Monica Vu starts studying days before an exam but still ends up cramming the night before.Vu, kinesiology sophomore, said it’s impossible for college students to be fully prepared for class, and it all boils down to one factor — time.”No matter how much you prepare, you have to cram,” she said. “The teachers cover so much.”A recent survey conducted by The National Survey of Student Engagement found students aren’t nearly as prepared for class as professors expect them to be. More than 380,000 freshmen and seniors at 722 four-year colleges were interviewed this spring.But Diane Mohler, Center for Academic Success consultant, said a couple of factors contribute to the inconsistency between what students accomplish and what is needed to be successful in class.Students reported spending only 3 1/2 hours a week preparing for each class — half the time professors recommend.”For most students, this was all that was needed to be successful in high school,” Mohler said. “Reviewing notes 24 to 36 hours in advance would usually suffice.”But because most college exams cover four to six chapters, there is too much information to take in one night before an exam, she said.Jesse Chandler, undecided freshman, said he studies a week before an exam, which is a big change from his study habits in high school.”Sometimes I still have to cram,” he said. “I think I have so much time in between, so I don’t have to rush, and then it just piles up.”With final exams just around the corner, the Center for Academic Success suggests students set up schedules with several intense study sessions spaced out with breaks.”Unless we carefully examine where our time is going, it will slip away,” Mohler said.The survey also found 20 percent of students said they go to class without reading the textbook or completing assignments.”There are so many distractions in today’s world, and I feel students have to take a proactive approach to managing their time,” Mohler said. “Planning is the key.”The Center for Academic Success has semester and weekly calendars available for students in its office and online.”Many times I find that once students take a good look at their academic demands, work requirements, social and organizational activities, they can find valuable time throughout the day to schedule short intense-study sessions,” Mohler said.—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]