About The Book
Each year 17 million students enroll in American colleges and universities – 5 million of them new students. There they find a new set of “college-level” expectations, a grading system wholly unfamiliar to them, and, perhaps worst of all, professors with neither the time nor inclination to explain what really counts for college success – and what it takes to get good grades. Little wonder that 1/3 of first year college students report being overwhelmed by the realities of college, and that at some colleges only half who start go on to graduate.
What’s missing is an instruction manual for college – a book, written by professors, that shows exactly what professors are thinking about grading, and what students can do to achieve excellent grades at college. The Professors’ Guide to Getting Good Grades is the first such book. The product of a combined 35 years of teaching experience at eight different universities -- Princeton, MIT, Vanderbilt, UCLA, NYU, University of Arkansas, California State University Northridge, and the University of Redlands – the Professors’ Guide offers high-value, authoritative tips that will enable college students to excel in all their courses. And learn better, to boot. Combining an entertaining, snarky style with real life anecdotes and experiences, the Professors’ Guide not only shows students just what to do to get good grades in college, it motivates them to seek the joy of academic achievement and find a passion for learning and discovery.
The Professors’ Guide to Getting Good Grades in College is organized around the five “grade-bearing” moments of the college semester – those times when A’s are won and lost, and when the choices students make will directly influence the grades they receive. These moments are:
(1) The Start – in which you will learn • the 10 most common myths students have about college; • the inside story of how professors really grade; and • how to pick courses with an eye to grades – and to learning.
(2) The Class – in which you’ll learn • how to evaluate the lecturer, decode the syllabus, and decide when to drop; • how to take excellent lecture notes and stay focused during lecture; and • how to prepare for class, master seemingly unmanageable reading, and excel in discussion-section.
(3) The Exam – in which you’ll learn • the 13 best strategies for preparing for tests;
• how to ace exams by adjusting your attitude; and • what to do after the exam to correct your mistakes and refine your techniques.
(4) The Paper – in which you’ll learn • how to distinguish two main types of college papers, analytical and research; • how to figure out exactly what the assignment is asking, and how to do library and internet research; • how to enlist the help of the professor in developing your ideas; and • the 10 best tips for constructing the perfect paper.
(5) The Last Month – in which you’ll learn • the 4 hazards of the last month of the semester (and how to avoid them); • how to best manage your time to maximize your chances of success; and • the 17 best strategies for acing the final.
Once you’ve learned the secrets of college success, college will never look the same. And your grades will never be the same. The Professors’ Guide to Getting Good Grades in College is a must-read for college students (beginning and advanced), high-school students contemplating college, and parents of any child even thinking about college.