Comments on: Want to Get into Harvard? Spend More Time Staring at the Clouds: Rethinking the Role of Extracurricular Activities in College Admissions http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/ Decoding Patterns of Success Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: radam http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26439 radam Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:07:16 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26439 <blockquote> “Running my church youth group,” they might say, “is another example of my leadership ability.”</blockquote> What happened to not being a little bitch, and simply doing what you genuinely care about? It boggles the mind that people are learning instruments just to put it on resume, nowadays. Enjoy being another shark in the sea.

“Running my church youth group,” they might say, “is another example of my leadership ability.”

What happened to not being a little bitch, and simply doing what you genuinely care about?
It boggles the mind that people are learning instruments just to put it on resume, nowadays.
Enjoy being another shark in the sea.

]]> By: human mathematics http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26259 human mathematics Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:33:30 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26259 Emergence, like, evo psych, is one of those ideas that you can read in a pop-science book and then let your imagination run wild (whether or not your examples of "emergent phenomena" have any basis in reality). It sounds like Olivia enchanted the admittance committee by sharing a provocative concept from a book -- a sort of ego-stroking. Emergence, like, evo psych, is one of those ideas that you can read in a pop-science book and then let your imagination run wild (whether or not your examples of “emergent phenomena” have any basis in reality).

It sounds like Olivia enchanted the admittance committee by sharing a provocative concept from a book — a sort of ego-stroking.

]]> By: human mathematics http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26223 human mathematics Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:24:39 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26223 There are so many different opinions about what's interesting. I don't think you can appeal to everyone at once. There are so many different opinions about what’s interesting. I don’t think you can appeal to everyone at once.

]]> By: Temporal Elasticity « The Education of an Autodidactic Entrepreneur http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26016 Temporal Elasticity « The Education of an Autodidactic Entrepreneur Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:01:47 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-26016 [...] Having too many time commitments (this one has a compounding negative effect.  To understand the value of unstructured free time, read this.) [...]

[...] Having too many time commitments (this one has a compounding negative effect.  To understand the value of unstructured free time, read this.) [...]

]]> By: Jennifer Simon http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-25977 Jennifer Simon Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:08:32 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-25977 Thank you for this article. I am just like Olivia. I have not take a billion APs or join numerous clubs. I am worried that I couldn't get into my dream school (NYU) because of my low SAT scores and low extracurricular activities. For about a year(junior year), I devoted my time and energy into bacteria research. I am in the process of writing my reasearc for the Intel STS competition. Thank you for an encouragement. I will continue doing bacteria research because it is interesting to me. Thank you for this article. I am just like Olivia. I have not take a billion APs or join numerous clubs. I am worried that I couldn’t get into my dream school (NYU) because of my low SAT scores and low extracurricular activities. For about a year(junior year), I devoted my time and energy into bacteria research. I am in the process of writing my reasearc for the Intel STS competition. Thank you for an encouragement. I will continue doing bacteria research because it is interesting to me.

]]> By: Do less, but do what you do better… « Coppell Gifted Association http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-25081 Do less, but do what you do better… « Coppell Gifted Association Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:03:26 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-25081 [...] Click this link to see more advice in the article Want to Get into Harvard… [...]

[...] Click this link to see more advice in the article Want to Get into Harvard… [...]

]]> By: Weekend Reading, February Blues Edition - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-24188 Weekend Reading, February Blues Edition - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education Sun, 20 Feb 2011 14:15:45 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-24188 [...] Newport’s argument that college applicants and students should focus on being interesting, not on adding to an ever-increasing list of pseudo-accomplishments is a good [...]

[...] Newport’s argument that college applicants and students should focus on being interesting, not on adding to an ever-increasing list of pseudo-accomplishments is a good [...]

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-20366 Study Hacks Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:45:19 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-20366 <blockquote>To be brief, would it still be beneficial for me to cut extra time out of my day though I’m maintaining a website, school club, and possibly a book?</blockquote> Cutting the time is required for exploration. If you've already found a deep interest, there is no need to cut further, but, like Michael Silverman, keep your schedule reasonable and focused on the small number of things you want to do well. Writing a book is an interesting challenge. Definitely search for and read my blog post on getting a non-fiction book deal before you invest *any* time diving into writing.

To be brief, would it still be beneficial for me to cut extra time out of my day though I’m maintaining a website, school club, and possibly a book?

Cutting the time is required for exploration. If you’ve already found a deep interest, there is no need to cut further, but, like Michael Silverman, keep your schedule reasonable and focused on the small number of things you want to do well.

Writing a book is an interesting challenge. Definitely search for and read my blog post on getting a non-fiction book deal before you invest *any* time diving into writing.

]]> By: Jackie http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-20352 Jackie Mon, 13 Dec 2010 03:55:22 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-20352 Cal, I've really been taking in all that you've said about creating more free time in my schedule. But I'm a bit confused as to when it's okay that I maintain a busy schedule. Just from reading your book "How to Be a High School Superstar" I was inspired to follow my passion of modern science and nutrition and created a website (yawye.org) as well as a school club. Even more I am contemplating whether or not I should start writing a book, not only to gather my own thoughts but to add a wow factor to the college admissions like Maneesh and his video game programming book. (Like Maneesh I would only sacrafice about 2 hours out of my week.) To be brief, would it still be beneficial for me to cut extra time out of my day though I'm maintaining a website, school club, and possibly a book? Cal,
I’ve really been taking in all that you’ve said about creating more free time in my schedule. But I’m a bit confused as to when it’s okay that I maintain a busy schedule.
Just from reading your book “How to Be a High School Superstar” I was inspired to follow my passion of modern science and nutrition and created a website (yawye.org) as well as a school club. Even more I am contemplating whether or not I should start writing a book, not only to gather my own thoughts but to add a wow factor to the college admissions like Maneesh and his video game programming book.
(Like Maneesh I would only sacrafice about 2 hours out of my week.)

To be brief, would it still be beneficial for me to cut extra time out of my day though I’m maintaining a website, school club, and possibly a book?

]]> By: Manto http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-17158 Manto Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:06:53 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/02/18/want-to-get-into-harvard-spend-more-time-staring-at-the-clouds-rethinking-the-role-of-extracurricular-activities-in-college-admissions/#comment-17158 Hey Cal, I recently bought your new book, and I found the ideas immensely powerful. One thing that is up for debate in my opinion is the laundry list-fallacy. You exult the idea that one must be be continually exposed to interesting things and not to be afraid to follow up on a new idea, yet you also emphasize the importance of focusing on one pursuit. I'm currently a high school junior who wrestling with the problem of reconciling my many interests with the pressure to just pick one activity and stick to it. I used to have an underscheduled lifestyle, but over time I found myself committing to numerous activities as I discovered interests through exploration. From appearances it would seem like my extracurriculars would fall into the trap of a laundry list, but I did so because I was genuinely interested in all those things. Since I'm sure you agree that high school is the perfect time in our lives to explore all that's out there, how can I reconcile these passions with your message to prune all but one, this early in life? Hey Cal,
I recently bought your new book, and I found the ideas immensely powerful. One thing that is up for debate in my opinion is the laundry list-fallacy. You exult the idea that one must be be continually exposed to interesting things and not to be afraid to follow up on a new idea, yet you also emphasize the importance of focusing on one pursuit. I’m currently a high school junior who wrestling with the problem of reconciling my many interests with the pressure to just pick one activity and stick to it. I used to have an underscheduled lifestyle, but over time I found myself committing to numerous activities as I discovered interests through exploration. From appearances it would seem like my extracurriculars would fall into the trap of a laundry list, but I did so because I was genuinely interested in all those things. Since I’m sure you agree that high school is the perfect time in our lives to explore all that’s out there, how can I reconcile these passions with your message to prune all but one, this early in life?

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