let's face it folks, the key to winning is successful strategy. Cal breaks it down through efficient ways to do well. He filters out the grind student's advice, and applies highly intelligent ways to be a student. He doesn't hold your hand through college, he tells you to get off your arse, stop procrasting, learn new ways to study, and still have a life.

When i hit college next fall, I'll have zero anxiety now from his book alone.

This is a book about getting more from the college experience.

Suggestions such as write for the school newspaper, volunteer, attend political rallies, advice on summer employment (he advocates getting a job in the field you are interested in working as career), etc.

There are some study tips covered as well.

The author has another book called, "How to Become a Straight A Student" that is very good at discussing ways to improve your grades and live a balanced life too.

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.

4, not 5, stars

Cal Newport's passion for the subject is transparent. Writing as an experienced, well-researched "big brother," Newport avoids being didactic while imparting advice he clearly believes in.

The advice is, quite simply, great. From the attitude to the study techniques, Newport covers a good majority of what a college student needs to accomplish in order to win as per his interpretation. For any freshman or sophomore looking to become one of those all-around stars on campus -- for anyone ambitious -- I highly recommend this book.

The problem, however, is time. Although Newport covers time management tactics and strategies well, he under-estimates the time it takes to win at academics. To work-out, volunteer, eat healthily, take leadership positions in extra-curricular groups, and seek out adventure whenever possible easily can shift focus from what should be every student's number one priority: academics.

Of course, each and every student ought to strive for all-around success. However, the steady, honest commitment to the variety of causes Newport suggests can be fairly difficult.

So, take his advice. Take his advice to heart. But, keep balance in mind. While other things outside classwork are important, sometimes you just do not have time to read the newspaper.

Thanks Mr. Newport for the great advice!

This little gem has been a boon to both my current college students. I now give the book as a HS graduation present. It proveides very wise tips on how to continue that streak of success that the colleges loved enough to admit your student in the first place. A positive road map with both common sense and forward looking ideas to enter the real world.

As a highschool senior I have already put tip #1 to use and found it invaluable. Though there are things that you must work out for yourself before adopting it into your lifestyle, Cal's no nonsense style really drives in the point that you can excel academically while enjoying your life. An entertaining read, don't read too much at once, and a must for his blog readers.

As a parent, I read the book and returned it. (My daughter, the freshman, insisted I get my money back.

From chapter 18:
"Break the curve once a term... The advantages of blowing the curve on an assignment are obvious." This is college not kindergarten. If your kids are enrolled in a competitive school with an intense curriculum, this advice is borderline asinine. My son, the EE, competes each week with a number of other kids on his senior design project. Each one of them wants to knock it out of the park.

From chapter 19:
"Make sure you that you always ask at least one question at every lecture." -- I seem to remember a proverb about stupid questions. I think Mark Twain once said, "Better to be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

From Chapter 24:
"Dress nicely for class" -- has this author ever been to a college campus ? (!) That was a rhetorical question.

If you want to give your kids some street smarts about college, get them a copy of College 101: The Book Your College Does Not Want You to Read That books isn't perfect. It is even slightly dated. However, it is damn funny, amazingly candid, and brutally honest.

As I have found out, the job market coming out of school is very competitive. To get a great job you need to stand out from the crowd in a positive way. I have read a few books on success at college over the past three years and think this in one of the two best. The tips in this book (and How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less) will help you stand out where it matters most - with a great GPA. Follow its advice, and you will gain a clear advantage in the competition to get the most sought after jobs.

But also remember that your résumé may get you the interview, but it's how you handle the interview that gets you the job. Conversation, handling the utensils -- it's all those little things. If you are serious about getting a great job, I suggest getting some good etiquette books as well. Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 1: Dining Etiquette and Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work are two good references on the subject.

As an admitted skeptic before I read this book, I felt like I had seen it all before. What could a 200 some page book offer me with 75 "secrets" of success in college? Even then, with at the most a 4 page explanation of why its important?

Call me crazy, but I think that this book was what I call a "Quick shot at success". Although its a quick read, in terms of other overloaded "expert" college success guides, I found this to really open my mind and give me the ambition to succeed.

What makes this book special is that it works two fold:
First, many of the secrets I had NEVER heard before! Yet, as soon as you read it, you just want to go tell all your friends what they've been missing while they were inevitably buried beneath a stack of books! Even with the rare "common sense" tips, Cal puts a new spin on them. He explains them so you can understand them, why they are important, and what you can do to become inspired to put them into action. Best of all, he does this with EVERY tip! This book REALLY makes your college life easier and more enjoyable!
Second, as I noted before, this book is a "quick shot at success". When you are done reading it, you WILL feel inspired. Even then, you will inevitably fall on some rough times in college. You may forget a few tips here and there. When you feel down, just pick up this book again and take another "shot" at success!

However, i'd recommend getting his latest book "How to become a straight a student" in addition to this. Combined, you WILL see results!

I just wish I had found this book when I was a freshman in college.

I finished this book in one day; it was impossible to put down. After it was over, I felt so uplifted and inspired that that I called a friend on the phone to say that "this is the best book I've ever read!"

I know this sounds over the top. However, I have been a poor to mediocre student for most of my life. Now, I'm desperately devouring every publication on the topic out there to get the kind of grades that will get grad schools' attention.

For someone who is really tired of the grind, or really tired of being a slacker, this is the book to point you in the right direction to turn it all around.

Good Luck!

I finished this book in one day; it was impossible to put down. After it was over, I felt so uplifted and inspired that that I called a friend on the phone to say that "this is the best book I've ever read!"

I know this sounds over the top. However, I have been a poor to mediocre student for most of my life. Now, I'm desperately devouring every publication on the topic out there to get the kind of grades that will get grad schools' attention.

For someone who is really tired of the grind, or really tired of being a slacker, this is the book to point you in the right direction to turn it all around.

Good Luck!

I never thought that a book could possibly teach me anything I needed to know to excel in college. I thought I had to find out everything on my own but this book allowed me to excel greatly in this past semester in college. My grades raised, i had more fun, and I enjoyed college more because of this book!

This book is a treasure trove of common sense advice for the college student. If your graduate won't listen to you, buy them the book so they can glean the real gems inside these pages for themselves. If you are a high school student and anxious about college, get a copy and see how success is made. If you are a college student about to tank another semester, grab this to pull yourself out of failure! Not every bit of How to Win will apply to each student, but lots of common sense suggestions are in this book, and even one helpful tip grabbed hold of may be enough to help a student out. Get this for anyone who wants to win at college!

There are nowadays dozens of books written with the intent on preparing young people for the wonders of life in college or at the university. And although the purchase of any of these would provide an excellent source of advice to success at this level, Cal Newport's collection of 75 tips to excellence stand FAR apart! It is indeed true that many people will not be able to implement every tip into their experience; however, I challenge any college kid to tell me that advice such as "learning to listen" and "caring about your grades, not your GPA" are far too difficult to work into his or her busy schedule. In brief, if you are looking to merely help wear off the shock of transitioning from the environment of family and high school to one of the individual at college, then choose any college book you can find; it's sure to help. However, if you are looking at using these all-too-critical years at the next level to better yourself, then there's no argument: buying HOW TO WIN AT COLLEGE is essential!

The author says in the beginning of the book that a student doesn't have to utilize all 75 tips in order to be a successful student. This is a simple fact that you need to grow accustomed to when reading this book. There is simply not enough time in a day, nor an individual motivated enough to develop every habit he suggests, varying from exercising 5 days a week to relaxing for a good half hour before you go to sleep.

I agree with essentially all of the tips he suggests. However, I think that outstanding students can indeed get away with studying in their dorms, eating with friends 2 or even 3 times a day, or getting a "normal" job just working in retail in town. While all of his tips are laid out clearly and justified in simple terms, college is a different experience for every person. Some tips will actually not apply to certain people. Some things he expressly forbids might be alright in certain situations.

That being said, I think this book holds a lot of wisdom. While it was a quick and easy read, and while it is like a compendium of tips that are intended to be read like a list, the reading did become predictable. He suggests writing every paper in college like you're writing for a Pulitzer--while he does write very skillfully, and while his personality does indeed shine in the writing, the reading just became somewhat monotonous after reading 10 or 15 tips at a time.

To fully enjoy this book, read it in small doses. Read 4 or 5 tips at a time and take time and ponder the things he suggests. For tips which come alive to you and really seem like they'd make you a better student, mark the page somehow. If you see a tip you don't agree with, make a different mark and go back a few weeks or months later and see if you still agree with your initial decision. Make an effort to live by the ones you agree with and see if they truly make a difference.

This book holds more wisdom than just "don't procrastinate" and "don't binge drink" and all of the common sense things that most books include. While he does mention them, he doesn't dwell on them quite as much (though he drive no procrastination home, no doubt). This book comes from a man who really knows college life--you can see it in the way he writes and the things he writes. My only complaint is that reading it in a single sitting isn't as fun as reading it in small doses. This book needs time to fully blossom, which some people don't have much of.