worried about getting breath and major requirements done in 4 years.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

11

<p>4-5 classes is normal for most people, SOAR date matters slightly but isn’t a huge deal. If earlier dates are filled, they’re filled, so it doesn’t matter at all since you can’t change it. Time you spend on homework obviously depends, there’s not even an average for that. I spend almost no time, other people are constantly working. Depends on your classes and will vary from semester to semester.</p>

12

<p>Sorry if this is beating a dead horse, but would you say the average student takes 4 or 5 classes a semester? Definitely want to stay busy, but want to be able to have a social life as well. It is weird now at the school I am at now. It seems like no one does any work during the week. Everyone goes out. If you go to the library or do school work during the week it’s considered kinda weird. Everyone tells me Sunday-Thursday people are working hard and studying all the time in the library whatever. I know this sounds really, really dumb, but I don’t want to be viewed as “weird” for going to the library to study and working hard during the week.</p>

<p>On a side note, my SOAR date is on July 22nd. The people in charge of SOAR told me my date really doesn’t matter in terms of getting the classes I want or not. Everyone is put through some randomizer so when you sign up for class doesn’t matter, everyone has the same chance of getting into that class regardless of their SOAR date.</p>

<p>*Do you sign up for second semester classes at SOAR as well? Do they help new students out with the registration/signing up for classes for 2nd semester process?</p>

<p>Thanks again for all the help!</p>

13

<p>You’ll be fine. You only sign up for fall. They don’t help you but it’s not hard.</p>

<p>Just don’t worry about it and you’ll be okay.</p>

14

<p>You only register for the fall semester this summer. After SOAR you can change your schedule if the courses you wanted most open up. Do not make drastic changes to your schedule, however, and mess with the courses you and your advisor found for you. You will be able to discuss your second semester courses with your advisor during the fall semester. Once you are on campus you will easily learn a lot more about how things work so second semester will be much easier to plan for.</p>

15

<p>I’d say most people study a few hours per day (like 7-11 pm) Sunday through Thursday night either at a library or elsewhere like in the dorm or at home. I never had a TV and never saw most of the shops that were around in the 70’s. We did have TV watching parties for big football games on Saturdays or I’d actually go watch them in the Union where there was a common TV in a room off the Rat. Hard to imagine today.
When I had big projects due I might be working on it most of the week all day until midnight. Usually had at least a couple of those a semester. Many projects involved field work which can be very time consuming. But fun. One year we did a consulting project on a mall up in Berlin, WI. Had to spend 4 Saturdays up there doing interviews and stuff. It was fun for someone not from Wisconsin to see a slice of small town Wisconsin life.</p>

16

<p>barrons-we need to wary of projecting our college days on current experiences. Computers with the internet as it is now has made huge changes.</p>

<p>The library of choice will also depend on where a student lives- Lakeshore dorms are close to Steenbock and many will utilize that library- leaving the dorm a quiet place to study. There was a UW thread months ago that pointed out different study place options for someone looking for an outside the box place. Many libraries around the campus.</p>

<p>Playa- don’t worry about things. SOAR will answer a ton of your questions and the campus is large enough for you to find like minded people.</p>

17

<p>The computer and the internet do not make reading a 500 page journal articles pack plus the text, another text or book go any faster to my knowledge. And most problem sets, case studies and like do not benefit much from computer access except when it comes to typing up the results. And for that I had the ideal word processor@ .75/page.</p>

<p>You don’t do a field survey of 200 shoppers at a particular shopping center by surfing the web. But it teaches a lot about designing and testing the survey that you don’t get in a phone survey or by email. If anything they slow down real studying by providing a constant distraction. I’d bet if I walked up to every student in the library and checked what was on their laptop or phone half would be on Facebook, surfing the web, or texting.
Does a computer get you through your chem labs any faster? Or is just a neater way to record the results.</p>

<p>I use one every day to write my reports and analysis and mostly it allows you to say in 100 pages what used to be said in 20 without all the boilerplate. The only area it really has made a huge change is in doing investment projections and testing alternative scenarios. In the old days that was not possible. You took one shot and hoped for the best.</p>

18

<p>Um, just trying to not bore students with old fogey stories.</p>

19

<p>Some things don’t change. The real estate students still go on the same field trips we did although some of the destinations are more glamorous. We went to Minny and Chicago. Now they go to China and Rio. Wow.</p>

<p>“In addition to the activities on campus, we take two national trips each year. Trips are announced each semester and include site tours of key developments, meetings, networking dinners, and a variety of other opportunities to learn from industry leaders. Local alumni and principals are always on hand and ultimately make it all possible. Past excursions include Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, DC, Phoenix, New York City, and Denver.”
Each year, a select group of undergraduate students travel to Expo Real in Germany to learn about international real estate. This conference brings together real estate professionals from around the world and offers students an extraodinary opportunity to learn about global markets.
Graduate students working on a MBA in real estate have the opportunity to take two international trips over the course of their two years of study. In the first year, students travel to Cannes, France, for the well-known MIPIM conference with over 20,000 real estate professionals from around the world. In the second year, the students visit markets around the world to learn about the specifics of investment and development within the country. Past trips have gone to Brazil, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore. For more information on the program, visit the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate website here.</p>

<p>They still work on cases and consulting projects in the field. The only difference is the slicker presentations they can do now with PowerPoint and graphics. I go to the bookstore and it’s still piles of textbooks and reading packs although they can be in electronic form now. It has been said higher education is still using the same technology it did when it started. Maybe that’s a good thing. Oh, and now it’s the UW Graaskamp Canter. I actually had Graaskamp for most of my real estate classes. A great man and teacher.</p>

<p>“For the spring semester, several case competitions are available for undergraduate students. UW Madison will be participating in two real estate competitions this spring, the NAIOP Regional University Challenge (Minneapolis, MN) and USC International Real Estate Case Competition (Los Angeles, CA). In recent years UW-Madison Undergraduates have done exceedingly well in these competitions, taking 1st place at NAIOP and 2nd place at USC last year. The faculty will choose two six-member teams. Team members will then receive instructor’s permission to sign up for Mr. Qureshi’s one credit RE 365, which meets for ten consecutive Fridays at 9:30am – 10:45am from Jan 30th to April 10th, 2009. The team will use the one-credit course to prepare, practice case analysis and receive tips from past participants, faculty and alums. If you are interested, please send an email here.”</p>