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How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out)

Cal Newport

4.15 · Rating details · 964 ratings · 126 reviews

Do Less, Live More, Get Accepted

What if getting into your reach schools didn’t require four years of excessive A.P.-taking, overwhelming activity schedules, and constant stress?

In How to Be a High School Superstar, Cal Newport explores the world of relaxed superstars—students who scored spots at the nation’s top colleges by leading uncluttered, low stress, and authentic ...more

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Paperback, 272 pages

Published July 27th 2010 by Three Rivers Press (first published 2010)

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Start your review of How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out)

Dec 02, 2012 Madison rated it it was amazing

The purpose of Newport’s How to Be a High School Superstar is to change the student’s perspective on high school life and college admissions. Newport gives you useful advice concerning what college admissions are impressed by and enlightens the reader regarding certain myths about college requirements. He tells the readers steps to enjoying your high school years while getting accepted into your preferred college. For example, Newport says, “(1) Pack your schedule with free time. (2) Use this ti The purpose of Newport’s How to Be a High School Superstar is to change the student’s perspective on high school life and college admissions. Newport gives you useful advice concerning what college admissions are impressed by and enlightens the reader regarding certain myths about college requirements. He tells the readers steps to enjoying your high school years while getting accepted into your preferred college. For example, Newport says, “(1) Pack your schedule with free time. (2) Use this time to explore. (3) Master one serious interest. Don’t waste time on unrelated activities. (4) Pursue accomplishments that are hard to explain, not hard to do.”The theme of this novel is quality over quantity. Newport reveals that doing a cluster of unrelated activities that you are not passionate about does not impress colleges and will not benefit you overall. He believes stressed students with no free time will not be rewarded for their demanding schedule. He advises readers to do find what they are passionate about and focus on that particular interest. For college admissions, the quality of their work in doing what they enjoy will far outweigh the quantity of multiple half-hearted activities.The author’s style of writing is an exposition. It is an exposition because he is establishing facts about a topic to bring clarity to his idea. An example of this style of writing is when Newport tells the story of a girl named Kara. She has a meeting with her guidance counselor, who tells her that her grades (B’s) aren’t good enough to get into Stanford. Then he tells us, “Kara did get in. In fact, Kara go into twenty of the twenty-one schools she applied to, including MIT, Caltech, Columbia, Cornell, Berkeley, John Hopkins, and, of course, Stanford—proving, to the surprise of her counselor, that those schools do occasionally accept students with B’s.” This style of writing is effective because using specific examples and facts help the readers become convinced by any idea.I enjoyed this nonfiction book because it informed me on how to get into your preferred college, which I believe will affect my entire life. I admired how the book had examples of students who succeeded using this technique. I would not change anything about this novel. How to Be a High School Superstar is unlike anything I have ever read because it introduced an idea that I never considered. ...more

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Jul 28, 2010 Ed rated it it was ok

I agree with the central thesis of the book: High school students are over-involved in uninteresting activities at which they are merely good, and thus they need to choose one or two genuine, innovative pursuits to bolster their college admissions chances. However, the road to the kind of achievement Newport promotes isn't available to most students for various reasons (socioeconomic status, personality preferences, etc.). Essentially, by following the map he lays out, talented, intelligent, and ...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Denise rated it liked it

This is one of those books where you might roll your eyes at the title and walk away. I wouldn't have been interested- I mean, we get enough of this stuff with day-to-day life around here- but someone recommended it to my husband, who recommended it to me. It was actually a refreshing take on college admissions. The author's point is that straight-A, athletically successful, volunteering, high SAT-scoring, student body presidents- or that type of student- are now a dime a dozen- and rather borin ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 hannah rated it liked it

This was an awesome book! I think it's encouraging to high school students and it is engaging enough for a high school student such as myself to read without losing interest. Below are the main points of the novel, summarized to the best of my abilities:

Part 1: The Law of Underscheduling
- Relaxed superstars basically do less, but seem to do more.
- Instead of pursuing many activities that you are not actually interested in (resumé padding; breadth without depth; call it what you will), and takin This was an awesome book! I think it's encouraging to high school students and it is engaging enough for a high school student such as myself to read without losing interest. Below are the main points of the novel, summarized to the best of my abilities:- Relaxed superstars basically do less, but seem to do more. - Instead of pursuing many activities that you are not actually interested in (resumé padding; breadth without depth; call it what you will), and taking the most challenging and impressive-sounding courses, free up your schedule.- This means that you might have to *gasp* quit classes and activities that don't really matter to you.- Make time to explore your interests and develop a genuine, deep interest ( passion!) - become an interesting person.- Try to achieve an ideal student workday and set a specific time every day to stop working. By separating your work time and your free time, you'll be more focused and effective when you work, and you'll get more out of the time you spend exploring your interests.- The Superstar Effect: Little differences in ability lead to huge differences in benefit. The best way I can explain this is the Olympics. Even if you are beaten by a millisecond, a silver in the Olympics reaps way fewer benefits than gold. - In other words, being good is usually not enough to create impressiveness. You have to be the best.- Also, it doesn't matter how difficult the activity actually is, as long as you are the best at it in the admissions pool. - The Superstar Effect only takes effect if there is 'proof' that you are an expert/master/the best at the activity, such as press coverage or glowing recommendations.- Once you accomplish something, you can achieve complementary accomplishments with little additional effort. If you have a solid foundation in leadership, as one of the book's examples did, you'll continue to achieve things related to leadership with little effort on your part.- If you have identified one thing to focus on, you need to become good at it. You can do this by learning how to be good at it (reach out to experts but also study failures), completely immersing yourself in the activity, and reaching the point where you are skilled enough that good opportunities will come your way (opportunities that won't require an excessive time commitment).- People are impressed by things that they cannot imagine themselves doing - so the goal is not to do something difficult, but to do something that is hard to explain.- Innovators don't try to be innovative. They don't have a Eureka! moment where they suddenly dedicate their high school careers to one grand project. - Innovators join closed communities (communities that people recognize, but do not understand the inner workings of) and pay their dues. In other words, they become positively recognized within the community first.- Innovators don't start out with the biggest idea. They start with small, doable projects and work their way up to an 'impressive' project.- Basically, people who succeed take the opportunities they get and work hard, which leads to more opportunities.Hopefully the summary is informative to those of you who are unsure if the book would be helpful. I have definitely left out some good points made in the book, so if these main points pique your interest, I would recommend checking out! ...more

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Feb 09, 2015 Marie rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I was skeptical that someone could fill more than 200 pages explaining a concept that seemed fairly simple, but Newport packs in a lot of specific advice and examples with very little redundancy. I believe his plan is healthy and smart, but will not always lead to the amazing results in his examples. The good news (and this is something he doesn't play up very much because the book is marketed specifically to kids who have their hearts set on elite colleges) is that even if you "fail," you have ...more

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May 14, 2020 Greta rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Quality over Quantity

This book tries to give advice on how you can stand out among other applicants when applying to college. However I think that it’s applicable to job applications as well.

Newport’s main message is, that less is more. That instead of overloading your schedule with different extracurricular activities, you should schedule free time to explore and focus your energy on your main interest. Something special that makes you interesting. Then some average grades won’t hurt you.

But t ...more

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Jul 16, 2015 Darshan rated it it was amazing

This book is not just for high school students. It provides a framework for anyone that wants to cultivate "intresting-ness". I've previously read Cal's So Good They Can't Ignore You and that forever changed my perspective on "passion". This book is almost a precursor to SGTCIY. ...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Megan B marked it as to-read

I hear this flies in the face of conventional attitudes. I like unconventional. I loathe the rat race of overscheduling our children for practical and philosophical reasons anyway. I am very interested in giving this a read.

What on reviewer had to say: "The author's point is that straight-A, athletically successful, volunteering, high SAT-scoring, student body presidents- or that type of student- are now a dime a dozen- and rather boring to college admissions officers. However, students who esc ...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Casey McCann rated it it was amazing

Brilliant. A must-read for high school students and their parents.

For years, I have been aware that, in my capacity as advisor to many college-bound kids, my advice has run counter to the prevailing wisdom of many a high school guidance counselor. Eschewing the the goal of well-roundedness in favor of actual accomplishment, I have recommended that students quit high-investment, low-yield activities in favor of concentrating on developing their strengths.

This well-researched little book validate ...more

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Jan 04, 2016 Augustine rated it it was amazing

Yeah of course, first of all the book title deserves the award of "Lamest title ever" BUT STOP!
stop right there. A revolutionary plan? That's no joke. Really, just give it a try.

Having been stuck in china for so long, I could have never even envisioned high-schoolers accomplishing such amazing things, and this book sort of unraveled everything that seemed scary at first.
University still seems pretty scary, but I guess not as much as before.

Well researched, well organized, and overall, very well ...more

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Nov 03, 2013 Lauren rated it it was ok

Personally, I think the "superstar" ideal isn't that realistic. It does not present itself in a way you can reach it through goal-setting and it is mostly based on chance. Sure, high school students who started a business and got a C in a class in freshman year got into great and famous colleges. That's because they started a business! A college is going to accept a student with a successful business with a C over a good student with straight A's. Not all students have the chance to start a busi ...more

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Mar 17, 2021 Karl Gaza rated it really liked it

8.5/10

“Getting into a good college doesn’t have to be a reward for extreme sacrifice; it can be, instead, a side effect of the much grander goal of building a meaningful and engaging life.”

"How to be a High School Superstar" by Cal Newport proposes an unorthodox method to securing a spot in your dream college. According to popular belief, to stand out in college applications, one must immerse themselves in a wide range of extracurricular activities and an abundance of difficult courses. Contra 8.5/10"How to be a High School Superstar" by Cal Newport proposes an unorthodox method to securing a spot in your dream college. According to popular belief, to stand out in college applications, one must immerse themselves in a wide range of extracurricular activities and an abundance of difficult courses. Contrary to this, the book showcases a different, more laid-back approach in achieving the same goal: the relaxed superstar approach. This lesser-known method features lots of free time, less stress, and higher odds of getting accepted into your dream school. It proposes the ideology that doing is the foundation for becoming impressive. The book provides specific steps and methods on how exactly this can be achieved. With the help of thorough research and plenty of interviews, the message aimed to be delivered by Newport comes across quite smoothly. The instructions and steps given are easy-to-follow and are written clearly. What I also really liked about the book was that it gave study methods that are much more efficient and less taxing than the usual techniques.As seen in the quote I derived from the book itself, its teachings are not only applicable in a high school student's life. These strategies can also help one yield benefits richer than getting into their dream school. With this in mind, I definitely look forward to applying these concepts, theories, and techniques presented in the book to my life. I believe that taking these to heart and internalizing them will truly yield exceptional results. I believe that the techniques given in this book are not only applicable to high school students; this may also be an insightful read to those applying for jobs or are in college. Given that, I highly recommend this book for high school students, especially those who are currently or planning to drown themselves in difficult courses and an overabundance of extracurricular activities in order to higher their odds of a better future. You might learn a thing or two from this book. P.S. this is a great book to start with after a 6-year break haha ...more

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Jan 21, 2021 Sylvia rated it really liked it

Book #4 of this year is How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Into College By Standing Out (Without Burning Out) This book was a recommendation by a great friend who read it with her sons when they were younger - one is a GA Tech Presidential Scholar going into his third year there and the other is a freshman at Emory. The book is an ‘older’ book published in 2010 and in the sense that some of his technology examples are dated. I will also say that some of his examples s Book #4 of this year is How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Into College By Standing Out (Without Burning Out) This book was a recommendation by a great friend who read it with her sons when they were younger - one is a GA Tech Presidential Scholar going into his third year there and the other is a freshman at Emory. The book is an ‘older’ book published in 2010 and in the sense that some of his technology examples are dated. I will also say that some of his examples seem very middle to upper class in terms of the students’ opportunities (Malcolm Gladwell anyone?). HOWEVER, all that said - there is so much good advice in here for students in thinking about the college admission process and what it takes to get into those elite, top tier schools. The author is a Dartmouth and MIT grad who has a PhD from MIT and teaches Computer Science at Georgetown. So he knows of what he speaks! I also think that some of the advice he gives includes so many things that experienced teachers have known but I guess we never thought to publish a book about it! But he has three ‘laws’ to his philosophy: The Law of Underscheduling, The Law of Focus, and The Law of Innovation. And these laws are designed truthfully to reduce the stress and anxiety that seems to be inevitable amongst many high school students these days. He acknowledges that at a minimum you need to have a GPA and test scores that are at least the bottom of the range for average acceptance scores for the school, but in the same breath he makes a compelling case for not overloading a HS schedule with 8 AP classes in a year. I love that he shares the one single trait shared by every high scorer on the verbal section of SAT: started reading high level books around 3rd or 4th grade...and KEPT reading! Also, another piece of advice he shares is that if every other person you know can join that club or do what you have done in that extracurricular area, then you will not standout. Having a laundry list of activities will not propel you to the top of admission spotlights! He argues FOCUS - master one serious interest and don’t waste time being a student involved in lots of activities superficially. Learn to be interesting - which is a by product of having a ‘deep interest’ you develop over time. Lots of great advice for students and parents of upper elementary (yep I said it!) and middle school - even 9th grade students. More to tell - but instead just go read the book! ...more

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Jul 01, 2014 Brianna rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: middle and high school students

When I first saw this book, I was skeptical. After glancing through Countdown to College 21 To-Do Lists for High School Step-By-Step Strategies for 9th 10th 11th and 12th Graders by Valerie Pierce and seeing that I'd already missed most of the steps that I needed to take, I decided that the hyper-planning approach to getting into college was not going to work for me, and this book sat on my desk for a long time. On a whim, I picked it up a couple of days ago and was pleasantly surprised to find When I first saw this book, I was skeptical. After glancing through by Valerie Pierce and seeing that I'd already missed most of the steps that I needed to take, I decided that the hyper-planning approach to getting into college was not going to work for me, and this book sat on my desk for a long time. On a whim, I picked it up a couple of days ago and was pleasantly surprised to find that this wasn't the traditional guidebook attempting to ensure you can tick all of the right boxes on your applications when it comes to what you've taken and what you've done. It wasn't a book written for parents, and it wasn't written for low-achieving students; it seemed designed for the exact kind of student that I am. (In fact, it was almost weirdly so. In the Q&A, there's a question that exactly describes me: whether someone who just finished their junior year can still benefit from the plan that he's proposing.)I know that the word "refreshing" is overused, but it was honestly a relief to hear someone so smart and well-intentioned who seemed to actually care about the well-being of high school students talk about this subject. His writing just seemed so genuine and the advice was practical. This is the closest I've ever come to a calm, helpful, logical conversation about college with anyone, since my parents just scream at me to work harder and my disinterested school counselor just wants to write me a generic recommendation in the fall and move on with his life.More than anything, it struck me how much Newport's claims are grounded in reality. As a student at a high school with an impressive math and science magnet program (and myself being in a less prestigious but still academically challenging communication arts program), I come into contact with smart kids and academic superstars (Intel and Siemens winners, etc.) and I am all too familiar with the feeling that I could never achieve the tremendous success that they seem to be able to achieve. Moreover, I've noticed something on which Newport touches: that smart kids are , man. I'm a hard-working Hufflepuff and I benefit from the erroneous connotation that the kids who work the hardest and get the best grades are the smartest, but I assure you that that assumption is indeed in error. The smartest kids are the ones who figure out how to do the least amount of effort on their schoolwork and then put that time to use for other things. Sometimes "other things" means worthy pursuits like making videos for the Smithsonian and sometimes it just means smoking pot, but it's easy to recognize that these kids are sharp. Real-world sharp.It's always kind of pissed me off that these kids can work so little and still basically get the same good grades that I do, but, more than that, I'm always kind of disappointed that what are clearly the best and brightest minds don't seem to give a damn about world history or calculus, because I sincerely believe that this stuff is important. I mean, you have to be in school for six hours a day. Why squander that time not trying to learn as much as you can? This education is free (to us...not to our parents, but still). The next level up isn't going to be, so you might as well absorb as much as you can now.But I guess part of what sets those kids apart is that they're not willing to settle for anything less than the best. If they don't have respect for the teacher or they don't think the class is worth their time, they're going to make the best use of their time that I can. I don't always agree with those decisions, but hey, that's them.And, all the same, I've always kind of wanted to be one of the smart kids, one of these superstars, so I'm not going to turn down any good advice on how.I was incredibly impressed by Part One of this book. All of the advice on study habits, the ideal student workweek, joining communities; I think this stuff is gold and I plan to implement it all in the fall, when I'll be taking my relaxed senior year schedule.My only critique of the book is that after Part One, it starts to lose focus and become repetitive. Both Parts Two and Three seemed to me like they could have been condensed and better tied in to Part One.One of the things that I liked about the first section is that it was clear, direct, and practical, without any superfluous information; it was a plan ready to be implemented. After Part One, Newport wanders down a detour that makes the book a strange combination of unnecessary psychological research and case studies, a la Malcolm Gladwell, which only served to distract from the easy implementation of the book's messages.When it comes to recommending this book, I'm a little bit undecided. If your parents are anything like mine, I can easily see them rejecting this approach without a second thought, and, as Newport points out, some students are just as dedicated to the overworked lifestyle that they've chosen. It's (relatively) easy for me to embrace this outlook not only because my chronic daily headaches have given me a punch-in-the-face kind of wake-up call about not stressing too much and taking my health seriously. It also helps that I'm a rising senior, meaning that it's socially acceptable for me to take a relaxed course load this year anyway. I don't know if junior year me would have been able to embrace this philosophy. In fact, with the way that CAP constricts your schedule, I highly doubt it. And besides, I'm proud of the fact that I made it through 4 AP's last year (though I may be less proud when scores come July 8th, ha).The dilemma is that the relaxed superstar philosophy works best when you start at a young age, yet most young people aren't willing to drop their maxed-out lifestyle until senior year.Here's what I say: I would recommend this to anyone in middle or high school. The sooner the better, but if you chafe at the demands the first time reading it, put it off. It's still worth doing for just senior year if that's all the risk you're willing to take. While I think high school is an ideal time for conducting the kind of exploration Newport describes, there will be time after high school too. As a good friend once told me, you have your entire life to get to where you want to be. ...more

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Jan 19, 2018 Natik rated it really liked it

I'm giving this to my high school cousin to help cure her "87 clubs syndrome" and generally protect against a certain masochistic and narcissistic study culture that develops among high achieving kids. Also I feel "So Good They Can't Ignore You", while written for working adults, is very good for the same high school demographic.

The author Cal Newport has an amazing blog where all of this advice and more is available for free. It is good to give people nice, compact books though. They probably w ...more

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Jun 19, 2021 Lilly rated it it was amazing

A highly recommended read for my high school peers! Although it’s mainly focused on how you can increase your chances to get admitted into a college of your choice, the methods outlined are very counterintuitive, which teaches you how to live a meaningful and engaging life beyond college admissions :)

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Jan 03, 2019 Vinita Singh rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-becoming-topper

Very nice

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Aug 27, 2020 Audrey rated it liked it

why did i read this book? i'm not in high school? ...more

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Jul 22, 2013 Victor Markhoff rated it it was amazing

As a high school student myself, I can truly affirm that college admissions can dictate an adolescent's life. Today's attitude is all-or-nothing when it comes to SATs, grades, and admissions- especially Ivy League admissions. While the title of How to Be a High School Superstar might send some people running away, giving thoughts of an overly pretentious book, I ended up downloading the book on my Kindle merely because I had questions about college admission strategy and study habits, and I must As a high school student myself, I can truly affirm that college admissions can dictate an adolescent's life. Today's attitude is all-or-nothing when it comes to SATs, grades, and admissions- Ivy League admissions. While the title of might send some people running away, giving thoughts of an overly pretentious book, I ended up downloading the book on my Kindle merely because I had questions about college admission strategy and study habits, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.Cal Newport gives concise advice when it comes to leading a successful high school career (and life) and catching the eye of college admissions. Achievements and perceived excellence are a couple of the things that are focused on in the book, and that was very helpful. The book also gives advice with not necessarily mainstream, but study techniques. I found this extremely helpful. In school, you are expected to study, yet no one ever explains to you how to study, or, more importantly, how to study well. This has left me scrambling over the years, and I treasure the advice given to me in this book not only because I feel that it is good advice, but also because it is the only advice I have ever been given.The author also makes sure that the study techniques help leading a healthy lifestyle (e.g. one that is not dictated by so-called "pseudo-studying" and all-nighters). The author also describes the importance of focus, how more is less, and the "Failed-Simulation Effect."I will attempt to keep this review brief, so in conclusion, I would like to say that this may be advice that you as a high school student (or possibly parent of a high school student) do not want to hear. It goes against the conventional wisdom that we have been taught throughout our lives. Load your schedule with the absolute hardest classes (all AP, no less) and multiple extracurriculars. The only way you can succeed in high school and in life is if you scrap your social life and pull frequent all-nighters, if not at least stay up until 2 AM doing homework (hey, that's what I used to do). Things that defy conventional wisdom tend to frighten people away, but things that go against the code of society are worth reading and can be immensely relevant and applicable to your life . You may even appreciate the fact that you have picked up this book after giving it a chance. I know I do. ...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Lisa rated it it was amazing

A must read for parents. Actually you can apply the principles in anything you are applying for! The idea is that the old model of what makes an applicant a success has changed. Colleges are less impressed with resume items that anyone can accomplish and more interested in candidates that over a long period of time achieved something unique. So the author is a big advocate of more unscheduled time to allow students to pursue opportunities from other opportunities. Maintain the high grades but cl ...more

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Jun 28, 2018 anotherfungurl rated it it was amazing

If there is one non-fiction book that you must read as a student, it's this book.

I have gained so many tips and 'life hacks' from this book that I just hope I don't forget them all.

And for all the lazy people out there who is all into fiction, here is the summary:

-don't make your schedule filling
-school should be anything but stressful
-you should not be afraid to ask questions, make connections with people
-do not find your passion, instead, try out different things and then continue with the sel ...more

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Dec 18, 2015 Nancy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mom-read-2015, home-education, mom-read-2016

Super quick impression: I'm glad I persisted to finish this book. At first I thought it didn't have a lot to say to me or my family, because it seems geared towards those who want to go exclusively to an Ivy League school. But it's really about having a balanced and interesting life. In some ways it reminded me of "All the Money in the World" or a Laura Vanderkam book in that the overarching message is to live/spend/manage your time in a way that is meaningful to you, and you will not just be ha ...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Morgan rated it really liked it

This book (although I'm almost in my 30s) has changed the way I look at things, and the way I am going to do things in the future. I am or was a strong believer in "efforting" way into everything. And although I knew there was a better way, this book shows that working hard and not really working smart is really to your detriment. I think it's great practical advice and inspiration for anyone with an ambition. It was wonderful. Everyone should read it. ...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Eva rated it liked it

very impractical. what a catch-22! This book's premise is backtracking from successful high school superstars, but its only conclusion is that you can't TRY to be a high school superstar, it has to come to you. ...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Elizabeth3tx rated it really liked it

The information was good, and the ideas seemed to be original. However, the presentation was really bad and the organization left much to be desired. I took notes while reading this book and was able to summarize it into a guide for future reference in less than 10 pages.

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Jul 07, 2011 Rashika rated it it was amazing

Good Advice, but how to apply it now? Gotta go figure that out!

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Nov 15, 2019 Julie Dzikowski rated it it was amazing

If you are considering choosing this book to read, you are likely an anxious high school student that is overwhelmed with activities, late nights, and college preparation tasks. You may be finding yourself cramming everything you can into your schedule, doing things that sound impressive written down on paper, and basically making getting into your dream college your biggest priority. There’s just one problem—your habits are destroying you, and even with all of your hard work you seem to be walk If you are considering choosing this book to read, you are likely an anxious high school student that is overwhelmed with activities, late nights, and college preparation tasks. You may be finding yourself cramming everything you can into your schedule, doing things that sound impressive written down on paper, and basically making getting into your dream college your biggest priority. There’s just one problem—your habits are destroying you, and even with all of your hard work you seem to be walking a path that leads to nowhere. If this situation sounds all too familiar, then you are just how I was when my friend gave me his copy of this book, promising that it would lead me to success without damaging my mental/physical state. Sure enough, it seems to be doing just that. This book is not a narrative story with a plot line or a main character. Instead, it is an advice book divided into three parts, with the narrator (author) talking directly to the reader the whole time (second person point of view.). The author gives countless examples of students he has researched/interviewed that have gotten into their dream colleges with much less work, stress, and even lower grades and fewer activities than the usual acceptant to an Ivy League college. He then goes into depth explaining what the student did (or what qualities they possessed) that allowed them to stand out in the admissions process. The author describes numerous theories/effects, each relating back to the idea of meeting your goals without overworking yourself. This book did not only lead to me spending less time on homework, but it also relieved me of a lot of stress. Suddenly, my academic life is much easier to manage. I have less useless activities taking up my time, I finish my homework earlier, and I have more time to spend on things that give me genuine interest. Although this book is based around how to get into the college of your choice, it also gives excellent tips on topics such as time management and goal-setting. Overall, How to Be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport can be a game-changer for any struggling high school student. As the author puts it, the ideas all lead up to one crucial concept: “It might be possible to stand out without burning out” (Newport XIV). ...more

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May 13, 2019 Flamingo rated it really liked it

4 Stars.

Cal's writing style is easy-going, and reading through the 400ish pages was a breeze. He describes strategies, provides proof that it works in the form of case studies, then offers a playbook to help you implement them in your own life. In essence, he's a strong proponent of the following:

- Under schedule your day and leave large stretches of structured time to explore new interests that could have drastic effects. Once you find that interest, focus and dedicate your time to it. Get rid ...more

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Dec 24, 2018 Annie Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: health, business-practical-living, homeschool, psychology-relationships-learning

High school students can have a life. Even if they want to get into top colleges or universities. In fact, based on his research of high school students admitted to top US universities, Cal Newport suggests that having a relaxed, interesting life (along with excellent marks) makes one more likely to get into a top university. Of course there are some caveats to that, and in his book How to Be a High School Superstar, he explains exactly what he means.

Even though most homeschooled teens are not o ...more

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Feb 19, 2020 Alison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reading-2020

I found a reference to this book from someone whose child had recently gotten admitted to several big-name institutions. Now, the idea of encouraging my child to focus his whole high school career on the college admissions game is absolute anathema to me. I hate that parents guide their child’s decision about AP courses on the balance between an impressive course load and the ability to earn an A in a given class. And yet...as his teachers gush about his prospects, and I look at the mediocre opt ...more

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About Cal Newport

Cal Newport

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Cal Newport is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author most recently of Deep Work, a book which argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the modern workplace, and So Good They Can’t Ignore You, a book which debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice. He has also written three popular books of unconventional advice for students. Hi ...more