Be honest.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I needed it, which is why i was not able to continue... trying to keep up working 15-20 hours a week, 15 contact hours, being a mum, wife, cook, cleaner etc...
and being pregnant and exhausted i just couldn't fit it all in.
I think it depends on how long it takes you to read, understand, and then contextualise what you are doing. For me i have to do it several times until i am satisifed i have a clear understanding. For others they pick it up real quick. Biology (A&P) was consuming me and it was probably 20hours a week instead of just 10!

[~Kaz~]

I completely agree with Tash

The trick with education is knowing how you best learn and adapting accordingly

I think it really is very individual how much time a person needs to spend. Depends on what else in their life is draining their energy (be that kids or partying til all hours ) and also the subject matter, interest in it etc etc.

I tend to be a bit like peanutter and err on the side of the nerd. And also, I have this lack of confidence thing when it comes to my subject matter that I need to really read, sometimes re-read and completely get it and be able to verbalise it to someone else who doesn't know a thing about it before I'm confident I'll get through an exam or be able to use it professionally etc. Having said that, I did cram a lot during undergrad but for post grad (all of my course work was done pre-pg/DS) I was more consistent and probably put in more hours than they said was required but I was also more interested (mostly) in what I was studying and it was more relevant to my practical work too ITMS.