When using 3D Studio Max, its always important to become more efficient the more you progress. A keyfactor in that is learning hotkeys. Autodesk will give you a handy dandy reference cube when you order 3D Studio Max 2009, with a bunch of common hotkeys and shortcuts on each one of the six sides. I have listed out a few of those hotkeys and shortcuts so you can use this as a quick reference while using 3ds Max.

Main UI

Angle Snap Toggle - A
Auto Key Mode Toggle - N
Camera View - C
Display as See-Through Toggle - Alt + X
Fetch - Alt + Ctrl + F
Hold - Ctrl + H
Grid Toggle - G
Material Editor Toggle - M
Maximize Viewport Toggle - Alt + W
Perspective User View - P
Render - Shift + Q
Redraw All View - Single Quote
Redo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Y
Redo Viewport Operation - Shift + Y
Set Keys - K
Show Edges - F4
Smooth + Highlights/Wireframe Toggle - F3
Transform Gizmo Toggle - X
Undo Scene Operation - Ctrl + Z
Undo Viewport Operation - Shift + Z
Zoom Extents All - Shift + Ctrl + Z
Zoom Extents All Selected - Z
Toggle SteeringWheels Feature (only for 2009) - Shift + W
Toggle ViewCube Visibility (only for 2009) - Alt + Ctrl + V

Edit/Editable Poly

Vertex Level - 1
Edge Level - 2
Border Level - 3
Polygon Level - 4
Element Level - 5
Bevel Mode - Shift + Ctrl + B
Chamfer Mode -  Shift + Ctrl + C
Extrude Mode - Shift + E
Target Weld Mode - Shift + Ctrl + W
Ignore Backfacing in Selections - Shift + Ctrl + I
Grow Selection - Ctrl + Page Up
Shrink Selection - Ctrl + Page Down
Hide Selection - Alt + H
Repeat Last Operation - semicolon
Select Edge Loop - Alt + L
Select Edge Ring - Alt + R
Unhide All - Alt + U

Track View

Add Keys - A
Move Keys - M
Zoom Horizontal Extents Keys - Alt + X
Zoom - Alt + Z

Unwrap UVW

Edit UVWs - Ctrl + E
Show Seams in Viewport - Alt + E
Unwrap Options - Ctrl + O
Update Map - Ctrl + U
Zoom Extents Selected - Z
Zoom Region - Ctrl + X
Zoom to Gizmo - Shift + Spacebar
Zoom - Alt + Z

Selection

Select All - Ctrl + A
Select Ancestor - Page Up
Select Child - Page Down
Select and Move - W
Select and Rotate - E
Select from Scene - H
Select and Scale - R
Select Invert - Ctrl + I
Select Toggle Lock - Spacebar
Subobject Level Cycle - Insert
Subobject Selection Toggle - Ctrl + B

Playback Controls

Backup Time One Unit - comma
Forward Time One Unit - period
Expert Toggle Mode - Ctrl + X
Go to End Frame - End
Go to Start Frame - Home
Play/Stop Animation - /
Show Safeframes Toggle - Shift + F
Show Statistics Toggle - 7
Scale Start of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + click-drag
Scale End of Timeline - Ctrl + Alt + right-click-drag