Best Book for getting straight A in school

[stephanv]

Know what would be a great book to read about getting straight A's in college classes? I'm about to take a one-week vacation this Christmas and would love to read a good book on getting straight A's. I'm entering full time school for the first time in 5 years.

Also, where can I find a good list of posts of Steves concerning school studying/getting good grades?

[RT Wolf]

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...lege-students/

http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/do-it-now.htm

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...n-3-semesters/

And, of course, the rest of the site is awesome. I think he's written pretty much a book in his posts already.

In terms of good books for getting straight A's, I am also looking for some. If/when I find something, I'll let you know. Right now, I'm reading a book called "What the best college teachers do" and it talks about how the current school system and most profs/teachers encourage "strategic learners". That is, those that learn to play the game vs "deep thinkers", those that rebuild their mental models of the world around what they have learned. Which is an important bit of information for me.

Good luck with the books!

[stephanv]

RT Wolf,

Thanks for the links to the posts and your responses.

While waiting for responses to what kind of book to get, I went ahead this morning and bought a book at Books A Million called "Getting Good GrAdes in College" written by two profs. It looks promising. I figure if it's bad, I can return it and get a better book recommended here.

What are you going to school for?

[RT Wolf]

Wow, the google search for Getting Good Grades in College looks promising as well: Getting Good GrAdes in College - Google Search

Amazon says it's good:
Amazon.com: Professors' Guide to Getting Good Grades in College: Books: Lynn F. Jacobs,Jeremy S. Hyman
I'll also try to get the books that they say others liked.

I'm not studying at the University of Toronto for commerce and cinema studies. I'm taking a year off to develop and learn and grow and it's just been amazing so far. Comin back, though, I may change my major. The world is an amazing place and college and university really falls through in conveying that in a lot of places.

Edit: Have you checked your local libary system? I dunno where you are, but here in Toronto, there's a whole buncha books on everything connected to being a student: money, note-taking, time management, etc.

[stephanv]

Good idea - hadn't thought about the library. Thanks!

[The Protagonist]

This will be reccomened to you time and time again by people at collegeconfidential.com a site where people routinely get in at Ivy league schools

"What smart students know" Adam Robinson

[Joel Chue]

First few resources you've to head to would be
Steve's blog.

Do it Now and 10 Tips for College Students.

I personally love and find the content in these 2 articles
of extremely high value! Don't only read it, print it!
Use them as a reminder from time to time to help you.

And if you want to have a ten start yard, I recommend
"Secrets of Scoring As" eBook!

Great content and marvelous e-course!

[Cassie]

I've just received five straight A's for this fall semester. This is the first time I've ever received a 4.0 and I'm very humbled because it is at a more challenging private school than my last.

My only advice is to do your best on all your assignments. You need to make your schoolwork a huge priority. But never top priority. I would never sacrifice exercise time/ meditation time/ spending quality time with family or friends for schoolwork. The key is balance. Pick an hour to work hard on assignments, and kick some arse in that time frame.

[Joel Chue]

My only advice is to do your best on all your assignments.

It shows that you understand your work! great advice.

Here's some links to improving college effectiveness
"college effectiveness" - Google Search
Amazon.com: college
As' Students Study Skills At Your Fingertips

Hope the links help.

[magi13]

Originally Posted by Cassie

I've just received five straight A's for this fall semester. This is the first time I've ever received a 4.0 and I'm very humbled because it is at a more challenging private school than my last.

My only advice is to do your best on all your assignments. You need to make your schoolwork a huge priority. But never top priority. I would never sacrifice exercise time/ meditation time/ spending quality time with family or friends for schoolwork. The key is balance. Pick an hour to work hard on assignments, and kick some arse in that time frame.

I like advice. I sometimes forget about family when I concentrate on my work. If you can do it, we can too. Thanks for posting these words. I do agree that balance is the key. Anything done that disregards the family is not worth the aggravation of our parent's hearts.

[Stargirl]

I have read many books on studying and getting good grades. Most of these books have idealistic fancy solutions that work for a while until my motivation wavers. To restart these methods requires intensive work.

Then I came across Study Hacks.
Here's an article from the site: The Straight-A Method: A Simple Framework for Conquering College

I even bought his two books, How to Win at College and How to Become a Straight-A Student.

His methods are nice because they are
a) Simple: even if you stop them, it's super easy to restart them once you get back on track
b) Tested: he used them, he chronicles various students testing his methods on his blog.
c) Effective: they teach you to learn holistically, they teach you not to cram, they teach to you gain something from college academically while not giving up your social life and other opportunities. they teach you to live a balanced life.

[Rossoneri]

Originally Posted by Stargirl

I have read many books on studying and getting good grades. Most of these books have idealistic fancy solutions that work for a while until my motivation wavers. To restart these methods requires intensive work.

Then I came across Study Hacks.
Here's an article from the site: The Straight-A Method: A Simple Framework for Conquering College

I even bought his two books, How to Win at College and How to Become a Straight-A Student.

His methods are nice because they are
a) Simple: even if you stop them, it's super easy to restart them once you get back on track
b) Tested: he used them, he chronicles various students testing his methods on his blog.
c) Effective: they teach you to learn holistically, they teach you not to cram, they teach to you gain something from college academically while not giving up your social life and other opportunities. they teach you to live a balanced life.

I agree. I have how to become a straight a student and it's great

[magi13]

I recommend Dominic's How to Pass Exams book. I recently bought one and its very simple and user friendly.

A better description here is found at this link by happychild. It's a nice website that talks about learning.

How to Pass Exams - Book Review - Accelerated Learning series

[dice]

Ask yourself : What would my life be without school?

Love what your studying. That's how you get A's.

Hey hey Billy Joel said:

"You could be a straight A student, but if you are then you think too much"

Some air in the brain is good for the spirit.

[zoner7]

If you want good grades, you aren't going to learn how to achieve them by reading about study strategies in books. Rather than spending time reading tips that you have heard in the past, practice the ones you already know. Refine them to a state where they are nearly perfect.

[magi13]

Originally Posted by zoner7

If you want good grades, you aren't going to learn how to achieve them by reading about study strategies in books. Rather than spending time reading tips that you have heard in the past, practice the ones you already know. Refine them to a state where they are nearly perfect.

I commend your suggestion that is nice and true but, it is not wrong to ask for help. It'll guide the seeker.

I believe it is wise to learn from others so that you don't need to make the mistakes other have made. ^^

[RT Wolf]

I do agree with zoner7 in a sense: learning about improvement can become a procrastination vehicle, then you become a PD junkie. However, there is much value in seeking newer and better ways. I'd say the action/refinement-learning split would prolly be best at about 5-1. Way more action, but also learning how to direct it.

[bbdream8]

Try reading up some Tony Buzan's books on Mind Mapping and speed reading. That will do great for your grades.

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger

Originally Posted by stephanv

Know what would be a great book to read about getting straight A's in college classes? I'm about to take a one-week vacation this Christmas and would love to read a good book on getting straight A's. I'm entering full time school for the first time in 5 years.

Also, where can I find a good list of posts of Steves concerning school studying/getting good grades?

[zoner7]

Personally, I would stray from books and turn to other sources. Books tend to be filled with fluff, so its take much more time to learn something from them as opposed to another source, such as an online one. Also, a book simply presents one person's opinions; however, learning is one of the most multifaceted subjects that exits. No two people learn in the same way. If a specific book does not cater to your learning style, reading it will teach you nothing other than what does not work for you.
I would just start with google. It has everything. Google served as the foundation upon which everything I know about learning is based. Using what I learned from google I was able to developed my own learning strategies, ultimately honing them to a point of near perfection.

[Stargirl]

Originally Posted by dice

Ask yourself : What would my life be without school?

Love what your studying. That's how you get A's.

Hey hey Billy Joel said:

"You could be a straight A student, but if you are then you think too much"

Some air in the brain is good for the spirit.

I agree. and I agree you should for the most part, stay away from books.

Really, I get my grades because I choose to delve into the subjects and be really interested. The books I recommended just describe possible logistics, but nothing replaces real CURIOSITY and INVOLVEMENT.

best thing I learn for acing university, ask questions (in your mind, while you learn, to your teachers...)

seriously, my notes mostly consist of questions which when answered will help form that framework of understanding. So I don't memorize. and I don't study much for finals or midterms.

[Hyperchiller]

"What Smart Students Know" By Adam Robinson.

I have it and it's good

[romanianmnemonist]

It depends how serious you are about it. If you want the best result in terms of improving your learning abilities, and you are praperd to work for it a litle, I recommend the Giordano Memorization system course from school of phenomenal memory. You can read the free manual here:

http://www.pmemory.com/improve_memory-adr.php

You can memorise entire books with this system but it takes some work, it took me a few months to finish the course but I think it's worth it and I don't think there's anything better out there.

[magi13]

Originally Posted by romanianmnemonist

It depends how serious you are about it. If you want the best result in terms of improving your learning abilities, and you are praperd to work for it a litle, I recommend the Giordano Memorization system course from school of phenomenal memory. You can read the free manual here:

http://www.pmemory.com/improve_memory-adr.php

You can memorise entire books with this system but it takes some work, it took me a few months to finish the course but I think it's worth it and I don't think there's anything better out there.

It's not the best, ^^ I've tried it. I still prefer Dominic Obrien's system.

@Thread starter, just study and hop to it, Desire is one part and technique is the next. You can google search it anywhere and it's free.

Study Skills - How to Study

[romanianmnemonist]

Originally Posted by magi13

It's not the best, ^^ I've tried it. I still prefer Dominic Obrien's system.

@Thread starter, just study and hop to it, Desire is one part and technique is the next. You can google search it anywhere and it's free.

Study Skills - How to Study

Have you actually taken the course or just read the book? There are some important techniques that are in the course but are left out of the book. But most importantly, I'm not aware of any other course that provides a systematic training program like this that can turn a complete novice into a true mnemonist. Maibe the Obrien book is easier to understand for you because it's writen by a native english speaker. But if you don't already have a memory skill picking up the techniques just by reading books is very hard.

[magi13]

Originally Posted by romanianmnemonist

Have you actually taken the course or just read the book? There are some important techniques that are in the course but are left out of the book. But most importantly, I'm not aware of any other course that provides a systematic training program like this that can turn a complete novice into a true mnemonist. Maibe the Obrien book is easier to understand for you because it's writen by a native english speaker. But if you don't already have a memory skill picking up the techniques just by reading books is very hard.

Yes i have tried it and I'm promoting a method which I prefer. Your loyalty to that method is okay, if it works for you why not.

P.S. The exercises are well and good.

Say for example, the chain technique of pmemory is better explained by harry lorayne <-- who started it. The romanian doll <-- is very very nice and the explanation of how things should be of equal size in order to remember. <-- I think this depends on people. I memorized 1500 digits of pi w/ different sizes of images. @,@ that debunks that.

The Cicero method is just a fancy way to call roman room method or method of loci <-- Journey system revived by Dominic <-- better explanation. All Dominic didn't stress is that people can actually build up on that journey and make imaginary rooms. See ^^, I made my own method of loci, but still it's not original because it is defined as putting or imagining a thing <-- tricking your mind to see it even if it's not really there.

The random item memorization thing is actually very very good by pmemory <-- but I already know this --> explained everywhere in the roman room system where you use things as pegs.

Even random items you can see and make them pegs, that's just another variation of method of loci.

The alphabet system of pmemory, wasn't even explained why @,@ The Major system is way easier and more instinctive. Dominic system <-- is great, face and action <-- really really nice. I tried it but i'm prefer the major system even though it's a wee bit slower.

What pmemory excels at is that it has a lot of exercises, i did 1-59, it's really nice.

I compared the free book and the one with the package, similar, what sucks is that it's coated in hyphaluting words. @,@ It's like saying your smart if you read this book or do this course. <-- only a simpleton would fall for that.

P.s. I like pmemory, all I'm saying is that, there are easier ways that will give you the same result. If you want I can even post the page which I really had trouble with the exercises. The only thing I don't like about is the required testimonials.

They could have made it easier for the readers.

Good things about pmemory -> 1. exercises <- to try is to achieve. that's the best thing about it

cons

1. chain/romanian doll <-- link -> search google and it's explained well

2. cicero -> that's method of loci or journey system. @,@ I'm a law student we study cicero and I'm familiar with his work. He's the guy who introduced the greek jurisprudence to the romans. @,@

I just find Dominic's method more effective in all ways around.

3. The random item thing <-- Is really good, most books don't explain this so kudos to pmemory, although, I kind of ended discovering this on my own 7 years ago. <-- I just applied what Dominic quotes in his book How to pass exam, desire and technique. So naturally you'll find away. But for those who didn't it's a good thing.

:3...

See, it'll be the same on all other methods if people actually did exercises on them.

I will not recommend something I have not tried and I will not recommend something when there is something better based on my experience. I've tried harry lorayne's method <-- best description of link, dominic's and other sources, books and the net as well as pmemory.

My point here is that they don't need to waste money on something they can learn for free with a little effort and love to excel.