Student Union
- By Pete Musto
Professor Offers Students Higher Grade for More Sleep

No amount of lecturing seems to persuade students to get more sleep.
But one professor uses bait they can't resist.
Michael Scullin teaches the science of sleep to psychology students at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He lectures about physical and mental health problems caused by a lack of sleep. Those problems include difficulty focusing and controlling one's emotions, and increased risk of disease.
"When you are at your most sleep deprived is when you are least likely to be able to judge how sleepy you are, and how much that sleepiness is impacting you," Scullin says.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults to get at least seven hours of sleep a night to stay healthy, but more and more Americans report getting fewer than six hours of sleep per night.
His students seemed to enjoy the class, Scullin says. But when he asked if they were getting more sleep after what they learned in class, most of them said no.
So Scullin came up with a plan to get his students to sleep more: He offered them extra points on their final exam, the most important test in the class.
The plan worked better than Scullin expected. Students who slept more performed better in two different classes, and Scullin published his findings in two academic publications last November.
How did the study work?
Scullin started the experiment with his psychology students. He told them that if they agreed to sleep at least eight hours a night for the five nights before the final exam, they would get several extra credit points. But if they agreed to take part in the study and failed to get the required amount of sleep, they would lose points on the exam. The students would wear special devices that recorded their sleep data.
Only eight out of the 18 total students in that first group agreed to take part in the experiment. Yet all the students who took part performed better on the exam than those who did not, even before the extra credit points were added. On average, they earned about five points more on the exam.
Scullin decided to repeat the study with another group of 16 design students. He chose not to punish students who failed to sleep the full eight hours per night, and got the same results.
Daniel Bessesen, as associate director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado, researches sleep. He says Scullin's study supports the idea that sleep helps academic performance while students who cram — or stay up the night before the test trying to memorize the material — are likely worse off.
While Scullin's study fits in with other sleep research, Bessesen says for it to be more scientific, the two groups should have been studying the same subject and taking the same test. In addition, students should have been randomly chosen for sleeping or staying awake.
How to get people to sleep more
Scullin and Bessesen offer some advice on how to get more sleep each night:
- Parents, try to get enough sleep to role model good habits to children. Bessesen notes that some medical school programs require student doctors to sleep more to prevent accidents.
- Avoid looking at electronics before you fall asleep.
- Don't consume caffeinated drinks less than six hours before you go to sleep.
- Try to go to sleep at the same time every night.
- If you are lying in bed and cannot calm your mind, get out of bed and spend five to 10 minutes writing down all of your thoughts.
- If you wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep, do not turn on the lights! Instead, get out of bed and go into another room. Wait there until you feel tired.
See all News Updates of the Day
- By VOA News
Competition grows for international students eyeing Yale

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.
The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.
- By VOA News
Student from Ethiopia says Whitman College culture made it easy to settle in

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.
"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.
- By VOA News
Claremont Colleges student gets a shock when she heads home to Shanghai

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.
- By VOA News
Cedarville University aims to ease transition for international students

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.
Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.
- By VOA News
Morehouse College offers prospective students tips on applying and thriving

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.
Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:
- Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
- Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
- Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies