[mtinkerhess]

In my experience, it's surprisingly easy to get through most classes without doing the recommended / assigned reading for a course. Often, the professor will basically go over the same material in class as was covered by the reading, so if you didn't do the reading you'll get the material in lecture—alternatively, if you do the reading you can get away with not going to class.

If you simply do all the reading for a class (a couple of days before the class session, so it has time to sink in), you'll be much more likely to absorb all the details the professor mentions in the lecture, or that you missed the first time around in the reading. You'll also be ready to ask more informative questions, that will get help you get ahead instead of catching you up.

Other tips (some might seem obvious): keep a notebook where you take notes on the readings and the lectures; review the reading with your notes shortly after the corresponding lecture; go to office hours if you don't understand something or are having trouble with a homework or programming assignment; start homework assignments as soon as they're assigned (especially for larger projects); plan on spending twice as much time as you expect on homework / projects.

If you keep up (or keep ahead) during the course of the semester, you shouldn't have to work too hard to study for the exams. Use whatever study guides (or hints about the contents of the exam) the professor gives you as a guide, and make sure you understand all of it. If you don't understand something, take advantage of office hours to get help.

There is also strategy to taking tests well. Some tips: skip a question if you don't know how to answer it right away and answer it later; show you work or explain your reasoning so that you might get partial credit even if you get the wrong answer; if a question is unclear, go ask the professor for clarification; often times questions later in an exam will give hints as to the right way to approach questions earlier in the exam; get plenty of sleep the night before, and a good breakfast and coffee the morning of; don't worry too much, because worrying won't help you to perform better.

[andre3k1]

This about covers it.

- Read and highlight the textbook before class.

- Go to class, pay attention, take notes and ask questions.

- Go to TA sections and office hours. Come with questions.

- Do the homework with time (ie not an hour before it's due).

- Start studying for exams 2-3 weeks before the exam date.

But most importantly, you really have to want to get A's. Motivation is key. While your friends are out partying and getting drunk you need to be in the library. Sounds terrible, but that's the point. There is a tradeoff. I just graduated with a B+ average. I know I could have done better, but having a social life was important to me. (Also working for Techmeme took up a considerable amount of my time).

[ruby_on_rails]

lol. You sound like a professor. Sadly, that is the way to (hopefully) get high marks and waste a great deal of time. There are lots of ways, many of which are completely legitimate and many which are questionable.

Case and point freshman year when you are joining fraternities. Pick one that has a few A+ students in your degree path. All (well most) fraternities keep old notes, quizes, papers, and tests on hand for new brothers. That and if there are brothers who are good students in your degree path, you'll have help at almost any time of day. Sure other people do it too, but frats are a sure bet.

That's just one method. There are plenty of others that work as well.