I missed three classes this week–not necessarily because I wanted to–but because I quite literally slept through them. (I may or may not have pulled an all-nighter…) Last week, I skipped two other classes, just because I wanted to go home early for the weekend. Point being, I’ve missed a lot of class lately, and I have really begun to think about the consequences. With a little research, I was able to prove my suspicions on the negative impacts of missing class. If you are like me, along with many other college students, you’ve missed a class or two, but it is important to keep in mind what negative effects this can have.
Before I list any of the negative effects, you might be interested in finding out just how much skipping one class is costing you. For in-state PSU students in 2019, skipping just one class cost anywhere from $95-$135 (depending on the day). This number more than doubles for out-of-state students, and that was five years ago. Besides wasting your money, there are a lot of downfalls to missing a lecture. Trying to make up the work can be difficult and frustrating. I had to ask four different people for notes on one of the lectures I missed this week, before I found someone who had actually been there for all of the content. This can result in some serious anxiety. It is also incredibly easy for skipping class to become a habit.
Once you skip one, you realize just how easy it is to rationalize skipping another. If you continue to miss class, especially in smaller classes, this can negatively affect your reputation with your professor. Forget about asking for an extension or a letter of recommendation later on. Most importantly, skipping class is directly correlated with having a lower grade. Even if the class does not have a participation grade, missing a lecture means missing important content that you may be tested on later.
Now that we’ve covered the negatives, what exactly are the benefits of attending a lecture. Being present in the discussion helps you to further your understanding of important topics and clarify any points of confusion right of way. Keeping up with the content can motivate you to continue to stay on track and actually devote time to studying, rather than just making up what you missed. Attending class also allows you to connect with peers. You can find an unexpected friend, or at least someone to bounce ideas off of when you are confused on something. Getting to know your classmates is also beneficial for the few times that you do have to miss. This way you’ll have someone readily available to pass on the notes and explain the content that you missed. So, the next time you consider skipping class (just this once), remember what it may be costing you.
Luckily I usually only debate skipping class and ultimately come to the decision to go, but I think you offer some great points about the negatives. Earlier today the student I sat next to in my chemistry lecture commented on how he didn’t recognize some of the concepts we were going over in class because he had missed the last lecture, and it seemed as if he was lost the entire time. Not only did he miss the content from the last lecture, but he was not able to understand the content from today’s lecture as a result. I also found it interesting how you broke down the cost of missing a lecture. As an out-of-state student, I think it is really important to go to class because why would I be paying extra to come here when I could have gone to a state school for half the price if not to get a good education? Next time I debate skipping class I will definitely think about that.
I thought that the conversion of skipping class into an actual dollar value was very compelling. When I don’t feel like going to class, the idea that it will worsen my grades seems too abstract. There isn’t really a clear quantification of my grade will drop by exactly x% if I skip today. With the dollar value on the other hand, the cost is very concrete. By skipping class, you are saying that you are willing to pay that much money to not go to class and do something else. Using this framework, some of the classes that I skipped seemed worth it (such as going to an interview for a summer internship) while others no longer seem worth it (such as my excuse being that the classroom was “too far away”).
I love how you broke down the cost associated with missing class, that really puts it into perspective much more then just what percentage of the grade is based in participation. Sometimes it can be hard to go to the “easier” classes that you can have an A in without going, or the ones that don’t take attendance. However, your perspective of thinking about the cost really changed the way I think about missing class, and was really helpful in assessing the importance. This was super interesting and helpful!
I thought it was interesting how you brought the “dollar argument” up – I definitely have heard it mentioned/used before, mainly by teachers themselves to intimidate students and make them think twice about skipping. I’ll admit such an argument has crossed my own mind on the few occasions I have debated skipping class. The whole idea is that with the new level of autonomy that college offers comes a higher level of responsibility, maturity, and moral obligation. Even after accidentally sleeping through a lecture, I usually feel terrible about my actions (or inaction, rather) – and it’s not just my moral compass holding me accountable. More so, I feel bad that I have not given myself the chance to learn, to actively participate in the college environment and experience. For that (your last paragraph) especially, I agree: the benefits of skipping seldom outweigh those of not skipping.