AuthoR

Lawyer

Entrepreneur

Status Quo Challenger

Hacker-in-Chief

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KYLE WINEY is an author dedicated to improving the way students approach college. Best known for his uber-effective college approach, Kyle's book - HACKiversity - has helped many students achieve more by doing less in college. This means less student loans and fewer hours spent in the library, while scoring better job prospects and more personal fulfillment. 

 

A graduate of Penn State University and George Mason School of Law, Kyle has worked for a Wall Street bank, drafted multi-million dollar business transactions, and served as a law clerk for one of the most prestigious judges in Virginia. 

 

Kyle has been named "40 Under 40," an award given to the most innovative and influential young leaders in the DC Metro Area. Kyle serves on the board of directors and advisory boards of several non-profits and startup companies.

MEET Kyle
 

KYLE's Story &

Why It matters TO YOu

In 2006, I entered Penn State, not knowing much about college or what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. "Just work hard and get good grades,” they said. "Everything will take care of itself.” So that’s what I did. Ultimately, I got exactly what I wanted: in 2010, I graduated at the top of my class.

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Since I did exactly what everyone said would work, I expected employers to bombard me with job offers. Who doesn’t want to hire the “smartest” guy in the class? Turns out, a lot of people. Despite my achievements, by graduation I had zero job offers. Zero.

The funny thing was, my fraternity brother (one of the biggest slackers I knew) scored one of the best jobs possible after graduation, while I didn’t have a job, period. This guy barely went to class, hardly studied, and played more FIFA on Xbox than anyone I had ever met. He did everything “wrong.” I did everything “right.” But he was the one with the dream job. Why?​

I realized that the rules I was playing by were broken. Everyone had told me (wrongly, as I discovered too late) that just by working hard and graduating college, everyone gets a dream job. In reality, they don’t.

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Today, no one talks about the consequences of doing college wrong. Here are some real-life statistics that students will likely join if they carry out a broken college approach:

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It doesn’t have to be this way. I learned too late. But you can learn now.

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After spending 7 years in college (4 in undergrad and 3 in law school) I know how to play the college game. I know what employers want, where tuition is best spent, how to prepare for exams, and most importantly, how to land your dream job after college graduation.

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That’s why I created the HACKiversity universe, including writing the #1 Amazon Best-Selling book, HACKiversity. These programs are battle-tested tools designed to help students navigate college in the New Economy. I know these things would have changed my life when I was in college. I'm building the HACKiversity universe to change yours.

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-Kyle Winey

 

Media

Appearances

How to Turn Your College Experience Into Success

U.S. News & World Report

"What can you do as a college student to enhance your chances of finding work immediately after graduation? Winey shares the following insights."

Compulsory Education is an oxymoron

Seth Godin Blog

"Before you go a quarter of a million dollars in debt, it's worth reading HACKiversity, a new book about re-examining what gets learned in college."

Leesburg attorney publishes HACKiversity to help students get more out of college

Loudoun Times Mirror

"What matters most for students, Winey said, is knowing what they want and focusing on what can get them there."

Ep 24: College Success with Kyle Winey of HACKiversity

YesCollege Podcast

"This episode of the YesCollege Podcast is all about how to achieve those goals and be considered a 'college success story.'”

Ep 08: How to HACK College and Land Your Dream Job

Inspired Money Podcast

"Kyle Winey, author of the book HACKiversity, shares practical tips for students including how to select a school, best majors, and tactics to land your dream job upon graduation."

Ep 181 & 182: Rethinking University

Powerful Nonsense Podcast

"Why our approach to university has to change in order to stay relevant in today's fast moving economy."

 

Public

Speeches

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Connect with me and explore opportunities for me to speak at your school.

Join the hundreds who already have heard me speak! 

 

Life outside

the box

College is not the only thing I do differently. I live life differently, too.

That's why, in 2014, I quit my job and rode my bicycle 3,167 miles across the U.S.A. 

BIKE BLOG
 

FAQs

Do you encourage students to NOT go to college?

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.



Why "HACKiversity" and not "hackiversity"?

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



Why do you encourage students to work less? Aren't you encouraging lazyiness?

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.



I'm a high school/college student who is busy. Why should I add one more thing and follow your advice?

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.



I have college advisors. Why do I need you?

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 :-)



New approaches are risky. Why should I gamble with something as important as college?

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.



How did you create the idea of "HACKing college" (i.e. doing college differently)?

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.



Who has influenced you the most?

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, HACKiversity. 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)



 

Media

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Photos
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bio

During the day, Kyle is a business law attorney. At all other times, Kyle dedicates his life to helping college students navigate the New Economy.  

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In his first book, HACKiversity: The Secrets to Achieving More by Doing Less in College, Kyle shows students how to achieve more success by using a college approach optimized for the New Economy. In 8 hours from launch, HACKiversity became an Amazon #1 New Release, and 8 days later, became an Amazon #1 Best Seller. 

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Not just an "expert," Kyle has applied his optimized college approach into creating a real service benefiting college students: HACKternships, an accelerated internship program where students rotate through multiple companies in short bursts. 

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Kyle also hosts The HACKiversity Podcast, interviewing wildly successful recent college grads and deconstructing the tactics and tricks students can use to supercharge their own college success. 

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Other accolades include winning "40 Under 40" for most innovative and influential young leaders in the DC area and serving on a Virginia Supreme Court appointed panel.