Questioning Cal Newport's Book

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>Hi, I recently read Cal Newport's book on how to be a top student again and I was wondering if his methods really do work for engineering students because I had a sense that his audience was more for those in the social sciences/humanities majors. Here are my doubts:</p>

<p>1) Scheduling specific hours to do your work.
This sounds good in theory but it doesn't work if you're particularly struggling on a subject in engineering. Like for example, I've had times where I've tackled a problem set and spent a large amount of time on it (2 hours+) and did not come close to finishing any of them (though I did find out multiple ways not to do it). The problem with this method is that I don't know how many hours I need to finish a problem set at first and so if I schedule too little hours early, then I would have to schedule a lot more right before its due, or study a lot (CRAM) right before a test when I did not have a solid understanding of the material in the beginning. Isn't it better to schedule problems you want to do per day as opposed to scheduling hours to study per day?</p>

<p>2) Writing out problems to study and then thinking about them afterwards while not studying.
This is where I have my most doubts. Newport recommends writing out problems to do and then do something else (walking, driving, etc.) while thinking about how to tackle those problems. The author then says that this process facilitates problem solving and will eventually lead you to the answer. This ABSOLUTELY does not work for me as I would be lucky to even remember what the problem was asking (as I have trouble remembering what some problems ask me to do even though I have it right in front of me).</p>

<p>3) Not reading the textbook.
Has anyone really taken an engineering upper-division course with no incoming knowledge of the material and done well without reading the textbook? Newport still suggests using the textbook though, but only to follow along with the examples presented during lecture. I still have major doubts about this piece of advice though because it counteracts the advice I've had from almost every instructor/professor I've had so far. Not reading the book would give me a whole lot more time though. :D</p>

<p>Does Newport's advice really work?</p>

2

<p>It’s not that they work, or don’t work for Engineering Students, or for a particular student studying in any discipline. They are good ideas that allow a given student to think about, and adapt to his/her particular idiosyncrasies, and situation. In your item 1 above, you mention working 2+ hours on a problem set and not solving any. In effect, you’re practicing/reinforcing the wrong way to accomplish your goal, which is to actually solve the problems efficiently. This indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the concept underlying the problem set. So the correct action, I believe, in your case, would be to schedule a professorial office visit(s), TA visit, group study, or a combination of all three instead of beating your head against the wall for 2+ hours. First, it’ll feel good when you stop, and second, it’s your only way to have a chance at understanding the concept.</p>

<p>Your second issue is your realization that that particular tip doesn’t work for you. It does for many, in most situations. If it doesn’t work for you. Great. Don’t do that.</p>

<p>Your third issue is not understanding the point of Newport’s advice. The textbook should be used as a reference. The textbook doesn’t give you quizzes, mid-terms, and finals, your professor does. He/She wants you to succeed, because it makes them (and their employer, the university) look good. They teach what they feel is important (meaning if they’re spending time talking about it, it’s important, and will likely be on the test), so spending time making sure you understand what they just explained is KEY. You never wait until the night before a test to cram in an effort to understand it then. It’s way too late by then. Other topics dependent on your understanding that previous topic will now be unclear to you too. Listen in class. Take notes. Go home and study the notes, do the problems, if assigned, which are meant to reinforce the topic and see whether you can do them. If you can’t, immediately do what I suggested in point one above…or you’ll drown in misunderstanding. Understanding is like air. If you’re having slight trouble breathing, see a doctor (your professor/TA/fellow supporting students) right away. What you don’t do is wait until you’re gasping for that last breath of air (cramming for a test) to see whether you need help.</p>

<p>So, in answer to your question, Newport’s advice is good, but you have to adapt it to your own circumstances. Don’t blame blind adherence to the points he advocates for failure. Blame yourself, or better yet, take action when you’re having trouble. That’s why being “at” college, is much better than trying to go it alone. While going it alone works for many in high school, most find out in college that that method doesn’t work anymore.</p>

3

<p>

</p>

<p>No way. The textbook is your friend.</p>

4

<p>He doesn’t say don’t read the material. He does say don’t read word for word every piece of reading you’re assigned from every teacher. He gives a specific technique on what to skim and for what subjects and how to integrate your other resources to be most effective. In no place does he say it’s bad information. </p>

<p>As for scheduling, he outlines a scenario that met his ideal, being done by 5 on MOST days. The point of scheduling isn’t that you get no more time. It’s so you don’t waste the time you have. If you go to a quiet place (not your room), with few distractions, set a timer and turn off ALL distracting devices, the time between classes will become very valuable.</p>

<p>Finally, as Balthezar said, these are guidelines. Adapt what works for you. Will it work for science majors? It worked for him. He’s an MIT PhD.</p>

5

<p>I’m really thinking about purchasing this book and hopefully implementing some of what I learn prior to transferring to LSU for engineering. Can anyone tell me how well this book works for engineering students, as well as what tips he gives specifically that can help STEM students such as myself?</p>

6

<p>The concepts will work for any major and they’ll work for high school students as well, albeit on a different schedule since their day is so regimented.</p>

<p>Remember, this isn’t like other books purporting to be someone’s proprietary magic formula. It is a distillation of the study habits of the Ivy League Phi Beta Kappa inductees of all majors, including STEM.</p>

<p>STEM is irrelevant. It is about finding time and utilizing it most efficiently. The OP is/was too focused on how the author created a timeline for himself. He didn’t want to study past 5PM. Indeed in his current life he still tries not to be “working” past 5.</p>

<p>Don’t get hooked on that minutiae, but rather on the easy to use scheduling/calender techniques and on how to study, for a set period of time, with absolute focus.</p>

<p>Buy the book and make up your own mind. Worst case, you’re out a few beers worth of money.</p>

<p>EDIT: I have no financial interest or relationship with the author. It has just worked amazingly well for my son and all of the other people I’ve directed to it. Good luck.</p>

<p>[How</a> to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less: Cal Newport: 9780767922715: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight--Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387570174&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+be+a+straight+A+student]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight--Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387570174&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+be+a+straight+A+student)</p>

7

<p>I think a good textbook is essential for introducing yourself to the material before lecture and for use when learning the material, i.e. solving problem sets.</p>

<p>Studying before an exam is entirely different. At that point, you should review the concepts and applications that were emphasized by your professor in lecture or recitation sections.</p>

<p>Just my 2 cents. Don’t know what Cal Newport would think of this.</p>

8

<p>Still though, about that last part, what if you have an instructor who merely gives examples during class and explains how to do them but expects you to competently understand the assigned readings and gets mad at you during office hours if you don’t come in with that reading preparation?</p>

9

<p>You tell him Cal Newport said you didn’t need to. :D</p>

<p>Seriously, you read that professor’s stuff!</p>

<p>None of his advice is set in stone. It gives you insight into where you MIGHT find efficiencies. Put into practice what works for your specific situation.</p>

10

<p>Good grief, just work hard and take advantage of the professor’s/TA’s office hours. It really isn’t rocket science.</p>

11

<p>Not to be contrite, but it isn’t a matter of working hard, it’s a matter of working smart. </p>

<p>LOTS of students spend WAY too many hours “studying” with less than ideal results. That’s effort or what most reflect on as working hard. They define it by the hours spent. </p>

<p>It’s really about being efficient, getting deep work without distraction done while studying and ONLY THEN, applying the amount of effort needed. Otherwise, there’s lots of unintended and unrecognized wheel spinning going on in the name of “working hard.”</p>