Synopses & Reviews
Heading off to college? Or perhaps already there? This book's just for you. Winner of the 2010 USA Book News Award for best book in the college category,
The Secrets of College Success combines easy-to-follow tips that really work with insider information that few professors are willing to reveal—but all students need to know.
The over 800 tips in this book will show you how to:
- Pick courses and choose a major
- Manage your time and develop college-level study skills
- Get on top of the core requirements
- Get good grades and avoid stress
- Interact effectively with the professor
- Match college and career, and more.
New to this second edition are tips for:
- Online courses and MOOCs
- Community colleges, engineering schools, and arts and design colleges
- E-readers, tablets, and laptops
- Taking out student loans and paying them off, and more.
Ideal for college students at any stage, and college-bound high school students, The Secrets of College Success makes a wonderful back-to-college or high-school-graduation gift—or a smart investment in your own future.
Praise for the first edition of The Secrets of College Success
"It would be impossible not to learn something important from this book."
—J. Steven Resnick, professor and associate dean for first year seminars, University of North Carolina
"I laughed, I took notes, I loved every page. And I'm not even in college. If you are, don't even think about not buying this book. It will be the best thing you ever did for yourself."
—Richard Bolles, author, What Color Is Your Parachute?
"Along with shower flip-flops and a very loud alarm clock, this book should be on every freshman's college packing list. The professors have outlined solutions for all the major fears that students face when they start college."
—Marjorie Savage, parent program director, University of Minnesota; author, You're on Your Own (But I'm Here If You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Year
Review
"If I had my way, I’d give this book to every single college student, of any age, and make them read it. A book that moves from ‘How to Turn a B into an A’ to ‘10 Surefire Ways to Piss Off Your Professor,’ is beyond just ‘helpful.’’ It is ‘the Missing Manual’ for turning a merely ‘okay’ college experience into a delicious adventure. I laughed, I took notes, I loved every page. And I’m not even in college. If you are, don’t even think about not buying this book. It will be the best thing you ever did for yourself."
—Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?
"Along with shower flip-flops and a very loud alarm clock, this book should be on every freshman’s college packing list. The professors have outlined solutions for all the major fears that students face when they start college."
—Marjorie Savage, parent program director, University of Minnesota and author of You’re on Your Own (But I’m Here If You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years
"Psychologically sound tips for thriving, not just surviving, in college. Lynn’s and Jeremy’s tips will make your college experience a spectacular success."
—Chuck Snowden, director of honors program, University of Wisconsin
"Clear, practical, comprehensive — and caring. These authors want you to succeed. Listen."
—Judy Genshaft, president, University of South Florida and past president, American Council on Education
"Riddled with humor and witty in presentation, this lighthearted "easy read" could be the most helpful, honest resource for today’s college student."
—Scott H. Reikofski, director, fraternity/sorority affairs, University of Pennsylvania
"The Secrets of College Success needs to be required reading for anyone starting college, regardless of age. A great source of practical advice that could mean the difference between success and failure."
—Eduardo J. Padrón, president, Miami Dade College
"The students who are most successful in college are those who are most prepared. The Secrets of College Success reveals what students need to know from the perspective of the professors who teach them. It pays to know the rules of the game before you play."
—George R. Boggs, president and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges
"This volume provides a banquet of tips. Easy to read, easy to locate what you need, this book will be helpful throughout your undergraduate years. I highly recommend it."
—Sharon J. Hamilton, professor and former director, Indiana University Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching
"Accessibly written and logically organized, there’s something here for everyone. This handy volume will help students focus on what it takes to be successful."
—Peter H. Quimby, deputy dean, Princeton University
"This book provides sound advice in a great format on how to get the most from your college education, starting on Day 1 of your freshman year."
—Martha O’Connell, executive director, Colleges that Change Lives
"High schools focus on getting their seniors TO college but they rarely teach them how to get THROUGH college. Professors Jacobs and Hyman fill this gap with a series of high energy, digestible and practical tips that any student can master in one sitting. This book should be required reading for every college-bound student so that they will be equipped with the "under-the-hood" expertise they need to succeed in h0000igher education."
—Keith W. Frome, chief academic officer, College Summit Inc.
"The Secrets of College Success is an easy-to-read, highly informative book. In my experience, many students come in to Stanford unprepared for the realities of college life. With bite-sized and digestible tips, this book provides substantial advice applicable to any college student."
—Kamil Dada, president
Synopsis
Written by award-winning professors Lynn Jacobs and Jeremy Hyman, the book is loaded with insider information that only professors know--but few are willing to reveal. The over 600 tips in this book will show you:
- How to pick good courses and avoid bad professors
- How to develop “college-level” skills and habits that’ll put you ahead of the pack
- How to get through the freshman comp, math, language, and lab science requirements--in one try
- How to figure out what’s going to be on the tests, and what professors are looking for in papers and presentations
- How to pick a major you’ll really like--and be good at
- How to get the edge for graduate school--or the inside track to a really good job
- And much more.
The tips are quick and easy-to-use, and the advice is friendly and supportive. It’s as if you had your own personal professor guiding you on the path to college success.
Synopsis
Over 800 Tips, Techniques, and Strategies RevealedWinner of the 2010 USA Book News Award for best book in the college category, The Secrets of College Success combines quick, easy-to-follow suggestions with insider information that only professors know. Newly updated for the 2013-2014 academic year, this book shows you how to pick courses and avoid bad professors, how to manage your time and do college-level studying, how to get good grades, and much more. This second edition adds new tips for majors and careers, online courses, distance learning, community colleges, graduate school, and paying off your student loans.
- Filled with insider information that only professors know—and few are willing to reveal
- Hundreds of tips on everything from getting through freshman math, language, and lab science requirements to how to graduate in four years—with professional-level skills
- New tips address the latest trends and changes as well as expanded coverage of community colleges, developmental education courses, applying for jobs, and more
Ideal for both college students and college-bound high school students,The Secrets of College Success makes a wonderful back-to-college or high-school-graduation gift—or a smart investment in your own future.
Synopsis
Heading off to college? Or perhaps already there? This book’s just for you. Winner of the 2010
USA Book News Award for best book in the college category,
The Secrets of College Success combines easy-to-follow tips that really work with insider information that few professors are willing to reveal.
The over 800 tips in this book will show you how to: •Pick courses and choose a major •Manage your time and develop college-level study skills •Get on top of the core requirements •Get good grades and avoid stress •Interact effectively with the professor •Match college and career, and more.
New to this second edition are tips for: •Online courses and MOOCs •Community Colleges, Engineering Schools, and Arts and Design Colleges •E-readers, tablets, and laptops •Taking out Student Loans and Paying them Off, and more.
Ideal for college students at any stage, and college-bound high school students, The Secrets of College Success makes a wonderful back-to-college or high-school-graduation gift – or a smart investment in your own future.
About the Author
Dr. Lynn F. Jacobs is professor of Art History at the University of Arkansas. Jeremy S. Hyman is founder and chief architect of Professors' Guide content products. Between them, they have over 40 years of teaching experience at eight different colleges and universities. Additional tips are available at www.thesecretsofcollegesuccess.com, at www.facebook.com/professorsguide, and on Twitter at @professorsguide.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Second Edition xv
Introduction xvii
Top 10 Reasons to Read This Book xix
The Professors’ Guide™ Icons xxi
1 THIS IS COLLEGE
10 Things You Need to Know About College (But Probably Don’t) 3
What’s New at College? Fun Facts 7
The 15 Habits of Top College Students 10
The 10 Worst Self-Defeating Myths 14
The 11 Secrets of Getting Good Grades in College 18
20 No-Brainers to Save Money at College 22
14 Ways to Ensure You Graduate in Four Years 31
Top 10 Tips for Community College Students 36
10 Best Tips for Engineering School 41
Top 10 Tips for Applied Arts and Design Colleges 45
The College Student’s Bill of Rights 49
2 IN THE BEGINNING . . .
7 Things to Do the Summer Before College 54
15 Things to Do the Week Before College 58
10 Things to Consider Before Buying a Tablet, E-Reader, or Laptop for College 62
Do’s and Don’ts for Picking Your Courses 68
Top 12 Tips for Picking a Major 72
Top 10 Secrets of the Syllabus 78
10 Questions to Ask Yourself the First Week of Classes 82
The 13 Warning Signs of a Bad Professor 85
Tips and Tricks for Improving Your Course Schedule 89
3 SKILLS 3.0
Top 10 Time-Management Tips 96
Top 10 Reasons Never to Procrastinate 100
The How Not to Study Guide 104
10 Secrets of Taking Excellent Lecture Notes 109
15 Ways to Read Like a Pro 113
15 Strategies for Painless Presentations 118
How to Build Your Confidence 123
4 SPECIALTIES OF THE HOUSE
10 Ways to Whip the Freshman Comp Requirement 129
10 Tips for Taming the Math Requirement 134
Top 10 Tips for Mastering the Foreign (or World) Language Requirement 138
10 Ideas for Learning to Love the Lab 142
10 Tips for the First-Year Experience Course 146
Facing Up to Remediation: Top 10 Strategies 149
10 Tips for Online Courses (and MOOCs) 154
How to Take Courses on the Web—for Free 160
5 IT’S SHOWTIME!
12 Tips for A+ Test Preparation 166
“So What’s Going to Be on the Test Anyway?” 171
Top 13 Test-Taking Tips 174
10 Tips for Writing the Perfect Paper 179
10 Things Your Professor Won’t Tell You About Grading 185
How to Turn a B into an A 189
14 Techniques for Doing Research Like a Professor 190
Top 10 Tips for Doing E-Research 196
6 INTERFACING WITH THE PROFESSOR
15 Ways to Make Your Professor Love You 203
10 Biggest Hesitations About Going to See the Professor—and How to Get Over Them 208
The 14 Secrets of Going to See the Professor 212
Etiquette for E-mailing Your Professor 217
10 Surefi re Ways to Piss Off Your Professor 220
Top 10 Things Professors Never Want to Hear—and What They Think When They Do Hear Them 224
7 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY . . .
10 Things to Do When You Can’t Keep Up with the Lecture 228
Top 10 Signs You’ve Been Cutting Too Many Classes 233
What to Do When You’ve Bombed the Midterm 234
7 Best Last-Minute Strategies for Saving Your Grade 237
10 Signs You’re in Real Trouble at College 241
What, Then, to Do? The 7-Step Approach 244
8 THE SECOND HALF
10 Must-Do’s at the Halfway Point of College 249
13 Skills You’ll Need for a Career—and How to Get Them at College 253
10 Strategies for Women Considering a Career in STEM Fields 257
Transfer Tips—from Community College to Four-Year College 261
Summer School Pros and Cons 264
Top 10 Myths About Study Abroad 268
Top 9 Tips for Taking Out Student Loans 272
10 Tips for the Senior Thesis 277
9 MOVING ON
The 10-Step Program for Thinking About Grad School 284
Top 10 Tips for Getting Bang-Up Recommendations 289
8 Tips for Finding a Job 294
Top 13 Tips for Acing the Job Interview 298
Top 10 Tips for Paying Off Your Student Loans 303
10 THE END—AND THE BEGINNING
The 3 Most Important Tips 309
Top 10 People We’d Like to Thank 311
Web Resources 313
Index 317