College can be a difficult time in any student's life. But if you're going to be away from home for the first time and are nervous about the experience, or simply don't know the first thing about how to succeed in college, there are many books on the topic that can help you plan for your new life, help you gain the skills you need to make the grade - and have a great time doing it!

In fact, as a student who managed to get through both an undergraduate and a graduate program - and a former university bookstore manager - some of the best books on how to succeed in college that I've found are often on the shelves right next to the textbooks. Some of the titles include:

" Ten Skills You Really Need to Succeed in College

" How to Succeed in College

" How to Win at College: Simple Rules for Success from Star Students

" Making College Count

" The Everything College Survival Book

" Helping College Students Succeed: Model for Effective Intervention (primarily a book for parents of new college students)

If you have college-bound students in your family and you're looking for high school graduation gifts, Ten Skills You Really Need to Succeed in College and How to Succeed in College - coupled with a big, fat check - is a great idea. This way, even if they don't read the book over the summer, they'll have two fantastic resources when freshman year starts getting tough.

While we're on the subject of gifts for high school seniors, another great idea is to buy an empty journal and ask people you know to give their own top ten skills you really need to succeed in college. From taking notes and setting aside study time, to tips for eating well on the cheap - everyone who has been through the college experience with some degree of success surely has a few great tips to help college students succeed.

A few tips on how to succeed in college that I've shared over the years include:

" Work first, then play. Study, work on projects, etc. during the week, then you'll have more time to have fun on the weekends.

" Get to know people in each of your classes. This way, if you're gone one day, you'll have a resource for notes.

" Learn the art of self-discipline. Your grades - and your degree - depend upon it.

" Eat well. Student unions aren't known for their healthy fare, but make the best choices you can. (Heck, you can always steam veggies in your microwave if you can't get them anywhere else.)

" Workout regularly, take advantage of your school gym or natatorium and walk as much as you can - because the better you feel, the better you'll perform.

And my best tip for parents:

" Helping college students succeed sometimes means letting go and giving them the freedom to choose their own paths. Obviously you're still supporting them financially and emotionally, but giving them room to grow, change and experience life is an invaluable part of the college experience that every student deserves.

Most of the tips on how to succeed in college aren't Earth shattering, but these books (or the book you create yourself) will put them all in one place and give students a quick reference guide if and when they need it. So if you've got a college student in your midst - pick up a few and give them the resources they need to make the most of their college career.