How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students

Take, for example, a funding proposal for a club you run. If you have two weeks to finish it, plan to have most of it done by the end of the first week. The day before you leave for spring vacation, do your packing in the morning, not late at night. If you have a big class presentation to research, complete the work with days to spare. No matter ho

In fact, you might even forget to give your name, leaving the contact to ask you as you walk away. This is antinetworking, and it works. Pleasantly surprised, the person you are talking to will drop their defenses, and, in the best of circumstances, remember the engaging student whose palpable enthusiasm and knowledge of the topic impressed them.

The night before, when you are doing the reading that will be covered in the lecture, jot down a quick list of questions that seem relevant. Then, once in class, follow the professor's material carefully, modifying and honing your questions as appropriate. Finally, when you feel you have a question that is meaningful, and will clarify an important

” If you can pass your quizzes in two hours, then you are done studying in two hours. If it takes you three days, then you are done studying in three days—but at least at the end you will know you are ready.

Regardless of the specifics at your school, if there is any possible opportunity to join an honors program, go for it!

In fact, the first step she took after her ill-fated exam was to head straight to her professor's office hours. She went over the exam with him in detail, separating dumb mistakes from actual misunderstandings and discussing the right answers until she felt in control of the material.

The next step of the process is the quizzing. This is where the real learning actually happens. When quizzing yourself, you don't necessarily have to write down your answers. This might be necessary for solving math problems, but for discussion-style questions, feel free to formulate your response out loud. You can cover topics much quicker when yo

Why bother dressing nicely for class? Two reasons. One, it makes you feel better about yourself. If you look good, you can imagine that cute guy or dimpled girl in the front row shooting some glances in your direction. This will make you happy. And when you are happy, you have more energy and pay attention better in class. Two, it makes the day off

The secret is to engage in the same focusing ritual every Sunday morning—something that wakes up your mind and gets your day moving.