A survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute studied how students' activities and behaviors change throughout their first year of college. The survey found that freshmen adjusted socially but struggled academically. Most students spent 1-5 hours studying per week but larger amounts of time socializing with friends or working for pay. The results suggest that this class of students is able to balance academics with social and work responsibilities.

1. Tricia Benscoter

2.  Survey conducted by: Higher Education
Research Institute
 Purpose of the survey: to study the change in
students activities and behaviors throughout
their first year.
 Information given in a article by Jeffery R.
Young published in The Chronicle of Higher
Education.
 “Freshmen Adjust to College Socially but
Struggle Academically, Survey Finds.”

3.  Studying/ doing homework
 Socializing with friends
 Talking with teachers outside of class
 Participating in sports
 Exercising
 Partying
 Working for pay
 Watching TV
 Playing games
 Using the internet

4.  Are more students concerned with spending
many hours studying?
 Are students spending large amounts of time
working for pay?
 Do more students feel that it is important to
spend the majority of their time socializing
with friends?

5.  More students are concerned with spending
many hours studying.
 Students are spending large amounts of time
working for pay.
 More students feel that it is important to
spend the majority of their time socializing
with friends.

6.  More students are not concerned with
spending many hours studying.
 Students are not spending large amounts of
time working for pay.
 More students do not feel that it is important
to spend the majority of their time
socializing with friends.

7. >20 Hours
0 Hours
1-5 Hours
16-20 Hours
6-15 Hours
53%
31%
11%
3%
3%

8. According to the data given, 53%
of students spend 1-5 hours
studying. With 31% of students
committing 6-15 hours.
The least amount of hours
committed to studying is tied at
3% by 20+ hours, and 0 hours.

9. >20 Hours
0 Hours
1-5 Hours
16-20 Hours
6-15 Hours
12%
27%
33%
16% 13%

10. In the survey the largest amount of
students, worked 6–15 hours,
consisting of 33% of the population.
Closely following were students who
didn’t work at all, with 27% of the
population

11. >20 Hours
0 Hours
1-5 Hours
16-20 Hours
6-15 Hours
12%
41%
25%
21%
1%

12. 41% of the sample population say
that they spend 6-15 hours
socializing with their friends
While only 1% confess to not
spending any time with friends

13.  I think that by using the data given it is safe
to say that administrators do not need to be
overly worried about this class of students.
 They are able to balance their
responsibilities of studying, and working for
pay while still maintaining a social life which
is so important to the college experience.