How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students

If you're looking at reviews for this book then you're likely looking for some insight into the college process on a deeper level than surface-level advice. In that case, you should undoubtedly get this book. I'm going to college next year, and I'm the type of person who copes with things by reading about them. Books like this book are the reason I do that. It's clear and easy to read, it's direct, it's straightforward, and best of all, it's full of simple advice that can dramatically improve one's college experience. It provides this advice without being pretentious- the book's title turned me off at first, and while the author certainly has a very pragmatic approach to college life, he decries resume-padding and the like. I've recommended it to many of my classmates, and it will serve as a sort of bible for me next year. As much as it's helpful on a practical level, it's helped me in another way, too. I went looking for books because I was nervous about next year. This book helped reassure me by encouraging me to focus on the exciting aspects rather than the unnerving ones. If only I could get such a powerful effect every time I spent ten dollars. A few years later: This review actually was written by my then high-school-age son, and I have to tell you that he went on to have an absolutely stellar, meaningful career at an Ivy League college. During those four years, and since, he has frequently referenced this book, and its author, whose other books he later read, as having been his primary source of guidance about how to handle his undergraduate life.

Mesmerizing, profound, even for a study machine such as myself. Cal Newport, a college student himself, wrote these books after interviewing extraordinary students around the country who had straight A's, full social lives, and did lots of extracurriculars such as starting businesses & non-profits, and being politically involved. The point of all his books is how to study more efficiently so you can be an outstanding student while fitting in other essential dimensions of the college experience such as friends, parties and guest lectures. And unlike "speed reading," his techniques are not smoke and mirrors; they are solid and make sense. I didn't feel there was much overlap between his books. "How to Win at College" is composed of 75 two-page "tips" that cover a very wide range of topics. This is the book I originally fell in love with and ordered copies of for many friends, and I recommend reading it first. His second book, "How to Become a Straight A Student," focuses on a few key skills: the trap of "pseudo-studying," time management, how to actually study, conquer exams, and write papers. However once I read it, I liked it almost better than the first one! In short, they are both indespensible, easy reads, hard to put down, and completely different from any other "study skills" books you might read. They are basically "myth busters" of conventional wisdom about school success. If you want to know the "secrets of the universe" regarding succeeding in and loving college, look no further.

To be honest, if I had just graduated high school and someone gave me this book as a gift, I would roll my eyes and never open it. I picked it up a week ago, however, now that I am almost done with my second year of university, and I really do wish that I had had it (and cared to read it) two years ago. The book is seventy-five pieces of advice, each with about two pages of explanation. The advice is pretty simple, as you can see from looking at the table of contents ("Dress Nicely for Class," "Never Nap," "Eat Healthy," "Always Go to Class"). But the reason this book is effective is that it serves as a quick-reference manifesto for some of the more important (to me) advice. For example, I'm taking a grad-level fiction writing class. No due dates (except the final deadline at the end of the semester) and no class. You just write at your own pace and turn in a portfolio. This is incredibly difficult for me to do, and I'm unbelievably far behind in the work for the class. I was really quite worried about how I would ever pull it off. The whole semester, my fiction work has been priority #75, and I usually crash between priorities #14 and #20. But with some of the advice in this book ("Keep a Work Progress Journal," "Set Arbitrary Deadlines," "Avoid Daily To-Do Lists," "Don't Take Breaks Between Classes"), I actually feel pretty confident about being able to finish on time. By reading this book (and [...] and Newport's more recent book, How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less ) I've adopted some strategies and habits that have actually yielded results. Before Cal Newport, I was up late every night, angrily doing my homework until I couldn't drink any more tea, without any free time. Now, I'm getting my homework done before sundown (for the most part), feeling enormously more relaxed, and regaining a good amount of the excitement that I had about college before I got here. If you're on your way to college, and you're the sort of person who can stomach (and listen to) advice, do yourself a favor and read this book. Newport admits in the introduction that not every piece of advice will be for you (for me: "Exercise Five Days a Week" and "Use a Filing Cabinet"). If you want to be more than an average student without being a "grind," this book has a good deal of solid advice. If you're already in college, and you're looking for more in-depth and practical advice, I recommend also reading How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less . It has more thorough advice for confronting the terrors that you have come to know in college.

Quick review: if you're about to go into college, BUY THIS. If you're already in college, STILL BUY THIS. This great book has conventional and unconventional advice. I'm already a fan of Cal Newport's advice and blog, but this book condenses his ideas that are most relevant to me (since I will be going to college in the fall of '15). It isn't a typical 'how to do well in college' book whatsoever. This truly gives you the truth of what needs to happen to become a part of the exceptional. And he isn't writing it with the assumed purpose of impressing everybody or becoming a mega-successful overlord; he writes with the tone that leaves up the ultimate goals you have up to you. Also, the writing style is not annoying like a lot of books are. Personally, I just want to optimize my college experience, leave my comfort zone, and get into grad school. This book will help me. If you want to start the track of becoming a super-rich, art-gallery-going, Bentley-driving, awe-inspiring successful person, this book will still be very worth your time. It's absolutely worth the money if that's what is keeping you on the edge of buying this. It has countless (actually 75) useful ideas throughout, too, if you worry it has only one or two pieces of useful advice and that's it. Bonus: if you like what you read, he has a blog with even more stuff to learn.

I'm a senior in high school preparing for my freshman year. This book is amazing. The advice is down to earth and believable without being preachy or perfect. Newport is perfectly willing to admit that things aren't always going to go exactly as planned, but still tells his readers how to accomplish great things. I absolutely loved the advice. Some of the advice in this book is not for everyone - APPLY TO TEN SCHOLARSHIPS A YEAR can be overwhelming and unnecessary, depending on the student. That said, it's easy to see how even applying a handful of these tips would change my college career for the better. As a student who will have to balance work, class, and a social life, I think this will be rewarding. Here are a handful of my favorite tips: CREATE A SUNDAY RITUAL STUDY IN FIFTY MINUTE CHUNKS USE THREE DAYS TO WRITE A PAPER EAT HEALTHY VOLUNTEER QUIETLY And the list goes on. I will definitely pack this with me in the fall.

As a high school student who is going off to college in a few months, I feel that this book contains a lot of the details, tips and tricks that one needs to succeed. It was highly engaging and concise whilst still providing rather profound feedback/advice. Honestly, many of the "surprising secrets" are not too surprising at all (like the fact that taking naps is a horrendous idea), but Dr. Newport managed to consolidate solutions to all of the little student struggles into a streamlined format. It's a very easy read. I got through it in about an hour. I will likely be reading this a few more times before going off to college. Also, his high school guidebook was amazing! I wish I read that one earlier.

I read this book after reading Newport's other study guide How to Become a Straight A Student and was looking forward to more of his easy to understand, quickly read nuggets of wisdom. Although I found the advice in his previous book to be more helpful, I did fine some words of advice that I will surely put to use in my upcoming semester. Among the gems I found, Newport reminds students to "Study in Fifty-Minute Chunks" and "Learn to Listen." In these short chapters there are ideas to help the student better utilize their time by minimizing distractions and knowing exactly what to listen for in a lecture. By far my favorite and most memorable line from this book is "A good analogy is that writing is to a college student what shooting hoops is to a basketball player." Wise advice indeed. I would recommend this book to high school an college students alike. The chapters are short and jam packed with good advice.

This book was decent. I felt like many of the things he mentioned are common sense. Overall, I don't regret buying the book but it's information that's available elsewhere.

It's amazing

Loved it, had some great tips for university students! I'm from England, and though it is more directed towards the American education system, most of it still applied. I'd definitely recommend it to prospective uni students!

This book discusses tips to success academically and socially in college based on experiences of the author's and students in the top US colleges. There are 75 tips in the book, and the book discusses in a readable way why they are important and how to implement them. The tips are really practical and, in my opinion, useful for any college (and also graduate) students. The tips helped me to organize my school life and I recommend this book for any college (and also graduate) students.

This little book filled with smart ideas and insights from top students on how to enjoy and get the most out of your university education and experience and life. Great, great book highly recommended as a special gift to any university student for help, guidance, and inspiration!

Commandé le 20 août, reçu le 6 août en excellent état ! Très hâte d'entamer la lecture ! Merci !