The Skinny On™ College SuccessThe Skinny On™ College Success

A University 101, First-Year Experience™, Student Success, College Success Studies or transitions course textbook. Also supports Freshman Orientation.

Written in brief and concise nuggets of relevant information – just the way students like to communicate and are accustomed to receiving information – The Skinny On™ balances the importance of engagement and usability with proven, straightforward strategies. Having condensed the content to focus on the most critical skills and important choices students have to make during their transition, the authors allow students to quickly grasp and apply what is needed to succeed in college and beyond.

Table of Contents

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  • Chapter 1: Making the Transition
    • What are the Different Expectations for College and High School Students?
    • What New Challenges Will I Face as a College Student?
    • What Should I do With This Syllabus?
    • Do I have to Read the Student Handbook?
    • Is There a Tutoring Center? Get to Know Your College Services
    • Building Relationships
    • Academic Integrity
    • Profile of a Successful College Student
  • Chapter 2: Goal Setting
    • Rate Your Values
    • What is Success?
    • Picture your Successful Life in Ten Years
    • How do You Draw the Picture? - Definition of an Effective Goal
    • Creating Long Term and Short Term Goals
    • Your Goals
    • Creating an Action Plan
  • Chapter 3: Time Management
    • Principles of Effective Management
    • Time Journals
    • Class Time to Study Ratio
    • Evaluate Your Weekly Schedule
    • Balancing Time and Goals
    • Choices, Procrastination, Prioritizing, Focus and Distractions, 80-20 Rule
    • Effective over Busy, Techniques for Impactful Time Use
  • Chapter 4: Using a Planner
    • Different Syles and Formats - Which Style is best for You?
    • Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Beyond - How to Get Maximum Use from your Planner
  • Chapter 5: Intelligence
    • It's Not Just I.Q. - You Mean I'm Not Born with it?
    • I Think I Can, I Think I Can
    • It Takes Heart
    • Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences, Emotional Intelligence
    • Flexing your Brain Muscles - Sticking with It
  • Chapter 6: Critical Thinking
    • What is Education Really About?
    • What is Truth? How Do I Know what to Believe?
    • Assumption, Prediction, Interpretation, Evaluation, Fact or Fiction? Tying it together
  • Chapter 7: Note Taking
    • Taking Notes from Lectures - What should I do with my Notes?
    • Listening Skills and Organizational Methods
    • Taking Notes from Reading - SQ3R and other Textbook Study Methods
  • Chapter 8: Test Taking
    • Memory - Long and Short Term
    • Memorization Techniques, Test Taking Skills, Overcoming Test Anxiety
    • Preparing for and Taking Different Types of Tests
    • When You Get Your Test Back
  • Chapter 9: MidTerm
    • How Did I Do? - Evaluating Mid-Term Grades
    • What Worked? What should I change? Re-evaluating my goals
  • Chapter 10: What's Next? - Majors and Careers
    • Choosing a Career
    • Interest Profilers, Choosing a Major, Finding Advisors and Mentors
    • Advising and Planning for Next Semester and Beyond
    • Internships, Writing Effective Resumes, Cover Letters
    • Interviews - Creating the Right Image
  • Chapter 11: Writing and Speaking
    • Get Organized
    • Writing and Speaking Using Your Critical Thinking Skills
    • Tips for Writing and Effective College Essay
    • Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes
    • Making Oral Presentations
    • Tips for Effective Public Speaking
    • Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking
    • Practice, Practice
  • Chapter 12: Research
    • Define the Scope
    • How to Identify Resources
    • Choose the Best Investigative Methods
    • Citations - MLA, etc.
    • Plagiarism
  • Chapter 13: Think Globally
    • What is Diversity and Why Does it Affect Me?
    • Sterotypes and Prejudice as Unexamined Assumptions
    • Diversity as an Obstacle, Diversity as Enrichment
    • Getting involved in Your Community - Service Learning
  • Chapter 14: Financial Literacy
    • What Do I think and Feel about Money?
    • The Basics of Finance and Financial responsibility
    • Banking, Balancing a Checkbook
    • Credit Cards and Debit Cards, Borrowing Money, Understanding your credit score
    • Rent, Utilities and Life's Essentials
    • Understanding Student Loans, Income Taxes, Withholding, Social Security, Medicare
  • Chapter 15: Health
    • Body, Brain and Spirit
    • The Basics of Nutrition
    • Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
    • The Right Exercise Plan for You
    • Drugs and Alcohol
    • I'm OK, You're OK
    • How to Stick to a Plan, Willpower and Discipline
  • Chapter 16: Self-Awareness
    • Locus of Control
    • Victim-Creator
    • Re-Evaluating Goals
    • What Does My Picture of a Successful Life Look Like Now?

Specifications

Written by: Rand Media, Jim Randel and Carol Randel

Size: 7x9

Page count: 264 + up to 36 pages of custom class or school-specific information–such as policies, schedules, requirements or helpful reminders.

Layout format: block

Plan now for the next step.

Success in life after high school.

This textbook and planner combination provides information that helps students make educated choices about entering college, the work force or life in general. It is a real-world guide every young adult should read and reference.

Students on the go can take it anywhere.

Another 50-pound textbook in a backpack it is not! With a sleek and streamlined format, The Skinny On™ College Success guides and organizes the student on a daily basis, making the student WANT to engage with it outside of the classroom.

Easy to use.

Written with a student-centric tone, the information is concise, while recognizing students' need for knowledge and support. Each chapter is written to be read and used as a reference, allowing educators to work through each theme in an order that makes sense for their students.

Well written by applicable authors.

The Skinny On™ taps into a vast knowledge base in real-world experience and utilizes the knowledge of an instructor who has taught and directed college student success courses. As an entrepreneur and experienced business owner, Jim Randel is a world-class communicator, offering insight from years of experience that has been condensed and refined into digestible materials. Carol Randel is a veteran instructor in student success courses.

Customize it to make it reflect the school mission.

Integrate additional materials–such as school-specific information and policies–or choose from the company's extensive library of additional resource pages.

Up to date.

This book represents the practical experience of the authors' extensive careers. It covers a multitude of present-day issues, written in a format and language representative of the times.

Focused on topics relevant to all types of students and institutions.

The authors present comprehensive and helpful information about every aspect of the college experience for a variety of student audiences–from students preparing to go to a two-year college or four-year university to students looking into technical colleges to students wishing to head straight into a vocation after school. Topics include critical thinking and active learning, time management, career preparation, relationships and technology.

What's Included

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Chapters:

The textbook section of this planner includes 15 chapters of thorough, but concise, real-world information that is immediately applicable.

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Monthly Calendars:

Allowing students ample space to record monthly commitments and make long-term plans, this space helps students develop effective planning skills.

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Weekly Calendars:

The weekly pages provide ample space to capture ideas, work on classroom concepts and record important daily activities and appointments.

Planning Stickers:

A fun way to highlight important dates and events, these stickers are reusable and visually appealing.

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Resource Pages:

Academic content and reference pages are provided within the planner.

You Also Get

Educator Online Resources:

Educators are supported with additional course materials, presentations, discussion prompts, and activity ideas that align with the textbook/planner program. Educators are supported with an online guide and PowerPoint presentation to help tailor and structure their in-class time with students and make lesson planning easier.

Authors

Rand Media

Written by Rand Media Company, publishers of The Skinny On™ series.

[image: photo of Jim Randel]

Jim Randel

The Skinny On™ is the brainchild of best-selling author, investor, attorney and entrepreneur Jim Randel. Randel has studied personal achievement for 30 years.

[image: Carol Randel]

Carol Randel

Carol Randel, Jim's wife, is the chairperson of the First Year Experience course at Norwalk Community College, the largest community college in Connecticut.



Make it Your Own

Planners are great tools for your students, but why not have them work a little harder for you. Customize them with your school's information, and use them as a continual communication piece between administrators, teachers, students and families.

School Handbook:

The most efficient and cost-effective way to communicate school policies, schedules and events is to add your important school information right into your planners.

Handbook Resource Pages:

Add additional academic resources to your handbook. Our extensive library of helpful resource pages can assist students in a number of subject areas. View our complete library of resource pages.