How to Become a Straight-A Student Book Summary - How to Become a Straight-A Student Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

How to Become a Straight-A Student summary

Name: How to Become a Straight-A Student
Rating: 4.3 (236 reviews)
Author: Cal Newport

Cal Newport

The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less

4.3 (236 ratings)

24 mins

Brief summary

How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport is a practical guide for students who want to achieve academic success. Focusing on efficient studying, time-management and test-taking strategy, it provides tips and tricks for boosting grades and reducing study time.

Topics

Effectiveness Learning

Table of Contents

How to Become a Straight-A Student
Summary of 10 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 10

What’s in it for me? Learn how to make the most out of your education in just ten blinks.

For some people, college is the best time of their life – a time of exploration, rewarding academic inquiry and unadulterated partying. For others, however, college life is punctuated by periods of extreme stress and anxiety from constantly worrying about their GPA.

This, of course, makes perfect sense. Just think about the pressure they’re under! The grades you get on tests and papers can shape your entire future – for better or for worse.

Luckily, it doesn’t all have to be doom and gloom if you have a hard time studying. Whether it’s writing a research paper or cramming for your exams, these blinks will give you all the tools you need to study efficiently.

These techniques aren’t made up by just anybody. They come straight from the horse’s mouth, i.e., from actual straight-A students who majored in various academic disciplines across the United States.

It all boils down to the fact that studying longer is not necessarily studying better. Studying better means taking the right kinds of notes, fighting procrastination, developing time management skills, and various other tricks that will help you study quickly and efficiently, and free up your weekends to do the things you really want to do.

In these ten blinks, you’ll learn

why sometimes less is more when it comes to studying;
why you need to invest in some academic disaster insurance; and
why finding a quiet coffee shop can improve your grades.

In order to study more efficiently, manage your time and work in short, intensive bursts.

How do you manage basketball practice, your English essay, your social life, and the rest of your homework? Many students believe there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get it all done. But that is simply untrue!

Most people waste their time working at a low intensity, i.e., pseudo-working. This kind of “work” occurs when you study in a distracting environment, such as in front of the TV, or working through a long and continuous period of time where your concentration drops.

For example, while it might feel like pulling an all-nighter was “hard work,” the loss of concentration due to sleep deprivation means that you were really just pseudo-working.

A better way to focus your time is to work in short bursts with a high intensity. Indeed, many straight-A students spend a few intense intervals studying, while their less successful counterparts study much longer at lower intensity.

In fact, studies show that the optimal learning period is roughly 50 minutes, so you should work no longer than one hour before giving yourself a break.

Think of it this way: the work you accomplish is equal to the time spent working times the intensity of your focus. In other words, if you spend three separate hours of study at an intensity of “10,” you get the same outcome as you would if you study for ten hours in a row at an intensity of “3”!

By reducing the time and ramping up the intensity, you’d find yourself with seven hours to do whatever you wanted – meet friends, party hard, sleep, relax, you name it!

But in order to start working in short bursts, you’ll need to carefully manage your time.

Keep a detailed calendar with all your deadlines and upcoming tasks. Always carry a list with your day’s schedule on your person and write down any new deadlines or tasks that crop up during the day. Spend five minutes each morning putting those new deadlines in your calendar.

And remember: keeping a calendar will only help you manage your time if you actually use it.

The urge to procrastinate is unavoidable – learn to fight it!

Procrastination is something most college students know intimately – that sneaky troll who makes you work the whole night through to finish that final paper on time, just a few days after it told you that you had all the time in the world.

So how is it that some people are actually capable of avoiding this tendency to let things go until the very last second?

Successful studying starts with finding the right time, place and energy levels.

Your exam is creeping ever closer, so instead of going out to have a drink or two (or three) with your friends, your Friday night will be spent in the library trying to read just a few more pages.

If this sounds familiar to you, you’re doing it all wrong.

Make the most out of your classes with smart note-taking.

Here’s an obvious study tip that will save you a lot of trouble: always go to class!

It doesn’t matter how tired, hungover or busy you are – going to class is the most efficient way to conquer the material.

Only study what you actually need to study.

If you want to scale a wall, you won’t get very far running into it head first over and over again. Effective study habits are much the same way – they don’t depend on brute force but on the right technique.

To study effectively, start by defining exactly what you need to learn.

Use the three Ps to score high in your exams: planning, proceeding and proofreading.

You’re in the classroom at your desk with your dreaded statistics exam in front of you. You’re nervous, your mouth is dry and your hands are shaking. Failure feels inevitable.

Yet, there’s no need to worry! If you’ve studied well, just use the following three-part technique and you’re bound to succeed:

Finding a thesis topic that excites you is a decisive step on the path to an excellent paper.

Throughout your education, you’re sure to write many papers on a wide array of subjects. Regardless of how long it is, each paper is a huge undertaking. So where’s the best place to begin?

A common trap most people fall into is the belief that they should spend most of their time on writing the papers.

Finding material for your paper centers on exhaustive but strictly limited research.

When you research, do you find yourself trapped in a labyrinth of books? Many people end up lost because they’ve made the mistake of reading too many sources. Consequently, they have too much to remember, too much to cover and are thus wasting their time.

However, there is a better way: learn to research effectively.

Actively seek inspiration in order to tell an intriguing story.

By now you’ve laid the foundation for your paper, you have both an intriguing thesis and organized research material. Now it’s time to shape a powerful story.

In order to make your thesis worth the paper it’s printed on, you’ll have to connect your theories into arguments in a novel and interesting way. Unfortunately, there’s no single system for accomplishing this. Every paper is different and requires a unique approach.

Fill in your structure, review your essay and hand in your A+ paper.

So you’re done with researching and you have your structure; now it’s time to put pen to paper.

But, before you start fancying yourself the next Dostoevsky or Shakespeare, just remember: your essay isn’t the place for you to express your literary aspirations.

Want to see all full key ideas from How to Become a Straight-A Student?

Key ideas in How to Become a Straight-A Student

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is How to Become a Straight-A Student about?

How to Become a Straight-A Student offers you successful strategies used by actual straight-A students to help you score better grades while studying less. From time management to concrete advice on developing a thesis, this book gives you all the tools you need to earn the perfect 4.0 without burning out.

How to Become a Straight-A Student Review

How to Become a Straight-A Student (2006) is a practical guide that helps students excel academically. Here's what makes this book worth reading:

It offers proven strategies and techniques to help students improve their study habits and achieve higher grades.
With its step-by-step approach, it provides a clear roadmap for students to manage their time effectively and stay organized.
Its practical tips on note-taking, exam preparation, and maximizing productivity make it a valuable resource for any student looking to excel academically.

Best quote from How to Become a Straight-A Student

You need to know what your professor wants you to know.

—Cal Newport

Who should read How to Become a Straight-A Student?

Students who are sick of pulling all-nighters
Anyone who wants to make the most out of their time
Anyone who would benefit from less procrastination

About the Author

Cal Newport is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a PhD from MIT. He is currently an assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University and has also authored a number of books, including How to Be A High School Superstar, How to Win at College and So Good They Can’t Ignore You.

Categories with How to Become a Straight-A Student

Education Career & Success

Book summaries like How to Become a Straight-A Student

So Good They Can't Ignore You

Cal Newport

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

Are You Indispensable?

The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout

20 min

4.1

A World Without Email

Cal Newport

Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

9 min

4.2

The Joy of Missing Out

Tanya Dalton

Live More by Doing Less

Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World

20 min

4.5

7 Rules of Self-Reliance

Maha Abouelenein

How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, and Own Your Future

20 min

4.2

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie

Basic rules for how to make a good first impression

Mastering the Skills for Success in Life, Business, and School, or, How to Become an Expert in Just About Anything

How to Excel at Math and Science (Even if You Flunked Algebra)

A Human’s Guide To Life In The Robot Age

17 min

Flow

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The Psychology of Optimal Experience

23 min

4.3

Surfaces and Essences

Douglas Hofstadter

Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking

16 min

The Startup Playbook

David S. Kidder

Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups from Their Founding Entrepreneurs

The Inferno, The Purgatorio, and The Paradiso

Speak Your Mind, America

18 min

3.6

Learn Like a Pro

Barbara Oakley and Olav Schewe

Science-based Tools to Become Better at Anything

22 min

4.4

The Science of Rapid Skill Acquisition

Peter Hollins

Advanced Methods to Learn, Remember, and Master New Skills and Information

16 min

4.2

Start-up of You

Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha

Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career

14 min

4.3

Buffett and Munger Unscripted

Warren E. Buffett

Insights from Decades of Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meetings

21 min

4.3

I Know What to Do So Why Don't I Do It?

Nick Hall

The New Science of Self-Discipline

Transforming Your Life One Night At A Time

16 min

3.9

Artificial Intelligence & Generative AI for Beginners

Presenting with More Stories and Less PowerPoint

22 min

4.3

The Psychology of Money

Morgan Housel

Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness

Timeless Stoic and Buddhist philosophy

33 min

4.6

How Successful People Think

John C. Maxwell

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

16 min

4.3

Why “A” Students Work for “C” Students and “B” Students Work for the Government

Robert T. Kiyosaki

Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Education for Parents

18 min

4.3

Strategic Storytelling

Anjali Sharma

Why Some Stories Drive Your Success at Work But Others Don’t

17 min

4.3

Discipline Is Destiny

Ryan Holiday

The Power of Self-Control

18 min

4.7

The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking

Michael D. Watkins

Leading Your Organization Into the Future

20 min

4.1

The Power of Self-Confidence

Brian Tracy

Become Unstoppable, Irresistible, and Unafraid in Every Area of Your Life

Create the Change You Want by Changing the Way You Think

The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes

16 min

3.9

Missing Each Other

Edward Brodkin and Ashley Pallathra

How to Cultivate Meaningful Connections

24 min

4.2

Principles For Dealing With the Changing World Order

Ray Dalio

Why Nations Succeed and Fail

19 min

4.0

Questions Are the Answer

Hal Gregersen

A New Approach to Your Most Vexing Problems at Work and in Life

Getting Up to Speed Quickly in Today’s Ever-Changing Sales World

How a Forgotten Philosophy Can Liberate Kids and Their Parents

19 min

3.8

The Storytelling Edge

Shane Snow and Joe Lazauskas

How to Transform Your Business, Stop Screaming into the Void, and Make People Love You

The Story of Ideas That Fly

The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence

An uncommon guide to rapid fat-loss, incredible sex and becoming superhuman

How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive

14 min

4.1

Mistakes I Made at Work

Jessica Bacal

25 Influential Women on Lessons Learned from Mistakes

How Existential Psychology Can Help Us Build Meaningful Lives in Absurd Times

16 min

4.1

How to Be a People Magnet

Leil Lowndes

Finding Friends – and Lovers – and Keeping Them for Life

Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life

16 min

4.6

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.