 | |
| Author | Alexandra Robbins |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | non-fiction |
| Publisher | Hyperion |
Publication date | August 8, 2006 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 448 pp (hardcover). |
| ISBN | 1-4013-0201-7 |
The Overachievers or The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids is a non-fiction book written by Alexandra Robbins.[1] Using the example of some American teenagers, it centers upon overachievement in high school, emphasizing its negative effect in modern American society. It specifically examines the belief that being successful depends on attaining the perfect GPA and being accepted by the "right" college.
Throughout the work, the author follows eight students who have a lifestyle where overachieving takes priority. She occasionally interrupts to address issues that affect one of the teens and explains its negative effect on an international scale. She discusses how social pressure from parents and friends, drugs, drinking, and suicide play a part in high school teenager's lives.
Robbins puts the No Child Left Behind Act in a negative light by placing an emphasis on standardized tests and claims the college admissions process in the United States to be corrupt and inefficient.[where?]
- ^ Allen, Eugenie (August 6, 2006). "Harvard or Bust". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 2, 2023.