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Reviews
How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students by Cal Newport
brentwilliamj's review
3.0
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."
afmartinez2's review against another edition
5.0
I wish I had read this during my first year of uni, it has great advice and very practical tips to incorporate into your life. I hope that I can use some of them now that I´m going back to uni after a long break.
theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
A good book filled with a lot of quality tips, although it assumes the student is going to be living in a dorm and attending a college out of state or at least out of their hometown. Kind of leaves students who commute to college from home or are still in-town a little in the lurch with some of his suggestions. Still a great book for students looking for some guidance when either about to enter college or having been a college student for a while.
abejadeazucar's review against another edition
3.75
outdated in some parts (ex. "attention from the opposite sex", talking with friends through email) but there's a lot of original advice I hadn't heard before. what I like about cal Newport is that his self help books are not overly philosophical and vague: they offer clear objectives and strategies you can implement immediately.
bubblesofbayla's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
Some useful tips! Also some generalization that I worried could be taken too seriously. He explains everything as rules, but something may not work for everyone. Also, some thoughts about weight and other things that felt dated and weird. That being said, I did highlight a few things to keep in mind.
kavyashreek's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
thesterlingstudy's review against another edition
5.0
I have read this book before when I was a senior in high school and I thought to re-read it for a bit of a refresher. I forgot how great the advice is from this book! It’s extremely helpful with all the tips and advice Cal gives in the text that I have put to practice in my last 3 years of college. Now, after re-reading it, I will be putting more of the tips into practice and I am hoping to see more of an increase in my productivity & time management.
sydschamay's review against another edition
The quick and dirty guide to college success. Tips themselves aren't anything groundbreaking, but Newport's mental approach (anyone can be exceptional without being a total grind or sacrificing leisure) was refreshing.