• How to Become a Straight-A Student

  • The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less
  • By: Cal Newport
  • Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
  • Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (466 ratings)

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How to Become a Straight-A Student  By  cover art

How to Become a Straight-A Student

By: Cal Newport
Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
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Publisher's summary

Looking to jump-start your GPA? Most college students believe straight As can be achieved only through cramming and painful all-nighters at the library. But Cal Newport knows that real straight-A students don’t study harder - they study smarter.

A breakthrough approach to acing academic assignments, from quizzes and exams to essays and papers, How to Become a Straight-A Student reveals for the first time the proven study secrets of real straight-A students across the country and weaves them into a simple, practical system that anyone can master.

You will learn how to:

  • Streamline and maximize your study time
  • Conquer procrastination
  • Absorb the material quickly and effectively
  • Know which reading assignments are critical - and which are not
  • Target the paper topics that wow professors
  • Provide A+ answers on exams
  • Write stellar prose without the agony

A strategic blueprint for success that promises more free time, more fun, and top-tier results, How to Become a Straight-A Student is the only study guide written by students for students - with the insider knowledge and real-world methods to help you master the college system and rise to the top of the class.

Includes a PDF of Time Management Tips.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2007 Cal Newport (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A smart, concise, fun, and above all informative guide on how to ace college by being smarter about how to work.... This book is a must-have for anyone who wants to do well at college and enjoy it too.” (M. Cecilia Gaposchkin, assistant dean of faculty for pre-major advising, Dartmouth College)

“This book delivers on its title 100 Percent. I wish I'd had a copy when I was in college - I would have had a better GPA and a better social life!” (Jason Ryan Dorsey, author of My Reality Check Bounced!)

Featured Article: The Best Audiobooks for Students to Position Themselves for Success

Hey, students—we know how hard you work hard during the school year and we know it isn't easy to squeeze in some self care or personal development time between homework, extracurriculars, and a busy class schedule. If you're struggling to balance it all, feeling burned out, or just trying to figure out your purpose in life, these listens might be able to help. Full of guidance on issues students face, from getting organized to managing a relaxation routine, this list is for any student looking to improve their life—in and out of the classroom.

What listeners say about How to Become a Straight-A Student

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study effectively & efficiently

a must read/listen by all college students. great tips, lots of details. some of the tips I already employ and I know they work. the ones I learn I will be employing this fall.

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Useful ideas to help all students

Regardless of whether you are a late starter to college or coming from high school, the ideas are useful and lend to practicality. I used to be a crammed in college, and was the one with the bleary eyes the day after the exams. This book helps by providing thought provoking ideas that can help get past and away from the cramming. That alone can help make the college experience that much more rewarding.

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Essential Reading for Students (and professionals)

I'm not a student, but I wish this book was around when I was.
Cal's arguments are composed, lean, and riveting.
The Case Studies and variety of specific examples make this text stand out.

I'm an executive who always needs to write and study, and I found a plethora of applicable steps.

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9 people found this helpful

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This is a great book about learning how to learn.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to stop studying the hard way and start studying the smart way.
about the narrator: he is awesome.

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has good points but lacking for STEM students

I liked the way he structures the way you should study and even though a lot of what he says is common sense, he offers practical and original ways to put it to use. my only complaint is that it seems that the book is made for students which are coursing humanistic careers. technical careers take a second place.

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13 people found this helpful

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don't judge a book by its cover - this is a gem

This book had more information for the length of time than most self-help books out there.

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Awesome audiobook

This has by far the best advice for students that are average and want to take their grades and skill to the next level. I would recommend.

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I Need to Re-listen to This. Needed this Way Back When.

I wish I found this book years ago. However, the number of opinions for papers regardless of importance is a little obnoxious. Still, this should be a must-read for high and middle schoolers. I need to re-listen to this.

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Very Insightful.

Excellent exposure to the techniques students use to maximize their performance in school. All students should have these "secrets".

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Thoroughly enjoyed.

As a college student, this helped a lot. Particularly with the construction of essays. Thanks Cal.

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