Recommended Reading: How To Be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport

When a colleague recommended Cal Newport’s book entitled How to be a High School Superstar, I must admit that I was skeptical. I picked up a copy expecting yet another book promising to reveal the secret formula to getting in to Brand Name University. Since I spend much of my time trying to convince young people and their parents NOT to obsess about the name-game, I was more than pleasantly surprised by Newport’s premise. He argues that most ambitious young people are so over-scheduled that they have virtually no time to develop the kind of deep interests which make them interesting human beings. Developing meaningful interests is impossible without time to explore, and Newport asserts that the number of AP classes on a transcript is far less important than evidence of a student’s deep engagement in the world. 

But be forewarned: Newport’s advice is not a license to binge twelve seasons of your favorite new show on Netflix, nor is it a formulaic approach to developing an “authentic” interest just in time for application season. Rather, his case studies of real young people whom he calls “relaxed superstars” will likely inspire and intimidate young readers. He gives excellent and practical advice about study habits, scheduling, and engaging in society; and ironically, those who heed his advice will be much more likely to appeal to admissions officers seeking to build diverse and interesting student bodies. Hopefully, the take-away is much more about prioritizing and balancing in high school and less about adding one more layer to the admissions race. Whether just entering high school or just beginning to build a college list, I highly recommend this book to students and parents alike.