9/20    When the professor tells me that RAship or TAship is X hours,
        is it really X hours realistically?
        \_ My past experience as an CS164 RA is that if you're trying to do a
           thorough job, it takes quite a bit longer than X hours.
        \_ My past experience as an CS164 reader is that if you're trying to do
           a thorough job, it takes quite a bit longer than X hours.
        \_ Mine was listed as 20 hours. Actual hours were usually around 35 but
           got up to 70 or 80 near crunch time.
        \_ By RA, do you mean Research Assistant or Reader?  I've never had a
           Research assistant position so I can't really speak to that.  Avoid
           reader positions like the plague.  They are almost always more work
           than the number of hours quoted.  TA position time committment
           varies widely.  If all you do is show up for section, read the
           course text once in a while, and hold scheduled office hours once
           a week, you will work significantly less than the number of hours
           you are paid for.  If you are committed to preparing section
           each week and actually respond to student inquiries (email/usenet)
           in a timely manner, you will probably work a little more than your
           quoted hours.  If, on top of this, either your course has no
           readers or your course readers flake, you will work a LOT more.
           -dans