Major Classes/Poor Time Management=GPA Sink...A (Non-Threatening) Equation for Artists

We're a few weeks into the Fall semester and I want to talk to you about a strange occurrence that has been happening to some of my students. I'm talking about the bizarre schedule math that my students have been engaging in. Follow along and see if this word problem makes sense:

• The semester started and Student A began in the Music program. The student was registered for 17 credits, including two general education classes (freshman english and history), and multiple music classes (music theory, small ensembles, instrument master class, private lessons, etc.)
• Student A attended all classes the first week and was assigned 8 new pieces of music to learn, two papers (for english), a book to read (for history), several workbook assignments and online programs (for music theory), an hour of practice a day on piano (for the keyboard skills class), and at least three hours of practice a day (for the student's primary instrument). Which assignments does Student A actually complete? For extra credit: How many hours of sleep each night will Student A actually get?

The answer to the first question is: only the Music assignments will get done. When students are just getting acclimated to the college environment, it's incredibly easy for them to get overwhelmed. The amount of work I've listed above is in no way uncommon for a Music student...and it's a lot. In addition, students will often find that they are being challenged in their Music classes in a way they never were in high school. There is a reason we tell students on a regular basis that high school Music programs and college Music programs are TOTALLY different! The increase in musical difficulty, as well as the increase in workload will force students to concentrate their focus. The familiar refrain of, "I'm here to study Music, so that's what I'm going to concentrate on" can be heard over and over in my office. More often than not, the students will stop doing the work for (or stop going to) their general education classes.

But does this help you or hurt you in the long run?

Fast forward to the end of the semester. Student A is getting his/her Fall semester grades. The Music course grades aren't bad--Student A DID put a lot of work into those classes after all! But Student A still has 2 general education classes to worry about. And, as it turns out, Student A failed both of those classes. Even if Student A got B's in the rest of his/her classes...Student A will STILL be on Academic Warning at the end of the Fall semester (semester gpa of 1.941). Here's the other crappy thing: that freshman english class Student A failed? That is a prerequisite class to a TON of other classes (including some Music classes). So Student A is going to have to re-take that class! Here's another crappy thing: our Music department will NOT accept academically poor students. You will be asked to leave the Music program if your gpa falls below a 2.0. In essence, you just shot yourself in the foot. By concentrating on your Music classes, you saw to it that you would never be able to take another Music class.

What do I want you to remember from all of this? Dividing your time too much and only concentrating on your major classes is detrimental to your gpa--and to your career as a college student in the long run. There are actually people who can help you figure out how to get everything done (people like, I don't know, your ADVISOR???) Why not talk to us and ask for help? It's a hell of a lot better than dealing with all of this alone.