Many college advisors played the college game 20 to 30 years ago, a period when simply going to college, getting good grades, and graduating with a degree virtually guaranteed a great job. Today, it no longer does. Unfortunately, many college advisors haven't adapted to the new world, mainly because they're convinced the old way still works. To excel in college, however, students must discard the conventional model and adapt to new realities. Who students need to hear from are recent college graduates: those who have experienced college and the workplace inside the New Economy. As a recent college graduate, I understand first-hand the new dynamics in the workforce and how those affect (or should affect) college approaches. All non-recent graduates advising students do so on the basis of analyzing--from the outside--the lives and experiences of recent college graduates just like me. Better to go straight from the source, if you ask me. In fact, you should :-)

It was a blessing in disguise, really. Actually, two. The first occurred because, despite my great grades in college, I graduated with no job. Zero. The second occurred after my numerous rejections from Ivy League law schools. My great grades qualified me for an Ivy League law school, but my mediocre LSAT score (the standardized exam) did not. If I received a job immediately after college graduation, particularly on Wall Street (the job I wanted), I never would have realized that the typical college approach is broken. If I received admission into an Ivy League law school, I would've been driving a BMW as a 25-year old without any regard to college students. These experiences uniquely positioned me outside of the "elite" jobs (so I wouldn't forget about college students), while equipping me with the education and experiences to do something about it.

I encourage students to do what makes most sense for them. Some students should go to college. Other students should not go to college. I reject the cookie-cutter approach given to virtually all students that says everyone must go to college no matter what. Instead, I give individualized advice specific to the person asking.

No. HACKing college is all about results, and in particular, achieving a higher per hour output. By focusing on the things that matter most, students can accomplish more with less time. This is difficult for most to accept because we live in a culture that rewards personal sacrifice instead of personal productivity. Completing fewer hours of meaningless work so students can focus on things that matter more is not laziness.

The point of my advice is not to add anything to your workload. Instead, the point is to help you eliminate the many college activities that provide little value. The reality of college is that most things don't matter all that much. If you organize your college experience around the few things that matter most, which is what HACKiversity focuses on, and ignore everything else, your life will be simpler and your results better.

New approaches can be risky, but only if they are new. The college approach I recommend has worked beautifully for thousands of students, including those highlighted in my book, HACKiversity, and those interviewed on my podcast, The HACKiversity Podcast. What's perhaps the riskiest choice of all is continuing to do the "same old, same old" inside a world changing faster than ever.

Emphasis. HACKiversity (and all related projects) is radical about productivity, so I created a name to say as much.

I call them the "Big Three." They are the following (in the order of me first reading their work): 1. Tim Ferriss. When I read the 4-Hour Work Week, my mind was blown. To succeed, Ferriss recommended living a lifestyle contrary to everyone else. Time, mobility, and freedom were prized. Waiting to enjoy life until retirement was rejected. The best part: Ferriss showed that this success is available now, no matter the age, using less effort and time than previously unimaginable. But to achieve it, one must play by unconventional rules. Ferriss' playbook contradicted everything I had learned in college and law school, and I was hooked. 2. Richard Koch. In college, I worked hard. In law school, I worked even harder. Then I read Koch's The 80/20 Principle, which said that it's possible to achieve more by doing less. Koch explains how most results in life and college (e.g. studying, networking, job searching) comes from a small amount of effort. By focusing on the few things that produce oversized results, it's possible to generate radical productivity. Due to the 80/20 Principle, my life has become much simpler, enjoyable, and, yes, successful. The 80/20 Principle is the backbone to my recommended college approach. Quite fittingly, Koch authored the Foreword to my book, . 3. Tim Keller. Almost single handedly, Keller legitimized (in my mind at least) Christianity. In Reason for God, Keller made an intellectual case for the existence of God, giving me the confidence needed to accept the tenants of Christianity. Runner-ups: 4. Peter Thiel (entrepreneurship, economics, politics) 5. Nassim Taleb (economics and finance) 6. Stephen Covey (personal development) 7. Thomas Sowell (economics and sociology)