Preparing Your Middle Schooler for High School Success with "How to Be a High School Superstar" by Cal Newport

As a "strategist mom" of two tween boys, I am constantly exploring ways to guide my kids towards academic excellence and personal growth. One book that has profoundly influenced my approach is Cal Newport’s "How to Be a High School Superstar." This book challenges conventional wisdom about the path to top-tier colleges and offers a refreshing perspective on how to stand out without burning out. In this blog, I will share key insights from Newport’s work and how parents of middle schoolers can start applying these principles to prepare their children for high school and beyond.

The Myth of the Overloaded Schedule

Newport’s first principle is to leverage the Law of Underscheduling. Contrary to the belief that success requires a jam-packed schedule filled with AP classes and extracurricular activities, Newport argues that having more free time allows students to explore their true interests deeply. This approach can lead to unique and impressive accomplishments.

Practical Steps:

• Encourage Free Time: Allow your middle schooler to have unstructured time. This free time can spark creativity and help them discover their genuine interests.
• Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Instead of signing up for multiple activities, help your child choose a few that they are genuinely passionate about and encourage them to delve deeply into these areas.

Transforming Interests into Deep Passions

The second principle is to transform passions into deep interests, which Newport calls the Law of Focus.  Newport emphasizes the importance of depth over breadth. This means guiding your child to find something they are truly passionate about and encouraging them to invest significant time and effort to excel in it.

Practical Steps:

• Identify Interests Early: Pay attention to what excites your child and explore these interests together. This could be anything from a love of science to a passion for the arts.
• Support Deep Exploration: Provide resources, mentorship, and opportunities for your child to dive deeply into their interests. This could mean finding local clubs, online courses, or even summer programs that align with their passions.

Creating Unique and Compelling Stories

The final principle is to pursue opportunities that lead to a unique and compelling story, through the Law of Innovation.  Newport advises students to seek out unusual and interesting experiences that help build a memorable narrative for college admissions.

Practical Steps:

• Encourage Initiative: Teach your child to be proactive in seeking opportunities. Whether it’s starting a blog, initiating a community project, or engaging in independent research, these activities can set them apart.
• Highlight Achievements: Help your child document their journey and achievements. This not only builds a strong college application but also boosts their confidence and sense of accomplishment.

Applying Newport’s Principles: My Journey as a Strategist Mom

As a mom of two tween boys, I’ve found that applying Newport’s principles requires a mix of patience, creativity, and strategic planning. Here are a few strategies that have worked for us:

1. Encouraging Free Time

I’ve learned to resist the urge to fill every moment of my boys' schedules. Instead, I allow them to have downtime to explore their interests.  This is easier said than done, especially when it comes to popular activities like coding classes and competitive math training where I have to remind myself of the Law of Underscheduling.  By consistently following this principle, I was able to convince my kids to let some of their activities such as chess and karate take a backseat, even if it meant skipping prestigious international tournaments.  This has led to some surprising discoveries, such as my older son’s deep engagement with philosophy and my younger son’s interest in agriculture.

2. Fostering Deep Interests

Once we identified their interests, we sought out opportunities for them to dive deeper. My older son joined an online philosophy class, while my younger son started documenting his experiments with seed collection, grafting and intercropping. These activities have not only deepened their skills but also ignited a passion for learning.

3. Seeking Unique Opportunities

We’ve encouraged our boys to take the initiative in pursuing unique projects. For example, my older son found a great peer group of young philosophers through his online class, began submitting his essays to philosophy publications and is creating an ethical case study, and my younger son is organizing a team with his friends to enter the Plant the Moon Challenge. These experiences have helped them develop leadership skills and build a compelling narrative for their future applications.

Case Studies from “How to Be a High School Superstar”

To further illustrate these principles, let’s look at three inspiring examples from Newport’s book:

The "Activity Andy" Example

Context

• "Activity Andy" is a high school student who embodies the traditional high-achieving approach: participating in numerous extracurricular activities, sports teams, and taking a heavy load of AP courses.
• Andy is constantly busy, moving from one activity to the next, with little time for genuine relaxation or deep engagement in any one interest.

Key Actions

• Andy's schedule is packed with various activities, all intended to build an impressive college application.
• He is involved in student government, multiple clubs, sports teams, volunteer work, and takes several AP classes each year.
• Despite his busy schedule, Andy doesn't have the opportunity to develop any of his interests deeply or stand out uniquely in any particular area.

Outcome

• Andy becomes exhausted and stressed due to his overwhelming schedule.
• When it comes time for college applications, Andy's resume looks impressive on the surface due to the sheer number of activities.
• However, he doesn't have any standout achievements or deep expertise in any one area, making it hard for him to differentiate himself from other applicants with similar profiles.

Lesson

• The story of "Activity Andy" highlights the drawbacks of overloading on activities and spreading oneself too thin.
• It shows that a packed schedule doesn't necessarily lead to standout accomplishments or a compelling college application.
• The example underscores the importance of focusing on a few deep interests and achieving meaningful, unique accomplishments in those areas.

Takeaway for Parents

• Encourage your child to avoid the trap of overloading on activities just to build a long resume.
• Help them find a balance that allows for deep engagement in a few selected interests, rather than participating superficially in many.
• Support them in pursuing unique opportunities and developing genuine expertise in their passions, which can make them stand out more effectively in the college admissions process.

The "Activity Andy" example is a cautionary tale that reinforces Newport’s principle that depth, not breadth, is key to becoming a high school superstar. It advises students and parents to focus on meaningful engagement and unique accomplishments, rather than merely filling up schedules with numerous activities.

The "41st Chair" Example

Context

• The "41st Chair" metaphor comes from the French Academy (Académie Française), which is an exclusive institution with only 40 seats for its members.
• The idea is that if you aim to be the 41st chair, you are striving to enter a space that is not traditionally recognized, thereby creating a unique and compelling story for yourself.

Key Actions

• Newport uses this metaphor to suggest that students should seek out unconventional activities and interests where they can distinguish themselves rather than competing in overcrowded fields.
• By pursuing unique and high-impact projects, students can create a memorable narrative that sets them apart from their peers.

Example

• A student who is passionate about environmental science might start a unique initiative, such as a local environmental sustainability project that gains significant community support and media attention.
• This student might collaborate with local businesses, organize community events, and even influence local policy changes related to environmental sustainability.

Outcome

• The student's efforts result in significant achievements that are not only impactful but also unique. They become known as a leader in their community for environmental initiatives.
• When it comes time for college applications, the student's unique story and significant impact stand out to admissions officers, setting them apart from other applicants with more conventional achievements.

Lesson

• The "41st Chair" example emphasizes the value of pursuing unique and high-impact activities that differentiate students from the crowd.
• It encourages students to think outside the box and create opportunities for themselves in areas that are less saturated.

Takeaway for Parents

• Encourage your child to explore their unique interests and look for opportunities to make a significant impact in those areas.
• Support them in finding or creating unconventional activities that align with their passions and can lead to unique achievements.
• Help them understand that standing out often means pursuing paths that are less crowded and more innovative.

The "41st Chair" example underscores Newport's principle of differentiation through unique and high-impact activities. By encouraging students to pursue their passions in unconventional ways, they can create compelling stories that stand out in the competitive college admissions process.

The Jaded Brother Example

Context

• The "Jaded Brother" is a story about a high school student whose younger brother is more conventional and follows a typical high-achieving student path, participating in many extracurricular activities and taking numerous AP courses.
• The older brother, in contrast, takes a more relaxed and focused approach.

Key Actions

• The older brother finds a genuine interest in a particular subject, in this case, ancient Chinese history.
• He dedicates significant time and effort to studying this topic independently, beyond what is available in school courses.
• He writes a series of articles and papers on ancient Chinese history, which eventually catch the attention of a university professor who specializes in the field.

Outcome

• The professor is so impressed with the older brother's work that he invites him to co-author a paper, and later, to assist with some research projects.
• This deep engagement and genuine passion lead to significant achievements that stand out far more than a typical overloaded high school resume.

Lesson

• The story highlights the effectiveness of focusing deeply on a single interest rather than spreading oneself thin across many activities.
• It also underscores the value of pursuing genuine passions and creating unique opportunities that can lead to impressive and standout accomplishments.

Takeaway for Parents

• Encourage your child to find and deeply explore their genuine interests.
• Support them in pursuing activities that they are truly passionate about, even if it means having a less conventional but more meaningful high school experience.
• Help them understand that unique achievements and deep engagement in a particular field can be more impactful than a long list of superficial activities.

The "Jaded Brother" example is a compelling illustration of Newport’s principle that students can achieve exceptional success by focusing on what truly interests them and engaging deeply with it. This approach not only makes them stand out in the college admissions process but also leads to a more fulfilling and enjoyable high school experience.

Conclusion: Preparing for High School Success

As parents, we have the unique opportunity to guide our children in a way that fosters genuine interests and unique accomplishments. By applying Cal Newport’s principles, we can help our middle schoolers prepare for high school success without the stress and burnout that often accompanies the college admissions process. Encourage free time, foster deep interests, and seek out unique opportunities – these are the keys to helping your child become a high school superstar.

As a strategist mom, I’m constantly learning and adapting these principles to support my boys. I hope these insights inspire you to embark on this journey with your own children, helping them to achieve academic excellence and personal fulfillment.

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