Hope you're all safe and well! Bit of a strange question, but does anyone know how many words per minute most college students read? I'm trying to improve my reading speed and need a target to aim for.
The average college student reads at a speed of about 450-500 words per minute when reading for leisure. However, when it comes to academic reading, this speed can significantly decrease. The complexity of the content and the student's familiarity with the subject matter are key factors here. Dense academic texts can slow the reading speed down to approximately 200-400 words per minute.
But remember, faster doesn't always mean better. Comprehension is key, especially with academic material. You don't want to just breeze through text; you need to grasp the concepts and ideas that authors are communicating. Techniques like skimming (quickly looking over a text to get a general idea) and scanning (looking for specific information) can be useful but should not replace mindful reading.
Improving your reading speed is a fantastic goal, but don't lose sight of improving your comprehension and retention along the way. If you're looking to bolster both speed and comprehension, exercises like reading in chunks (processing multiple words at once instead of one by one), reducing subvocalization (the tendency to say words in your head as you read), and using your finger or pointers to guide your reading, can all help.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.