Procrastination is a large issue when it comes to school work, but how common is it? Is there a difference between procrastinating in high school versus college?

Have you ever gone to turn in a discussion board a few hours before it is due and noticed that your submission is still the first?

This is not as uncommon as some might think. In fact, a study from the APA (American Psychological Association) says that “80 percent to 95 percent of college students procrastinate.”

Really, how big of a problem is procrastination?

Is procrastination a habit carried on from high school? And is procrastinationg in high school versus college different?

A similar study from a Magoosh survey on high school students report that 86% of high school students procrastinate on work.

Is there a difference in not only the prevelance of procrastination in high school versus college but also the thoughts behind the procrastination? High school students and college students might see a difference in the importance of the work they are doing.

“I procrastinate my high school work more because I have a more personal relationship with my teacher… they will be more lenient whereas my college professors are more professional.” said dual-enrollment student Joseph Boregesi.

Borgesi goes to both NECC and a local high school, so he has experience with both levels of procrastination.

On the other side of the conversation, “(I am a) huge even massive procrastinator. I feel like I procrastinate college work because I have that class less frequently,” said another dual-enrollment student, Jake Pitre.

He finds that it is easy to avoid the work for a class he does not frequently attend.

It might seem that there is less work to do when you only physically attend class once or twice a week, whereas you are in high school every day.

Both interviewees currently attend high school and college classes, and they differ in their opinions of which type of schoolwork they procrastinate more.  Procrastination depends on the person who is supposed to be doing the work. It might depend on the class, the leniency of the teacher/professor, type of a assignment, or how long someone is given to get it done? Some might feel like the further away an assignment is, the less they have to do when it is assigned, and then the deadline creeps up and there is far less time than expected.

Everyone views the work they have to do differently, but it seems that the general consensus among students is that procrastination is the way to go. To keep away from procrastinating, some make sure their calendar is up to date and give themselves time limits instead of the due dates that already exist. To-do lists of assignments are also very useful, as long as they are actually stuck to, and not just looked at.