This book had to have been written by someone with the attention span and interests of a high school senior. My son couldn't put it down and kept interrupting the family to tell us one little story after the other. It prompted great discussions in the family too. The format of this book really makes the difference, the short stories each contain their own 'nugget' of gold.

I think the best thing about this book is that it really gives the reader the sense that they are learning first-hand from people who really want to help them have a great college experience. Its full of great advice and isn't written from just one perspective. Even though I graduated over 20 years ago, I found myself nodding in agreement with much of what was written and glad that my son has the benefit of this foresight.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is trying to prepare for a great college experience.

I first saw How to Survive Your Freshman Year after I already had one son in college. The advice and stories were consistent with what I had experienced getting him ready, deciding what to take,where to live, etc. We managed on our own, but winged it. It would have been very helpful to have had this book to guide us both. Lots of decisions have to be made and it is nice to know how others survived the onslaught. When my son announced he was studying abroad this summer, I recalled the chapter on studying abroad and we read it for an insight on what to expect. After my son came home, he said the advice of a New York University student, "When you go to school overseas, you get a better perspective on the world..." is exactly right.

My daughter and other son have their big brother to advise them about college life, but they also have the advantage of having "hundreds" of other teens tell them what they need to know because we now have this great book. Today's teens are savvy and busy and the advice in this book is on target, quick to read and honest. Every high school graduate should have a copy before leaving home.

This book includes great, honest insight. It's perfect for every incoming freshman who is even the least bit apprehensive to start college. I wish I had read it last year when I was a high school senior... I'd have been a lot more prepared! (Great grad gift idea)!

This is the best gift for a high school senior. The new one is even better than the last edition....

This book includes great, honest insight. It's perfect for every incoming
freshman who is even the least bit apprehensive to start college. I wish I
had read it when I was a high school senior... I'd have been a lot more
prepared! (Its a great grad gift idea)! The book is a compilation of
stories, tips and advice. Unlike a book of long chapters and one authors
ancient recollections this book is much more readable and fun because it has
the wisdom of hundreds of people. Its quick. Its funny. I've given copies
to several recent high school graduates and they too couldn't put it down.

My niece is starting college in the states next fall and was very scared because she could not imagine how college life would be in another country. After she read the book, she feels much more comfortable with her year in America. It gave her a sense of college sub-culture and life in a fun way.

This book makes me feel like I have a thousand friends to call for advice. One person suggests that Freshmen should check out ratemyprofessor.com I had no idea that that existed. There's also advice on how to study, where to meet new friends, partying etc. The book's pretty funny, too.

It's great to get so much advice from people who have recently gone through freshman year of college (much better than books written by school counsellors or authors who haven't been in college for 20 years).

I remember the knots in my stomach when my parents dropped me off on campus during my freshman orientation week of college. Sure - I was excited to be there - but I also felt like I was 'faking' it. I didn't feel prepared for anything! I know that this kind of book would've comforted me. It's a light, easy-to-read guide that covers everything from how to budget study time to how to get dates and make new friends. And - I agree with the advice, "An hour of class is better than 5 hours pouring over notes". Where was this guy when I was skipping school and trying to de-code my roommates notes?!

First of all, I would like to point out that I just graduated from high school and will be a freshmen next year. I bought this book in hopes that it would help with the anxiousness I was feeling regarding the transition to college. I'm glad to say that after reading this book, I felt far more prepared for college than I did before I read this book.
What I liked most about this book is that the authors found and interviewed students from all types of colleges across the US. Students from small colleges, large colleges, public colleges, private colleges, and anything else in between. Many of the students gave the same or similar recommendations/suggestions. Some people may find that repetitive or redundant but I found it reassuring. It was reassuring to know that students from completely different colleges agree on certain aspects of college life. There were some opinions that were opposite and some people may find that it is strange for authors to give contradicting information. I, however, found that each person who gave their opinion also explained their reasoning behind their opinions. This made it easier to pick sides and pick who you really agree with.
The reason I gave this book a 4/5 instead of a perfect score was because it lacks the authors' opinions. The authors of the book were the ones who interviewed the thousands of students and I'm sure that not everything that was said by the students made it into the book. If the authors had given their opinion as well, and maybe summarized or pointed out specific things they noticed in what the students said, then that would've left me with more of a satisfying feeling after reading the book. When I finished the book, I was unsure as to what exactly it was the authors wanted me to get from the book.
Overall, in found this book extremely insightful. It help me calm so of the nerves I was feeling about going to college. If you or someone you know is about to head off to college, I would definitely recommend this book. Everyones says that you're supposed to hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and expect the unexpected. This book definitely helps you prepare for the worst and allows you to expected some of the things that would've been unexpected.

Once I took a minute to adjust to the different voices and seemingly different tactics that varied from page to page of this advice book. I fell in love with it!

There is guidance for every type of Freshman entering college and this book treats each reader as an individual. One size does not fit all and this book has more than enough to fit any need.

A great overview of the complexities and variations that freshmen will face when they go away to college for the first time.

A great book!