Studies show that homework, at the high school level, contributes to higher grades, GPA and overall understanding of the subject. However, how much homework is needed to be given for those achievements to be shown?

When it comes down to it, any amount of homework given, whether it be an hour per night or three, will improve a student’s grade and comprehension of the material. But, what I wonder is, can too much homework decrease a student’s grade? Can it actually lower their GPA?

Think about it. Students who receive a minimum of two or more hours of homework per class, multiplied by their various classes (up to 8), results in a minimum of at least two to 16 hours of homework each night. Add in the actual time students are at school, plus any sports, clubs or community service activities they participate in. You’re looking at a total of almost 24 hours of work, without even calculating in time for sleep, food or socialization, which are all necessities of a healthy individual. That’s crazy.

To put it in perspective, that’s a daily routine of a student waking up, getting ready for school and going to school at 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Add in additional time for practice, if the student is involved in a sport, plus any clubs or jobs they participate in, and you’re looking at the student getting home anywhere from 4:30 p.m. to 8 o’clock at night. Then add in time for eating dinner, and their two to 16 hours of homework, and you’re looking at a finish time of midnight or later.

In short, that’s not enough time for a student to go to school for eight hours, finish every page of homework they were assigned, eat, go to work or practice and get the required eight hours of sleep they need. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

As you can see, it would be easy for any student to become overworked. Any amount of stress like this could result in a variety of complications, such as unfinished homework and sleepless nights, or more severe, illness and even depression. Any number of these problems could single-handedly result in a lower grade point average, not even considering if a student were to experience more than one of these issues.

Plus, there is no need for a student to be given more than three hours of homework per night, or 15 hours of homework per week. Students already spend eight hours a day at school, so teachers shouldn’t be adding another eight hours of homework onto that.

Students should be given a maximum homework load of two or three hours for all of their classes combined. That way, students are given more opportunities to socialize with peers, get the required sleep they need to grow and to actually enjoy their high school experience. Also, less homework would help students have more time to join clubs, earn job experience and participate in sports; what prospective colleges look for on college applications.

Anyways, isn’t that what teachers are supposed to be preparing students for--college? They aren’t supposed to be unnecessarily giving out piles of homework to their students, knowing they have seven other teachers who are doing the exact same thing.

Enough is enough. Homework should not be given out like candy.

Ultimately, students deserve to spend their time further expanding their life experiences, rather than answering repeated questions on their homework assignments. Give students the essential benefice they need to grow to their full potential, not crash and burn under the unrealistic expectations society has for them.