Ronald W. Fry

While I wouldn't say any of the information is revolutionary, there is something great about having so much information in just one book (Ron Fry says 8 of his books were compiled into two volumes, and this is volume 1: this one includes How To Study, Managing Your Time, Taking Notes and Acing Any Test). Thankfully, he does say the true test of any method is what works for you, but then points out that - if you're reading it - likely something's not working. Some of the information is dated (it was published in 1993 using books even older; the chapter on computers proved humorous in this context) but most stand the test of time.

I rated it low because it is hard to say you really liked a book that is nothing you've never heard before. However, the writing style is very easy to absorb and all of the information is there. You're not going to love this book (all it does is make you think of all the work you are going to have to do - he has tips to study smarter, but even efficient work is still work) but it is very clear about techniques you could try.

The best piece of advice (for me) was how Fry said that if you didn't understand the book, it can mean that you just don't understand that book: textbooks are not always written in the most understandable formats or language. He suggests getting supplementary material before you give up on a subject. I actually just ordered a supplementary book off of Chapters after reading a preview.… (more)

While I wouldn't say any of the information is revolutionary, there is something great about having so much information in just one book (Ron Fry says 8 of his books were compiled into two volumes, and this is volume 1: this one includes How To Study, Managing Your Time, Taking Notes and Acing Any Test). Thankfully, he does say the true test of any method is what works for you, but then points out that - if you're reading it - likely something's not working. Some of the information is dated (it was published in 1993 using books even older; the chapter on computers proved humorous in this context) but most stand the test of time.

I rated it low because it is hard to say you really liked a book that is nothing you've never heard before. However, the writing style is very easy to absorb and all of the information is there. You're not going to love this book (all it does is make you think of all the work you are going to have to do - he has tips to study smarter, but even efficient work is still work) but it is very clear about techniques you could try.

The best piece of advice (for me) was how Fry said that if you didn't understand the book, it can mean that you just don't understand that book: textbooks are not always written in the most understandable formats or language. He suggests getting supplementary material before you give up on a subject. I actually just ordered a supplementary book off of Chapters after reading a preview.… (more)

Solid book as ever (I've read at least one earlier edition), though I wish some of the explanations and sample answers went into more depth. The author also usually provides a few examples of variations on a question (e.g. "What's the last book you read?" is, in essence, the same question--or at least, looking to reveal the same kind of info-- as "what's the last movie you saw?"), but there were a few instances where I thought some of the variations differed enough to have warranted some explanation on their own.

Major drawback for my current situation: everything presumes you're a stranger to the entity you're interviewing with, and also that you're in a purely corporate environment. Now, the general aspects of any given interview is more or less the same, and the technical, profession-specific nitty-gritty is beyond what any one author could ever cover. BUT it does make a difference for some answers if your interviewer is actually already your current boss, and you've already been working with that particular employer.… (more)