Hacking College,A Guidebook for College Students of Every Age

There is hardly a more daunting time in a young person's life than the first time he goes away to college. Times have changed since his parent's generation, so, much of their advice may be outdated. Dr. Dean Kohrs, a professor at St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Florida, has studied the changes brought about in recent years, changes related to the internet and globalization, and found himself providing the same advice to his young charges over and over. Because of his constant mentoring of young students trying to figure it all out, Dr. Kohrs decided to write a book. The advice Dr. Kohrs gives in his book, "Hacking College," ranges from how to pay for college to making connections that (can) last a lifetime to how to choose the school that's right for the individual.

Most of us may remember being doe-eyed college freshmen, standing in one line for on thing, then being ushered directly to another for something else, not quite sure how the "system" worked. By graduation, though, we knew how to pick the best professors, which cafeteria served the most edible food, and how to sweet talk our way into earning a little extra credit in that particularly tough chemistry class that otherwise would have caused our GPA to take a serious dive. Dr. Kohrs, however, gives students much of that insight before they ever schedule their first campus tour. He tells us that professors want their students to do well in their classes (imagine that!), and suggests creative ideas that students can discuss with their professors to ensure that they do perform well.

Dr. Kohrs is just as concerned about personal success or college students and recent graduates as he is about their academic success. In "Hacking College," readers will find tips on establishing a (good) credit history, how friendships and relationships can positively or negatively affect school performance, and even advice on owning pets. Dr. Kohrs wants the next generation of graduates to take advantage of the opportunities they are given, even if they aren't fully aware of how to access those opportunities yet. He wants to see young people with higher aspirations, motivation, and the know-how to get it done.

As he describes it in the final chapter of his book, "This book has been all about getting through college successfully, without being trapped by some aspect of bureaucracy, without becoming insanely indebted to banks or credit card companies, with an education that prepared you for an adult life in the 21st century and not with a useless slip of paper called a degree. At every turn of the page it has been my mission to help you create more possibilities in your life. I'm all done for now. It's time for you to create some of your own."

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