I’ve probably referenced study skills author Cal Newport on this blog over a dozen times. But I’ve intentionally never shared his discussion of the “Superstar Effect” because I worried what high school students (and their parents) would do with the information. But I’m diving into it here with the hope that high school families will pay attention to my recommendation at the end.
Coined in a 1981 paper published by University of Chicago economist Sherwin Rosen, the Superstar Effect illustrated how being recognized as the best in a field—whether you’re a CEO, an athlete, or an opera signer—is worth exponentially more than simply being very good, even when the differences between the two are astonishingly small. Newport’s book, How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out), goes one step further, pointing out that a student can achieve the Superstar Effect by simply choosing a less popular field, preferably one that does not require a rare talent or years of practice.
One of Newport’s examples, Michael, spent his free time working on a series of environmental sustainability projects. He submitted a model of a greenhouse to a competition, won a grant from a local energy company, rebuilt a golf cart to run on sustainable fuel, and later garnered some press coverage when he secured a second grant to install solar panels on a maintenance shed at his school.
Michael certainly sounds impressive and most readers probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he was admitted to Stanford…until you learned that he only took one AP course, his GPA and test scores were well below the average for Stanford admits, and that he kept his after school schedule so light that he was able to take a 1-2-hour hike every day to “chill out and relax.” Michael claims that his work with environmental sustainability was mostly a hobby, one that seemingly no other students were interested in pursuing. That made it easier for him to rise to the top and be recognized as one of the best, so much so that Stanford was willing to ignore his subpar numbers that seem to drive the process. Newport’s conclusion: The Superstar Effect made all the difference.
For two reasons, I’ve never liked Newport’s assertion here even if his examples support it.
1. The only people who could explain with certainty why those particular students were admitted to their colleges are the admissions officers who sat in the room and voted their way to the decision. Nobody else has any way of knowing what tipped the scales (with the possible exception of a high school counselor if the admissions officer chose to discuss the outcome). It could have been the Superstar Effect, a letter of recommendation, something discussed in one of the essays, etc.
2. I worry that students who are desperate to attend prestigious colleges will learn about this effect and then immediately drop the track team, their part-time job, or the orchestra so they can pursue less crowded fields like collecting bugs, glassblowing, or working as a rodeo clown. Attempts to reverse engineer the admissions process usually fail and make students unhappy in the process. Just because it worked for Michael doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you.
Here’s a better approach:
In this post featuring Newport’s high school corollary for the Superstar Effect, author Tim Ferriss shared a subsequent comment from a former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer:
Michael has two abstract traits that all selective admissions offices travel the world to find: passion and an ability to take advantage of opportunities they come across. Michael clearly cares about the environment, even hikes a couple of hours a day. His interest rings true, are consistent (common across several of his extra curricular activities and over time), and he could probably demonstrate his passion in his essays and interview. Michael also took advantage of opportunities that he came across. Teenage students’ interests often change, but the unique ability to take that interest a step further does not.
That is a much healthier, saner, and more effective strategy to employ during your high school years.
My recommendation: Don’t commit to things just because everyone else is doing it, or because you hope it will help you get into college (including something that seems primed for a Superstar Effect). Instead, let your interests be your guide. Find things that you want to do and then commit to making an impact. If your interest grows, take it to a reasonable and productive extreme, like Michael did.
And most importantly, don’t make an admissions decision from a particular college your barometer for whether or not an interest was worth your time and energy. If you enjoyed yourself, made an impact, and exhibited the traits described in the comment above, you’ll reap the benefits no matter which colleges say yes.