Engineering majors study an average of 19 hours a week, representing the most amount of work for any major, according to findings from the 2011 National Survey on Student Engagement report, which analyzed the study and work habits of more than 537,000 college students. Social sciences and business majors studied an average of 14 hours a week, the least of any major, according to the report. Teachers' expectations typically overestimated the time students study weekly by one to two hours, the report said. The study also found that 88 percent of students said they took notes in class, which was by far the most popular learning strategy. Only 70 percent of students reported that they seek extra help when struggling with class material. Students across all majors reported spending between 10 and 11 hours per week relaxing and socializing, according to the report.
Yale University projected an increase in endowment spending beginning in fiscal year 2013 due to stronger-than-expected returns on its investments in the previous fiscal year, according to the Yale Daily News. The new projections indicate a $27-million increase in endowment spending, which represents a 2.7-percent increase from predicted spending in a December 2010 model. The projections indicate that endowment spending will continue to increase beyond 2013, and that Yale's endowment spending is now predicted to reach $1.2 billion dollars by 2018. The new projections are more optimistic than the model from a year ago, but fall short of the projections made prior to the recession, the News reported. In 2010, the 2018 endowment was projected to be $1.1 billion dollars, or 11.8 percent less than current predictions. Yale College and Yale Law School will likely gain the most from these new projections because they rely more on the endowment for their revenue, according to the News.
Cornell University awarded an unprecedented amount of undergraduate financial aid in 2011, reaching $224.5 million in total allocations, according to The Cornell Daily Sun. Cornell's financial aid spending has been on the rise since 2004 in an effort to compete for top students and increase the university's yield, The Sun reported. Thomas Keane, director of financial aid for scholarships and policy analysis, said in an interview with The Sun that the new policies "did not help bring in people significantly." While the increase in financial aid has raised the number of international students attending Cornell, it has led to fears of a "middle income melt," in which fewer middle class students can afford to attend the school, The Sun reported. Cornell plans to continue its financial aid policies through fundraising and alumni donations, The Sun reported.
