Why This Book

You are holding this book in your hands, flipping through the pages—or reading the comments and reviews online—and are probably wondering what separates this book from the rest. You could search the terms “college guide” or “tips for college” and hundreds of books and websites appear, many claiming to be the number one source of advice on how to do well in college. Among so many choices, you will inevitably ask, “Why this book?” College is a new experience, socially even more than academically. It can be difficult. All who go to college (especially if they are far from home for the first time) will undergo serious personal adjustments during their first days, weeks, and months where they realize that college is different. It is different from high school, and to succeed you really do have to study. But that’s not really the difference. The difference is that “study” in college isn’t like the study you’ve done before. Study in college requires a new form of discipline, because professors will not provide the daily and weekly feedback that was routine before.

For most, college is the first time in their lives when their performance is based entirely on themselves. And once they’ve been to college, they’ll look back and wish they would have studied differently, more effectively, or just learned how to study. This sounds odd, I know, but “study” is not automatic, and it’s not the same as you’re used to. Not everyone gets it right—especially at first. Among other things, most of us waste a lot of time when we think we’re studying effectively, but when exams come along we realize just how poorly we “studied.” This worked in high school, where there was a fairly broad spectrum of academic talent in each classroom; in college, though, only the better students are even in the classroom. They are your new competition.

Sometimes, the disconnect between the way college is and the way new students think it is (or think it should be) is great enough that they don’t make it. Most certainly don’t do as well as they could, and many don’t enjoy college nearly as much as they might with better habits. You read that correctly—this is not a guide to simply grind away at classes, homework, and late-night projects while everyone else seems to be having a good time. This book is about getting good—even great—grades while still taking time to enjoy life as a college student. There are many good books out there, along with much good advice. This book will also help, but in a different way.

About College

Your college years ought to be among the best times in your life, and also ought to be a solid stepping stone to whatever else you want to do in your future. In many cases, that “whatever else” is going to depend upon how well you did in college. But, of course, once you’re in your senior year it’s difficult (if not impossible) to undo years of poor grades. It’s even harder to undo years of poor habits.

In applying for a graduate program, for example, your entire record is open to inspection, and graduate admissions committees will look seriously not only at your major, but also at your courses, grades, and even combinations of workloads, grades, and demands of each course. Their perspective is this: you say you will make a good [physician, attorney, economist, whatever]. But can you show that you know what it takes? Can you prove through your existing academic work that you actually handled difficult courses, that you did well, and that you can also handle the sort of workload in graduate school?

Say you don’t want to go to graduate school. Chances are, if you would like to work at a top employer out of college, the interviewers will be asking themselves the same questions. They might not be looking from the same academic standpoint, but they will want to know that you’ll do a good job, handle a heavy workload, and do so consistently—without getting into trouble. So, if your transcript shows highly uneven results, or too many “gut courses,” or anything else indicating poor habits, you’re going to be at a serious disadvantage as compared to someone who did have consistently good grades, in hard as well as easy courses.

Also, what if you decide later that you’d like to get a graduate or professional degree? In many companies, a bachelor’s degree is just an entry; you’ll need more to get promoted. So, let’s say you decide to get an MBA. Most top MBA programs require not only a few years of work experience—they also look at, yes, all of the factors mentioned above. So, even if you think you won’t care about grades, or if you think a B-average will be “good enough,” chances are this will keep popping up as an issue, especially as you get started in your career. Among many other factors, how well you do will make a big difference in what initial opportunities are open to you—and which ones are not.

So, the first aim of this book is to uncover how you can have it all, or at least how you can balance good study habits with a fair amount of fun. This is not cold-hearted advice from some party pooper. It’s from someone who has been through this whole process, and who then went through the same process at an even more intense level, in law school.