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Reddit mentions of How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less

Sentiment score: 4
Reddit mentions: 9

We found 9 Reddit mentions of How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less. Here are the top ones.

How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less
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Release dateDecember 2006

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Found 9 comments on How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less:

u/ewiggle · 3 pointsr/getdisciplined

It's because you think there's low reward for the time invested whereas when you wait until the last minute, every single second has potential for immense reward. Problem is, it also requires that you succeed otherwise you'll just fail or be late on your project.

The trouble with convincing yourself that it's worth it to do that little piece today, then tomorrow, and the next day instead of waiting until the last day is that there hasn't so far been anyone or anything in your life to reinforce that idea at the end of that time frame. There's no teacher looking at you negatively on day 2 when you didn't start your project on day 1. There's no boss hounding you for your late work when it's not due for a week. There's no negative feedback waiting for your after the first hour of receiving the assignment.

The way you respond to this setup, waiting until the last minute when the reward is "real" is the same thing that happens in video games that are designed similarly where you KNOW you aren't going to get a reward for your first kill, and you KNOW you wont get it until kill number 200. Might as well wait until you're fully committed to do all 200 of them, and then just zerg it.

To understand this better, imagine if you took a class where your only grade for the class was the final. No tests, no quizzes, no homework - everything is up to you during the school year, just know that whatever grade you get on the final is going to be your grade for the class. How much would you procrastinate in a class like that? Personally, I'd could almost guarantee that I'd procrastinate in a class like that every. single. time. But note how I didn't say I'd fail. I promise my brain would turn Einstein smart and calculate down to the hour how much time would actually be required in order to pass a final. Close to the end of the semester, it would reveal the answer to me and I'd pull off another miracle, spending a full 48 hours studying to pass the class.

Anyways, the point I'm trying to make is that it makes sense to wait until the last minute since doing things on day 1 has no chance of producing any reward for you whereas if you wait until the last minute, you get a huge reward - or you could think of it as avoiding a huge negative impact ... the effect is similar anyway so for our purposes lets say that's the same thing.

So what should you do?

Figure out a way to make day 1 worth your time by trying to understand what your reward is for doing things on day 1 and if you can't do that then create one. Don't expect anyone else to do this for you.

One example does come to mind on how to implement this:

Create a faux due date for yourself that's way earlier. Work to that due date as your personal due date. In this way, you're turning parkinsons law upside down for your benefit. You might even keep your personal due date a secret from your peers in order to make it mean more to you. Managers sometimes do this with their employees by telling them a due date that's not actually the real due date. They do this to give their team some "buffer" time just in case there is a set back - there's always a set back.

Also you might want to try to really really really understand the benefits of starting early in a very real way so that you can contrast that with the drawbacks of not starting early. You want this to sort of be in the very front of your brain when going about your tasks. Forgetting the importance of doing a little bit every day might result in the same 'ol you waiting until the last minute.

To that end, and since you're still in school with what I assume to be more school in your future, I'd recommend actually buying this book. Chapter 1 will bring about a clearer understanding to the benefits of starting early and finishing early.

Edit: I realize now I've recommended this to you before lol

u/beingisdoing · 3 pointsr/findapath

You seem to lack focus. And I think maybe it's because you don't have a clear goal. Develop crystal clarity in what you want for your life, first. And then get after it.

For study success, I recommend this book by Cal Newport. Studying is a skill you develop. Five years off from any skill will cause a decrease in your skill level. So, expect it. After a period of time it will all come back to you, and studying will become par for the course. Just stay consistent.

And for getting your shit together, generally, I recommend a shift in mindset. This cheesy ass self-help book is better than its cover suggests.

u/peregrin5 · 2 pointsr/college

Study smarter, not harder.

May I direct you to: "How to become a Straight-A Student" by Cal Newport. In this book are a lot of strategies to help you learn more while not burning out at the same time.

Also there are smarter ways to study for math and science courses than just chugging at the material again and again until hopefully some of it sticks in your head. "A Mind for Numbers" by Barbara Oakley is a good read for math/science courses.

u/gonnalearnmesomethin · 2 pointsr/ADHD

The book [How to become a straight a student]
(https://smile.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-Student-Unconventional-ebook/dp/B000MAHBYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499529073&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+become+a+straight+a+student) really took me from C's and D's to almost straight A's! Its teachings are so simple but they work! My stress level plummeted! I can not recommend it enough.

u/TrekkiMonstr · 2 pointsr/college

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MAHBYQ/

Quick read, I start in September so haven't yet tried putting it into practice, but check it out and try out some of the methods inside. Only $5 too

Also curious where you're from? Never heard someone say "making [grade]" before but that may just be that I don't talk much with those across the pond about grades lol

u/Sikul · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I recently read How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less. It's written by a straight-A student who interviewed other straight-A students in top notch schools. I found it contained a lot of good information. I'll be trying most of his suggestions out this semester.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/AskReddit

Truthfully it takes a long time to develop good habits. My advice would be to drop out of University since you just started, go to community college for practice. When you can make yourself work 6 days a week every week, transfer back to your university. University is too expensive, to waste even one semester dicking around. Furthermore, you'll miss important information in your fundamental classes which all your other classes will build upon.

If you really don't want to temporarily transfer to a community college then this is what I would do. First, think long and hard about why you are in college, and what you want to get out of it. This is essential, because behavior change is hard and without motivation nothing will work. Then come up with a schedule, and for X hours a day move your self to a room where there is not much to do besides study.

Also, get this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Become-Straight-Student-Unconventional-ebook/dp/B000MAHBYQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1289255608&sr=8-3

u/gtr1234 · 1 pointr/college

Cal Newport researched what the best students did to get A's in this book. There's a lot of stuff in it that was totally counter-intuitive and goes against common opinion.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight--Student-Unconventional-ebook/dp/B000MAHBYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396307579&sr=8-1&keywords=straight+a+college