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Jeremy England is a Rhodes Scholar from Harvard (Cambridge, MA) who is on his way to the physics Ph.D. program at Stanford (Stanford, CA). As an undergraduate he enjoyed sunsets, long walks on the beach, and taking graduate-level science courses in quantum mechanics and relativistic quantum field theory.

Keira Driansky is a Marshall Scholar from Yale (New Haven, CT) who graduated this year with the highest G.P.A. in the science and engineering departments. In her spare time she managed to assist in writing a textbook on biomedical signal processing, and develop an algorithm for enhancing the detection of breast cancer tumors in digital mammograms.

And then there's Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky, a Truman scholar from Princeton (Princeton, NJ). When he's not working with the State Department, the New York City mayor's speech writing office, or the political organization he started at Princeton, he pursues original research on the ever-so popular topic of the impact of eastward expansion on the constitutional structure of the European Union. Impressed yet? I certainly was.

These exceptional students are just three examples from the over two dozen national Scholarship winners that I spoke with. Whether they hailed from Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, or Cornell, my mission was to find out what makes these undergrads tick (and maybe get some help on my chemistry homework while I was at it!).

I wasn't interested in generic advice. I didn't want to hear about "working hard" or "challenging one's self." I was seeking the nitty-gritty details -- the specific habits, routines, and rules that these phenomenal students follow on a regular basis. I wanted answers to the questions people just don't ask: How do they balance so many activities? What are their study habits? How do they keep their energy so high? Do they have any special techniques to win so many awards and scholarships? Do they have any extra awards or scholarships lying around that I could maybe have?

I boiled down the results of my interrogations into a list of 10 succinct and simple College success rules. Some are unconventional and some are blunt, but they are all effective. That's not to say that by following any one of these tips you're guaranteed a Rhodes Scholarship (trust me, I tried). But they will make success at college a little bit easier.

1. Drop classes every term.
"There's nothing worse than getting stuck for a whole semester in a class that's a huge draw on your time and doesn't have much to offer you," says Jeremy, the Harvard Rhodes Scholar. Taking good classes that challenge, excite, and motivate you is a great way to stay focused and succeed. Taking bad classes is a great way to develop an ulcer. Avoid them like the plague, says Jeremy.

Eric Margelefsky, a Goldwater Scholar from Cornell (Ithaca, NY), suggests you "sign up for more classes than you plan on taking, and then drop the ones you don't like." By registering for extra courses each semester, and then dropping your least favorites after the first week, you greatly increase your odds of avoiding a painful schedule. (Warning: Some schools may charge you more if sign up for more than 18 credits at a time.)

2. Streamline your study habits.
"When you do work, make sure you do it efficiently. It's important for me to make sure I focus," explains Princeton Goldwater Scholar, Anthony Miller. It's impossible to study effectively if you're tired, sick, or distracted. Choose portions of the day when you're most alert and energetic. Work in smaller chunks of time, and try to focus intensely during these periods. Every time you sit down and crack a book, set short-term goals for what you want to accomplish before your next break. As Anthony sagely points out, "wasting time when working is discouraging and takes up real free time."

3. Go to class every day... and look good doing it.
To Eric, the advantages of attending class regularly are numerous: "It will make your homework easier, it will make your exams easier, it will give you more time to sleep. And incidentally, you'll learn more, too."

In addition to these obvious benefits, by attending class every day you're also setting the right mental precedent of being interested and excited about the concepts you're studying. However, just showing up is not enough. Award-winning Stanford scholar, Eva St. Clair, adds, "take 15 minutes in the morning to get dressed -- you have more confidence when you look good."

It's tempting to just throw on shorts and a T-shirt when you roll out of bed, but by making yourself look nice in the morning, you will arrive at class with more self-confidence. This will boost your energy, participation, and retention of material.

4. Don't network.
"Networking is a crock," says Adam Nebesar, a Gates Scholarship winner from Princeton. "Obvious networking only makes people dislike you."

When interacting with professors, visitors, or even fellow students, don't be the one with the insincere smile who is always shaking hands, dispensing compliments like candy, and trying to find out what's in it for you. Meet people because you find them interesting. Try to learn as much as possible from their life experiences. Allow their offers to come from their own volition and desire to aid a worthy cause. One sincere ally is worth 20 insincere networking connections, says Adam.

5. Don't take breaks between classes.
"If you have a half hour between every class or activity, that time is almost always wasted," warns Cornell Truman Scholar, Betsy Cooper. "Build up large breaks for the end of the day so you can enjoy them."

Fill the small pauses in your schedule with productive work. Substantial breaks later in the day when you can actually spend the time needed to properly unwind are more productive. If you have short 15- or 30-minute breaks between activities, run a couple of errands, take notes on a reading assignment, or clean out your e-mail inbox. Small breaks go by too quickly to actually refresh you, so don't sit back and relax.

6. Smile every day.
"It sounds goofy, but you can attain a lot just by smiling," says Dartmouth Goldman Global leadership Award winner, Kabir Sehgal.

College is difficult and emotionally draining. From the intensity of the academics to the intensity of social interactions, it's easy to burn out. A positive attitude is infectious, and it's a wonderful way to build resistance to the inevitable setbacks that will occur during your college Career. As Kabir explains, "more important than grades, your ability to have fun will make the real moments you treasure."

7. Learn to listen.
Prateek Tandon, a Rhodes Scholar from Yale, is equal parts poetic and pragmatic when he describes the ability to listen. "[It's] a means that allows other narratives that are working in the world to come to your attention... before they bite you on the bottom."

In other words, take the time to listen to what people have to say. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree, when you're involved in a conversation, make it your goal to learn as much as possible about the other person's views. Question them. Repeat their ideas in your own words. In addition to making you well-liked, listening will greatly expand your understanding of the world around you.

8. Make exercise a part of your study routine.
"There were many times when I was frustrated with a problem set and took a break to go for a jog," recalls Cornell Goldwater Scholar, Yolanda Tseng. "I came back more refreshed and productive than if I had sat in my seat for those 20 minutes and just plugged away."

Exercise is a powerful way to boost your energy, sharpen your focus, and expand your critical thinking abilities. Working a quick run, a game of racquetball, or a nice bike ride into the middle of your work schedule can significantly increase your productivity. Exercise can clear your mind and help you tackle problems from new angles.

9. Befriend a professor.
Niraj Shanbhag, a Cornell Goldwater Scholar, advises that you get to know your teachers personally. "Talk about yourself and your interests, their work, their interests, etc."

And doing so is not difficult. As Jeremy England explains, "professors are eager to get to know their students better." The key is initiating the interaction. Begin by showing up at office hours, or inviting a favorite professor to a student-faculty meal. Allow conversation to drift from their specific courses to their academic work in general. Discuss your collegiate game plan, your interests, and your worries. Over time, if all goes well, the professor will take a vested interest in your success as a student. Once you have a professor as an ally, you'll have a constant source of academic motivation, advice, and exciting opportunities.

10. Take breaks from Campus life.
College is tough. If you don't take regular breaks from the intense life of a student, you can easily become overwhelmed. Chris Laumann, a Harvard Marshall Scholar, talks about how weekly trips to a country equestrian club were vital to his collegiate success. "The three-hour ritual of driving out there, tacking up the horses, and then riding outside surrounded by the countryside, kept me sane for the rest of my urban existence." Translation? Get away from campus regularly.

If you're in the city, go to the country. If you're in the country, go to the city. Change your environment, distance yourself from your sources of stress, and relax once in a while.

Now that you're armed with these 10 simple things, take action! If I had to summarize the one success secret common to every exceptional student I interviewed, it would be: Stop thinking about it -- go do it! In addition to being a great slogan for athletic shoes, the philosophy of taking action is the key to making the rules listed above actually work. So get out there, take action, and conquer college.

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