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How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students
The only guide to getting ahead once you’ve gotten in—proven strategies for making the most of your college years, based on winning secrets from the country's most successful students
What does it take to be a standout student? How can you make the most of your college years—graduate with honors, choose exciting activities, build a head-turning resume, and gain access to the best post-college opportunities? Based on interviews with star students at universities nationwide, from Harvard to the University of Arizona, How to Win at College presents seventy-five simple rules that will rocket you to the top of the class. These college-tested—and often surprising—strategies include:
• Don’t do all your reading
• Drop classes every term
• Become a club president
• Care about your grades, Ignore your GPA
• Never pull an all-nighter
• Take three days to write a paper
• Always be working on a “grand project”
• Do one thing better than anyone else you know
Proving that success has little to do with being a genius workaholic, and everything to do with playing the game, How to Win at College is the must-have guide for making the most of these four important years—and getting an edge on life after graduation.
What does it take to be a standout student? How can you make the most of your college years—graduate with honors, choose exciting activities, build a head-turning resume, and gain access to the best post-college opportunities? Based on interviews with star students at universities nationwide, from Harvard to the University of Arizona, How to Win at College presents seventy-five simple rules that will rocket you to the top of the class. These college-tested—and often surprising—strategies include:
• Don’t do all your reading
• Drop classes every term
• Become a club president
• Care about your grades, Ignore your GPA
• Never pull an all-nighter
• Take three days to write a paper
• Always be working on a “grand project”
• Do one thing better than anyone else you know
Proving that success has little to do with being a genius workaholic, and everything to do with playing the game, How to Win at College is the must-have guide for making the most of these four important years—and getting an edge on life after graduation.
193 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2005
367 people are currently reading
7087 people want to read
About the author
Cal Newport
56 books10.2k followersCal Newport is Provost’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author of seven books. His ideas and writing are frequently featured in major publications and on TV and radio.
From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."
From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."
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July 2, 2018
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75 rules how to do it.
1 Don't Do All of Your Reading
2 Create a Sunday Ritual (Party to until to Saturday, not Sunday. Study on Sunday, set the momentum for the rest of days. )
3 Drop Classes Every Semester. (Register extra classes, drop the least favorite)
4 Start Long-Term Projects the Day They Are Assigned. (Start small and start immediately) see rule #52
5 Make Your Bed. (a clear room create a focus mind, if has messy roommate, take care of whole room cleanup, such as dump basket, small price for a large reward)
6 Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year. (contact dean's office, Career service, and department, for information on scholarships, fellowships, awards. or www.fast-web.com; FinAids www.findaid.org (for scholarship from companies or organization. Choose 10 to fits your abilities, passions, and accomplishments, and apply them, do it every year. because it is time consuming, not so many eligible students to apply.)
7 Build Study Systems (this will break a formidable task into accomplish-able chunks, see rule #26, #70)
8 Befriend a Professor
9 Become a Club President (not just content with just joining)
10 Read a Newspaper Every Day. (New York Times; Wall Street Journal, or USA Today, reading every article on the front page, 2 or 3 articles on each interior sections)
11 Do One Thing Better Than Anyone Else You Know (self-confidence that become a peg for other things)
12 Avoid Daily To-Do Lists. (Because it never works. Instead try time-blocking, then assignment tasks to these block.
13 Learn to Give Up
14 Never Nap. (keep your normal sleeping pattern)
15 Sign Up for Something Your First Week
16 Always Be Working on a "Grand Project"
17 Take Art History and Astronomy (art history will cultivate to visit art museum later in your life)
18 Blow the Curve Once a Term (will boost self-confidence)
19 Ask One Question at Every Lecture (prepare questions ahead, modify along, asking questions will keep you from drifting away)
20 Jump into Research as Soon as Possible (note: undergraduate research grants)
21 Pay Your Dues (hold your tongue, observe and learn)
22 Study in Fifty-Minute Chunks
23 Schedule Your Free Time (Most people think free time to be any time when they are not explicitly working , flip this notion, as work time is any time when you are not explicitly relaxing. When create schedule, first, choose an end point for the day. Second. decide exactly when you going to relax, and how.)
24 Dress Nicely for Class (feel good and also make days official)
25 Decorate Your Room (a place you could feel belong to, a place to relax, having lamp with incandescent glow not fluorescent light)
26 Start Studying Two Weeks in Advance
27 Write Outside of Class (write is critical skill, so practice often by writing outside)
28 Eat Alone Twice a Day. (group meals is time wasting, so do not spend every meal with friends)
29 Find an Escape ( gain relax and feel refresh)
30 Take Hard Courses Early On
31 Don't Study in Your Room ( too distractive, best study location: Library)
32 Don't Study in Groups (too much time spending in gossip, joking around)
33 Join an Honors Program
34 Do Schoolwork Every Day (prevent slumps)
35 Attend Guest Lectures (ignite the passions, at least 2 guest lectures every month)
36 Exercise Five Days a Week
37 Stay in Touch
38 Tack on an Extra Major or Minor (not quite agree, study is mainly for enlightenment.)
39 Meet Often with Your Adviser
40 Don't Get a Normal Job(careful with job, with $7 pay, job should be asset not burden)
41 Use Three Days to Write a Paper(3 steps; first draft; second editing; third polishing)
42 Don't Undersleep, Don't Oversleep (one figure out your needed sleep time, stick it)
43 Relax Before Exams
44 Make Friends Your #1 Priority
45 Don't Binge Drink (hangover is bad for later high quality study)
46 Ignore Your Classmates' Grades
47 Seek Out Phenomenal Achievers (you can become inspired)
48 Learn to Listen (never be the fist person to give opinion; ask constructive questions)
49 Never Pull an All-Nighter
50 Laugh Every Day (actively look for fun, author like David Barry or David Sedaris or homestarRunner (Flash-animated Internet cartoon)
51 Use High-Quality Notebooks
52 Keep a Work-Progress Journal (so you can constantly check up for yourself, if you meet the goal)
53 Seek Out Fun
54 Inflate Your Ambition
55 Get Involved with Your Major Department
56 Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.
57 Always Go to Class
58 Set Arbitrary Deadlines ( so you can break large projects into small chunk.)
59 Eat Healthy (Try eat healthy on weekday, reward yourself on weekend)
60 Volunteer Quietly
61 Write as if Going for a Pulitzer (Writing in college kind of boring, so set this mind-set to produce high quality writing)
62 Attend Political Rallies
63 Maximize Your Summers : summer vacation is not really a vacation. Start planning in Jan, Summer time deadline in Feb or March.
64 Choose Goals, Explore Routes
65 Don't Take Breaks Between Classes (will break momentum you build up, if too short, is not for hard homeworks, but maybe for running some errand, light reading, etc)
66 Don't Network (hear means network with people who can offer your job)
67 Publish Op-Eds (Op-Eds pages are most entertaining section of students newspaper)
68 Use a Filing Cabinet (or simple plastic boxes with hanging file folder with plenty labels to maximum documents origination) - I like it.
69 Find a Secret Study Space (for absolutely concentration, but use it sparingly)
70 Study with the Quiz-and-Recall Method (2 steps, First review, write down recall questions, second step: quiz)
71 Empty Your In-Box (Categories email for organized mind state)
72 Relax Before Sleep : relax at least half hour before sleep, develop he ability to shut down.
73 Start Fast, End Slow (as opposed start slow, end fast, cramming style. Other study method: #4, #26, #41)
74 Spend a Semester Studying Abroad (beware fluffy (Bad quality) vs. serious program. Talk to students to find out, usually sophomore year , may require prerequisite courses)
75 "Don't Have No Regrets"
75 rules how to do it.
1 Don't Do All of Your Reading
2 Create a Sunday Ritual (Party to until to Saturday, not Sunday. Study on Sunday, set the momentum for the rest of days. )
3 Drop Classes Every Semester. (Register extra classes, drop the least favorite)
4 Start Long-Term Projects the Day They Are Assigned. (Start small and start immediately) see rule #52
5 Make Your Bed. (a clear room create a focus mind, if has messy roommate, take care of whole room cleanup, such as dump basket, small price for a large reward)
6 Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year. (contact dean's office, Career service, and department, for information on scholarships, fellowships, awards. or www.fast-web.com; FinAids www.findaid.org (for scholarship from companies or organization. Choose 10 to fits your abilities, passions, and accomplishments, and apply them, do it every year. because it is time consuming, not so many eligible students to apply.)
7 Build Study Systems (this will break a formidable task into accomplish-able chunks, see rule #26, #70)
8 Befriend a Professor
9 Become a Club President (not just content with just joining)
10 Read a Newspaper Every Day. (New York Times; Wall Street Journal, or USA Today, reading every article on the front page, 2 or 3 articles on each interior sections)
11 Do One Thing Better Than Anyone Else You Know (self-confidence that become a peg for other things)
12 Avoid Daily To-Do Lists. (Because it never works. Instead try time-blocking, then assignment tasks to these block.
13 Learn to Give Up
14 Never Nap. (keep your normal sleeping pattern)
15 Sign Up for Something Your First Week
16 Always Be Working on a "Grand Project"
17 Take Art History and Astronomy (art history will cultivate to visit art museum later in your life)
18 Blow the Curve Once a Term (will boost self-confidence)
19 Ask One Question at Every Lecture (prepare questions ahead, modify along, asking questions will keep you from drifting away)
20 Jump into Research as Soon as Possible (note: undergraduate research grants)
21 Pay Your Dues (hold your tongue, observe and learn)
22 Study in Fifty-Minute Chunks
23 Schedule Your Free Time (Most people think free time to be any time when they are not explicitly working , flip this notion, as work time is any time when you are not explicitly relaxing. When create schedule, first, choose an end point for the day. Second. decide exactly when you going to relax, and how.)
24 Dress Nicely for Class (feel good and also make days official)
25 Decorate Your Room (a place you could feel belong to, a place to relax, having lamp with incandescent glow not fluorescent light)
26 Start Studying Two Weeks in Advance
27 Write Outside of Class (write is critical skill, so practice often by writing outside)
28 Eat Alone Twice a Day. (group meals is time wasting, so do not spend every meal with friends)
29 Find an Escape ( gain relax and feel refresh)
30 Take Hard Courses Early On
31 Don't Study in Your Room ( too distractive, best study location: Library)
32 Don't Study in Groups (too much time spending in gossip, joking around)
33 Join an Honors Program
34 Do Schoolwork Every Day (prevent slumps)
35 Attend Guest Lectures (ignite the passions, at least 2 guest lectures every month)
36 Exercise Five Days a Week
37 Stay in Touch
38 Tack on an Extra Major or Minor (not quite agree, study is mainly for enlightenment.)
39 Meet Often with Your Adviser
40 Don't Get a Normal Job(careful with job, with $7 pay, job should be asset not burden)
41 Use Three Days to Write a Paper(3 steps; first draft; second editing; third polishing)
42 Don't Undersleep, Don't Oversleep (one figure out your needed sleep time, stick it)
43 Relax Before Exams
44 Make Friends Your #1 Priority
45 Don't Binge Drink (hangover is bad for later high quality study)
46 Ignore Your Classmates' Grades
47 Seek Out Phenomenal Achievers (you can become inspired)
48 Learn to Listen (never be the fist person to give opinion; ask constructive questions)
49 Never Pull an All-Nighter
50 Laugh Every Day (actively look for fun, author like David Barry or David Sedaris or homestarRunner (Flash-animated Internet cartoon)
51 Use High-Quality Notebooks
52 Keep a Work-Progress Journal (so you can constantly check up for yourself, if you meet the goal)
53 Seek Out Fun
54 Inflate Your Ambition
55 Get Involved with Your Major Department
56 Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.
57 Always Go to Class
58 Set Arbitrary Deadlines ( so you can break large projects into small chunk.)
59 Eat Healthy (Try eat healthy on weekday, reward yourself on weekend)
60 Volunteer Quietly
61 Write as if Going for a Pulitzer (Writing in college kind of boring, so set this mind-set to produce high quality writing)
62 Attend Political Rallies
63 Maximize Your Summers : summer vacation is not really a vacation. Start planning in Jan, Summer time deadline in Feb or March.
64 Choose Goals, Explore Routes
65 Don't Take Breaks Between Classes (will break momentum you build up, if too short, is not for hard homeworks, but maybe for running some errand, light reading, etc)
66 Don't Network (hear means network with people who can offer your job)
67 Publish Op-Eds (Op-Eds pages are most entertaining section of students newspaper)
68 Use a Filing Cabinet (or simple plastic boxes with hanging file folder with plenty labels to maximum documents origination) - I like it.
69 Find a Secret Study Space (for absolutely concentration, but use it sparingly)
70 Study with the Quiz-and-Recall Method (2 steps, First review, write down recall questions, second step: quiz)
71 Empty Your In-Box (Categories email for organized mind state)
72 Relax Before Sleep : relax at least half hour before sleep, develop he ability to shut down.
73 Start Fast, End Slow (as opposed start slow, end fast, cramming style. Other study method: #4, #26, #41)
74 Spend a Semester Studying Abroad (beware fluffy (Bad quality) vs. serious program. Talk to students to find out, usually sophomore year , may require prerequisite courses)
75 "Don't Have No Regrets"
March 2, 2014
Great advice split into well-written chapters. Cal Newport made a wise choice with his concision - How to Win at College will appeal to busy college students who feel that they barely have any time to read. I appreciate how his tips ranged from social life to schoolwork to mental health; even if some topics could have been fleshed out more, students will acquire a ton of great tricks from reading this book.
Though I already considered and carry out some of his advice, I'm jotting down a list of ones I will pay more attention to as I continue through my college years:
- Find An Escape
- Meet Often with Your Adviser
- Laugh Every Day
- Ignore Your Classmates' Grades
- Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.
- Write as if Going for a Pulitzer
- Maximize Your Summers
I recommend this to all high school seniors preparing for college, as well as to college students, no matter their undergraduate year. I'm looking forward to reading more from Cal Newport.
Though I already considered and carry out some of his advice, I'm jotting down a list of ones I will pay more attention to as I continue through my college years:
- Find An Escape
- Meet Often with Your Adviser
- Laugh Every Day
- Ignore Your Classmates' Grades
- Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.
- Write as if Going for a Pulitzer
- Maximize Your Summers
I recommend this to all high school seniors preparing for college, as well as to college students, no matter their undergraduate year. I'm looking forward to reading more from Cal Newport.
July 28, 2013
This book will be useful to any student... But certainly a lot more useful to some than others. As a pre-medical student there are just certain suggestions of his that I can't follow due to the nature of my trajectory. For example, I can't ignore my GPA just to save some sanity because it has to be within a specific range for me to be considered for interviews. I also can't "just" skim my books. Not my science ones, anyway. Even if I can absorb the content fine during lecture for the test, I need to put in the time with the book to be sure I can remember that material up to the MCAT and beyond. I didn't expect it to be perfect, especially not for a pre-med student, but let the 4 stars be a reminder that this book will only be so useful.
April 20, 2020
Feeding the culture of competitivity and overachievement.
September 1, 2018
Really enjoyed this one, Cal Newport really knows what he is talking about.
Even though this book was kind of oriented for America's school system, as a foreigner I could still use most of the tips he gave to us.
Would highly recommend this book to any students who wants to become a better version of themselves.
Even though this book was kind of oriented for America's school system, as a foreigner I could still use most of the tips he gave to us.
Would highly recommend this book to any students who wants to become a better version of themselves.
April 26, 2020
"If you want to succed because you love the excitement of pushing your potential and exploring your world and new experiences, if you want to succeed because life is short and why not fill it with as much activity as possible, then you will win. If you approach life with an attitude of having no regrets and always having a hopeful smile on your face, you can find a measure of success in all your endeavors. Don't have no regrets, but have plenty of fun along the way. In the end, that is what is to really win."
January 6, 2018
Cal writes from the perspective of an American post-graduate who’s opinion of academia is higher than of commercial success.
Regardless, there is a number of helpful, unintuitive points in the book.
My favorites are:
#73 - Start Fast, End Slow
#70 - Study With Quiz-and-Recall
#53 - Keep a Work-Progress Journal
#44 - Make friends your #1 priority
#20 - Jump into Research as Soon as Possible
#16 - Always Be Working on a “Grand Project”
#06- Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year
Some others are great.
Many others are common sense.
Still others seem to be there to simply to increase the page count.
Regardless, there is a number of helpful, unintuitive points in the book.
My favorites are:
#73 - Start Fast, End Slow
#70 - Study With Quiz-and-Recall
#53 - Keep a Work-Progress Journal
#44 - Make friends your #1 priority
#20 - Jump into Research as Soon as Possible
#16 - Always Be Working on a “Grand Project”
#06- Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year
Some others are great.
Many others are common sense.
Still others seem to be there to simply to increase the page count.
July 26, 2016
Vague, boringly positive take on surviving at college. Despite this, it does have some great suggestions for things to do to help a student succeed. While many are good, there are several that seem to be a bit on the extreme side. As a college student, I have been trying some of them out and they've done well. There are 75 suggestions, and I narrowed them down to 32 that I could actually try to use. Of these, I've tried 9 so far and have found success with 6 of those. It's a great book if it is taken in an experimental perspective, not just a back-patting self-congratulatory fling.
March 30, 2014
When it comes to non-fiction novels espousing advice, I am usually prone to skepticism. Newport's publication, though, is far more a list of tips than a long thesis on tasks college-bound students must tick off of a to-do list. Needless to say, I flew through this and thoroughly enjoyed the sparse prose, readily available to read even during the busiest of times. Recommended.
December 19, 2020
Me reading Newport's How to Win at College may shock and upset many of my loyal Goodreads followers. It is shamelessly a self-help book - its straight to the point, eye-catching title, minimalist but not too minimalist cover (a lone cap; a black speck in a sea of yellow), and, once you begin reading, Newport's unmistakable mix of the formal and informal to foster a sense of intimacy between him and the reader. What could push me to take the time out of my busy week to read such a book? Is it the first valuable self-help book, containing the secrets to become a "standout student?" Unfortunately, no. I was lent this at the start of my school year by a promising young adolescent and the glowing recommendation he gave the book naturally compelled me to read it. This review is merely an attempt to justify its presence on my Goodreads account.
Surprisingly, Newport's 75 secrets for student success at some points do offer valuable advice (See: #38, Tack on an extra major or minor). Even more frequently he reinforces common tips about school, like how to study effectively and getting enough sleep, but in a way that makes them resonate with you. However, inevitably with its nearly 200 page length, a fair chunk of this book is either weak or just filler - sometimes giving arguably poor advice, sometimes just impractical advice, and often being over-prescriptive. Especially with the last point, Newport has a tendency to emphasize how to do something too much and neglect what actually makes it effective and how it can be fitted for an individual's own preferences. Because of this, the most I got out of Cal's book, asides from a couple bits of useful advice, was an overwhelming sense of despair.
Surprisingly, Newport's 75 secrets for student success at some points do offer valuable advice (See: #38, Tack on an extra major or minor). Even more frequently he reinforces common tips about school, like how to study effectively and getting enough sleep, but in a way that makes them resonate with you. However, inevitably with its nearly 200 page length, a fair chunk of this book is either weak or just filler - sometimes giving arguably poor advice, sometimes just impractical advice, and often being over-prescriptive. Especially with the last point, Newport has a tendency to emphasize how to do something too much and neglect what actually makes it effective and how it can be fitted for an individual's own preferences. Because of this, the most I got out of Cal's book, asides from a couple bits of useful advice, was an overwhelming sense of despair.
July 25, 2024
This is an amazing compilation of tested ways to become the type of college student that other students admire, prestigious graduate programs recruit, and top-tier employers fight over. As an incoming college freshman this fall (only a few more weeks!), I used more sticky tabs than I care to remember flagging the many tips that I found the most valuable and more time than I'd like to admit poring over these pages, highlighting the best bits of advice. I really believe this little book will help me become the student I know I can be! I would recommend this book to high school students (especially juniors and seniors) planning on attending college, as well as any other college student wannabe (including transfer students, international students, and graduate students).
September 2, 2014
It's a very short read (finished in about two days) and there are 75 bits so it's very snackable. I'm a long-time reader of Study Hacks so a lot of the information in the book was rehashed. However, there were many gems that weren't covered in the blog. I gave it a 3 only because where the blog seemed to be targeted more towards high achieving students, there were many tips in the book targeted towards the average. However, because of the structure of the book, I was able to power through them. Highly recommend for any college student (or soon to be college student).
January 3, 2021
Very helpful, wish I read this before college but also happy to have practiced many some of the principles described by Cal Newport.
April 30, 2024
ya I’m not in college whatever
September 10, 2017
3.5. The author and I differ in our organisational approach; useful tips though.
Read
August 3, 2024My sister read this! She's really been killing it lately and it was cool to read this and see how she does it! I will be implementing these strategies for the coming semester
December 6, 2020
I'm halfway through college and I'm feeling lost and unmotivated. I feel deprived of college experiences due to the abrupt changes brought by the pandemic.
Most of the tips from this book are nothing new to me. But I guess it feels nice to be reminded of the things that I have forgotten to do. This was written by Cal Newport years ago, but most of it are still applicable today, although needing a bit of tweaking for online classes.
Most of the tips from this book are nothing new to me. But I guess it feels nice to be reminded of the things that I have forgotten to do. This was written by Cal Newport years ago, but most of it are still applicable today, although needing a bit of tweaking for online classes.
February 20, 2025
I wish I would have read this before my studies. I recommend!
Although I am questioning whether there is a particular reason time management overall has not been explored further - I do believe it would have been a nice addition to put the 75 tips on "what to do" into a "how to actually make everything everywhere all at once feasible" paragraph or the like, since as of now it feels like I've been dealt more puzzle pieces than seem fit.
To me it appears as if small pieces of time management were scattered left and right, with no further depth to them. At the same time I'd argue that this is one of the most crucial factors to put the author's advice into action in the first place, so I miss this topic.
Other than that each point by itself often comes with advice on how to put it into action which is lovely! A simple and straightforward read.
Although I am questioning whether there is a particular reason time management overall has not been explored further - I do believe it would have been a nice addition to put the 75 tips on "what to do" into a "how to actually make everything everywhere all at once feasible" paragraph or the like, since as of now it feels like I've been dealt more puzzle pieces than seem fit.
To me it appears as if small pieces of time management were scattered left and right, with no further depth to them. At the same time I'd argue that this is one of the most crucial factors to put the author's advice into action in the first place, so I miss this topic.
Other than that each point by itself often comes with advice on how to put it into action which is lovely! A simple and straightforward read.
January 1, 2023
Some really obvious advice like “get a good amount of sleep,” “eat healthy,” “exercise,” “go to class,” “don’t leave studying to the last minute,” etc. There was some useful advice sprinkled in like “befriend a professor” or “find a secret study space” but these are still not really revolutionary ideas. Also I don’t think I was the target audience of this book, as it seemed to be written for neurotypical men taking exam-heavy majors in the US and I am in a Canadian woman in illustration so I couldn’t relate to a lot of the tips or perspective…
May 29, 2020
Decent. Some tips were good, others were obvious/had been mentioned before. Many tips didn't always indicate practical ways of actually accomplishing the tip (like scholarships: how should you explain yourself? what should be things you highlight? these weren't included and could've made the book more helpful). A bit dated because it came out in 2005. However, it was inspirational because of the many suggestions to be ambitious, and a number of new ways to improve efficiency.
May 4, 2025
I bought this a whim two years ago and I didn’t want to waste my money by not reading it. I have a staunch philosophy that the majority of self help books don’t have any original information and are just repackaged versions of the same stuff our parents told us. The majority of the book is just common sense, bar a few helpful tips. Please don’t waste your money on someone’s course or book when we have free access to this information on Instagram study accounts or google.
November 14, 2019
I really enjoy reading Cal Newport. He writes well and always backs up his statements with fascinating research. Many of the tips shared in this book have affected how I think and have prepped me for college. I have only one complaint. Seventy-five is a lot of tips and many of them could've been easily been combined into one. The book could have been a little more concise.
January 11, 2017
Read this with How to be a Straight A Student, also by same author. Excellent tips and a very fast read. The author has since gone on to get a PhD and is currently a professor in computer science. He has written two other books more recently that are also excellent.
June 16, 2020
Generally good advice. A lot of it is obvious. Some advice is better than others. Many points are repeated in How To Become a Straight-A Student.
________________________
Notes:
1. Don’t do all your reading - Read chapter introductions and conclusions carefully and skim everything else. Skip optional readings. For science classes skim the reading before class enough to be able to comfortably follow along.
3. Drop classes every semester - At the beginning of every term, sign up for one or two extra courses, and then after the first week drop your least favorites
6. Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year - websites like fastweb.com and finaid.org can help you find scholarship that you are eligible for
7. Build Study Systems - You should never begin studying without a systemized plan for what you are going to review, in what format, and how many times
8. Befriend a Professor - regularly attend office hours
9. Become a Club President
10. Read a Newspaper Every Day
11. Do One Thing Better Than Anyone Else You Know
12. Avoid Daily To-Do Lists - block out your time
14. Never Nap - If you are feeling sluggish do some light exercise or use food and drink. If you still feel tired, go to bed early.
15. Sign up for something your first week
16. Always be working on a grand project - a group of achievable, nonacademic accomplishments that when combined move you closer to an exciting ambition.
17. Take Art History and Astronomy - take an Art History Course that covers the modern period. Take an Astronomy course that covers cosmology and the universe.
18. Blow the Curve Once a Term - Do it for each class for one assignment every semester
19. Ask One Question at Every Lecture - The night before jot down a list of questions that seem relevant and ask it when it is meaningful and will clarify an important point of the discussion
20. Jump into Research as Soon as Possible - Towards the end of your last freshman semester, begin to inquire about research opportunities. E-mail those professors whose work interests you. Keep your eyes open for undergraduate research grants that might be available.
21. Pay Your Dues - During your forest year assisting on a research project, you have to pay your dues. Don’t expect anything, be as helpful as possible, be available, get work done on time, and make life easier for your research team. “If you think I can handle this, I would be happy to help”
22. Study in Fifty-Minute Chunks - 50 minute chunk with 10 minute break
23. Schedule your Free Time - First, choose an end point for the day. Second, decide exactly when you are going to relax during the day.
24. Dress Nicely for Class
25. Decorate Your Room - Make your room comfortable. Personalize room with movie posters and guitar on wall
26. Start Studying Two Weeks in Advance - study an hour or so a day and the two days before the test do 3 hour sessions
27. Write Outside of Class - You have to be really good at writing. Join the staff of a publication on campus.
28. Eat Alone Twice a Day - long meals tend to be a schedule spoiler for successful students
29. Find an Escape - An escape is a place where you will be cut off from everyday student life. Schedule an escape every week and do it alone.
30. Take Hard Courses Early On - no more than half your classes should have the word intro in the title. If there are no requirements or only “recommended” requirements, then you should be okay taking the course even as a freshman.
31. Don’t Study in Your Room - STUDY IN THE LIBRARY! Set aside a large block of time every day to spend studying in the library to accomplish your most demanding schoolwork.
32. Don’t Study in Groups - learning by yourself is more effective (DEDICATED PRACTICE AND FLOW). Use groups when you want to test your understanding of a concept of having trouble with a particular problem.
34. Do Schoolwork Every Day - The key is consistency.
35. Attend Guest Lectures - Attend at least 2 guest lectures a month. Go to guest lectures to be inspired and keep your intellectual fires stoked.
36. Exercise Five Days a Week - Add exercise to your daily routine.
37. Stay in Touch - Stay in touch with your friends from back home. Minimum: phone call at least once a month.
39. Meet Often with Your Advisor - Come to your first scheduled advisor meeting with a list of questions. Take the time to set up an appointment at the beginning of each semester to make sure you are on the right track.
40. Don’t Get a Normal Job - Find a strategic job at your college. Get a paid position in the academic department in which you have an interest or get one of your college’s many fluff jobs. To get these jobs you have to inquire about openings early.
41. Use Three Days to Write a Paper - Spend 3 days to write your short papers (2-4 pages). Day 1: Build a rough draft. Day 2: Pare your prose down into lean and mean arguments. Day 3: Polishing the details of your arguments where they might still feel a little thin.
42. Don’t Undersleep, Don’t Oversleep - Consistent sleep that will allow you to have energy
43. Relax Before Exams - Take the hour before an exam to relax
44. Make Friends Your #1 Priority - You cannot let a busy schedule come between you and your friendships. Arrange to have one meal with some friends almost every day.
46. Ignore Your Classmates’ Grades - Different students’ grades on any given test or paper are not directly comparable.
47. Seek Out Phenomenal Achievers - They will inspire you and expand the scope of your ambitions.
49. Never Pull an All-Nighter - don’t put yourself in a position to have to do it.
50. Laugh Every Day - Laughing is good for mental health
52. Keep a Work-Progress Journal - keep track of what you planned to complete vs what you completed
53. Seek Out Fun
54. Inflate Your Ambition - Take the most important projects or commitments with which you are involved, and pump up your criteria for success.
55. Get Involved with Your Major Department - Go to events organized by your major department
56. Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.’ - Focus on learning. If you want to be a successful student, forget about your GPA. Ignore it. Don’t talk about it. Make no attempt to know the numbers.
57. Always Go to Class
58. Set Arbitrary Deadlines - set several nonnegotiable intermediate deadlines for long-term projects
59. Eat Healthy
60. Volunteer Quietly - Volunteer because it is internally rewarding.
65. Don’t Take Breaks Between Classes - Use breaks between classes to keep active and accomplish tasks that need to be done. Manage your momentum.
66. Don’t Network - Don’t network but keep your connections strong
69. Find a Secret Study Space
71. Empty Your Inbox
72. Relax Before Sleep - relax at least half an hour before going to sleep
________________________
Notes:
1. Don’t do all your reading - Read chapter introductions and conclusions carefully and skim everything else. Skip optional readings. For science classes skim the reading before class enough to be able to comfortably follow along.
3. Drop classes every semester - At the beginning of every term, sign up for one or two extra courses, and then after the first week drop your least favorites
6. Apply to Ten Scholarships a Year - websites like fastweb.com and finaid.org can help you find scholarship that you are eligible for
7. Build Study Systems - You should never begin studying without a systemized plan for what you are going to review, in what format, and how many times
8. Befriend a Professor - regularly attend office hours
9. Become a Club President
10. Read a Newspaper Every Day
11. Do One Thing Better Than Anyone Else You Know
12. Avoid Daily To-Do Lists - block out your time
14. Never Nap - If you are feeling sluggish do some light exercise or use food and drink. If you still feel tired, go to bed early.
15. Sign up for something your first week
16. Always be working on a grand project - a group of achievable, nonacademic accomplishments that when combined move you closer to an exciting ambition.
17. Take Art History and Astronomy - take an Art History Course that covers the modern period. Take an Astronomy course that covers cosmology and the universe.
18. Blow the Curve Once a Term - Do it for each class for one assignment every semester
19. Ask One Question at Every Lecture - The night before jot down a list of questions that seem relevant and ask it when it is meaningful and will clarify an important point of the discussion
20. Jump into Research as Soon as Possible - Towards the end of your last freshman semester, begin to inquire about research opportunities. E-mail those professors whose work interests you. Keep your eyes open for undergraduate research grants that might be available.
21. Pay Your Dues - During your forest year assisting on a research project, you have to pay your dues. Don’t expect anything, be as helpful as possible, be available, get work done on time, and make life easier for your research team. “If you think I can handle this, I would be happy to help”
22. Study in Fifty-Minute Chunks - 50 minute chunk with 10 minute break
23. Schedule your Free Time - First, choose an end point for the day. Second, decide exactly when you are going to relax during the day.
24. Dress Nicely for Class
25. Decorate Your Room - Make your room comfortable. Personalize room with movie posters and guitar on wall
26. Start Studying Two Weeks in Advance - study an hour or so a day and the two days before the test do 3 hour sessions
27. Write Outside of Class - You have to be really good at writing. Join the staff of a publication on campus.
28. Eat Alone Twice a Day - long meals tend to be a schedule spoiler for successful students
29. Find an Escape - An escape is a place where you will be cut off from everyday student life. Schedule an escape every week and do it alone.
30. Take Hard Courses Early On - no more than half your classes should have the word intro in the title. If there are no requirements or only “recommended” requirements, then you should be okay taking the course even as a freshman.
31. Don’t Study in Your Room - STUDY IN THE LIBRARY! Set aside a large block of time every day to spend studying in the library to accomplish your most demanding schoolwork.
32. Don’t Study in Groups - learning by yourself is more effective (DEDICATED PRACTICE AND FLOW). Use groups when you want to test your understanding of a concept of having trouble with a particular problem.
34. Do Schoolwork Every Day - The key is consistency.
35. Attend Guest Lectures - Attend at least 2 guest lectures a month. Go to guest lectures to be inspired and keep your intellectual fires stoked.
36. Exercise Five Days a Week - Add exercise to your daily routine.
37. Stay in Touch - Stay in touch with your friends from back home. Minimum: phone call at least once a month.
39. Meet Often with Your Advisor - Come to your first scheduled advisor meeting with a list of questions. Take the time to set up an appointment at the beginning of each semester to make sure you are on the right track.
40. Don’t Get a Normal Job - Find a strategic job at your college. Get a paid position in the academic department in which you have an interest or get one of your college’s many fluff jobs. To get these jobs you have to inquire about openings early.
41. Use Three Days to Write a Paper - Spend 3 days to write your short papers (2-4 pages). Day 1: Build a rough draft. Day 2: Pare your prose down into lean and mean arguments. Day 3: Polishing the details of your arguments where they might still feel a little thin.
42. Don’t Undersleep, Don’t Oversleep - Consistent sleep that will allow you to have energy
43. Relax Before Exams - Take the hour before an exam to relax
44. Make Friends Your #1 Priority - You cannot let a busy schedule come between you and your friendships. Arrange to have one meal with some friends almost every day.
46. Ignore Your Classmates’ Grades - Different students’ grades on any given test or paper are not directly comparable.
47. Seek Out Phenomenal Achievers - They will inspire you and expand the scope of your ambitions.
49. Never Pull an All-Nighter - don’t put yourself in a position to have to do it.
50. Laugh Every Day - Laughing is good for mental health
52. Keep a Work-Progress Journal - keep track of what you planned to complete vs what you completed
53. Seek Out Fun
54. Inflate Your Ambition - Take the most important projects or commitments with which you are involved, and pump up your criteria for success.
55. Get Involved with Your Major Department - Go to events organized by your major department
56. Care About Your Grades, Ignore Your G.P.A.’ - Focus on learning. If you want to be a successful student, forget about your GPA. Ignore it. Don’t talk about it. Make no attempt to know the numbers.
57. Always Go to Class
58. Set Arbitrary Deadlines - set several nonnegotiable intermediate deadlines for long-term projects
59. Eat Healthy
60. Volunteer Quietly - Volunteer because it is internally rewarding.
65. Don’t Take Breaks Between Classes - Use breaks between classes to keep active and accomplish tasks that need to be done. Manage your momentum.
66. Don’t Network - Don’t network but keep your connections strong
69. Find a Secret Study Space
71. Empty Your Inbox
72. Relax Before Sleep - relax at least half an hour before going to sleep
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2024
I've read a few of Cal Newport's books, and I'm glad to say he's improved his style over the years. This is a light self-help book that does the job it sets out to do. I work as an administrator at a university and wanted to read this for the sake of having additional tips to give to students who may be struggling.
While I think a lot of what I found is useful (albeit a bit repetitive at times), some of it was odd (Buy a filing cabinet? Write as if aiming for a Pulitzer?), and a fair portion was dated. This was written before the internet really took off, so the idea of emptying your inbox every single day seems a bit farfetched today (however, it's still good advice to make sure students are checking their emails, and unsubscribing to promotional emails).
Overall, as a college administrator now, I think Cal's direction towards his intended audience of college students is pretty spot on. I didn't gain much personally, except maybe a desire to read more periodicals related to my field of work, and get involved in organizations both on-campus and nationwide that will make me a better administrator. I'll likely keep this on my office shelf if I'm ever looking for a quick quote to remind a student that they should be getting sleep, studying, or cleaning up after themselves.
I think Cal also does a decent job of straying away from the typical toxic ultra-positivity, insane work ethic self-help books of today. As someone who has been caught in that trap before, I really appreciated one quote that I'll leave you with: "Life is too short to demand perfection from yourself."
While I think a lot of what I found is useful (albeit a bit repetitive at times), some of it was odd (Buy a filing cabinet? Write as if aiming for a Pulitzer?), and a fair portion was dated. This was written before the internet really took off, so the idea of emptying your inbox every single day seems a bit farfetched today (however, it's still good advice to make sure students are checking their emails, and unsubscribing to promotional emails).
Overall, as a college administrator now, I think Cal's direction towards his intended audience of college students is pretty spot on. I didn't gain much personally, except maybe a desire to read more periodicals related to my field of work, and get involved in organizations both on-campus and nationwide that will make me a better administrator. I'll likely keep this on my office shelf if I'm ever looking for a quick quote to remind a student that they should be getting sleep, studying, or cleaning up after themselves.
I think Cal also does a decent job of straying away from the typical toxic ultra-positivity, insane work ethic self-help books of today. As someone who has been caught in that trap before, I really appreciated one quote that I'll leave you with: "Life is too short to demand perfection from yourself."
January 21, 2022
This book gave me quite a decent head start as the second semester of my first year in college was approaching. I appreciated that Newport was able to point out what we may lose track of should we only focus on the small picture which most of us will have the tendency to do so, amidst a frenzied schedule. Overall, it's a pleasant read for me with 75 concise actionable (small) habits you can possibly incorporate during your years in college.
During my first semester, as a design student, sometimes it can be hard to follow on plans. it can be also to difficult to maintain self-discipline with frenzied schedules or distracting surroundings. Reading this book helps to get myself together whenever I needed a push, brace myself ahead for the rest of my time in college.
It's also great that he brought in alternative perspectives such that it allows for discernment, for instance this chapter on "learning to give up". Ambitious as we may be, to be able to give up and forego to make time for other aspects of your life is in fact a tactical skill to acquire instead of being viewed as a weakness.
During my first semester, as a design student, sometimes it can be hard to follow on plans. it can be also to difficult to maintain self-discipline with frenzied schedules or distracting surroundings. Reading this book helps to get myself together whenever I needed a push, brace myself ahead for the rest of my time in college.
It's also great that he brought in alternative perspectives such that it allows for discernment, for instance this chapter on "learning to give up". Ambitious as we may be, to be able to give up and forego to make time for other aspects of your life is in fact a tactical skill to acquire instead of being viewed as a weakness.
January 28, 2020
Cal Newport shares useful insights into making the most of university life in this easily digestible book. Its flow is poor at times and not all of the 75 tips within are winners. Nonetheless one emerges from its pages a more confident student.
While half a dozen points are not relevant for students in Commonwealth countries, most of the advice bears fruit regardless of the location of one's university.
Dr Newport's most profound insight concerns attitude. If one's aim is merely to win the adulation of others, one is doomed to reside in a pit seething with anxiety; the fear of failure preventing the taking on of risk and thus eventual success. It is those students who are committed to pushing the bounds of knowledge while retaining a humble and friendly character who will become stand outs.
While half a dozen points are not relevant for students in Commonwealth countries, most of the advice bears fruit regardless of the location of one's university.
Dr Newport's most profound insight concerns attitude. If one's aim is merely to win the adulation of others, one is doomed to reside in a pit seething with anxiety; the fear of failure preventing the taking on of risk and thus eventual success. It is those students who are committed to pushing the bounds of knowledge while retaining a humble and friendly character who will become stand outs.
December 11, 2018
This book's amazing, and I wish I had known about it back when I was in college. Picked it up as I'm taking a few more college-level classes before applying to grad schools, and still came away with a lot of tips. It's an extremely fast read, and doesn't sacrifice humor in its brevity. I'm already taking note to buy this (the future updated version of course) for my nephew when he goes to college. In 16 years haha.
June 23, 2025
Not as bad as I thought going into it. I think this book has a lot of genuinely helpful advice. But I learned nothing new. Most of the stuff in this book is things I already do and a good chunk is stuff I disagree with. Or stuff that I don’t think applies to me, personally. There is a lot I could mention but a big one I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at every time was “ignore your GPA.” This is a good book for motivated students who have been at college for two weeks and are feeling a little lost.
May 18, 2020
I will be a graduate student soon, but a lot of this material—although primarily directed at undergrads—still applies! I wish I had read this valuable information earlier, luckily I’m not to late to apply it as a graduate psychology student
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