The Social Climber's Guide to High School

by Robyn Schneider

THE ART OF THE CLIMB

Meet the Social Climber. Charming to the masses, fully intriguing, she is nothing if not unique and confident. Call her a rising star, a fashion-forward thinker, just don't mistake her for the (let's admit it) arrogant and awful It Girl. The SC is far superior. She is the girl everyone knows -- and actually admires. The girl you want to be.

But social climbing isn't easy. It starts with a serious reality check and an unlevel, highly competitive playing field: high school. You need skills to reach the peak of the high school A-list now, and making varsity cheer isn't even a start.

So step behind the velvet rope with this powerful and hilarious field guide. Unlock the secrets of popularity and personality.

Go on, embrace the Climb.

Genres: Nonfiction

258 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2007

About the author

Robyn Schneider grew up in Southern California, where she spent her childhood reading fantasy novels and searching for secret passages. She’s a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied creative writing, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where she earned a Masters of Bioethics. Robyn is the bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Means, Invisible Ghosts, and You Don’t Live Here. Her work is available across the world in over a dozen languages. Her newest novel, The Other Merlin, will be published in September 2021. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV producer husband, their tiny puppy, and far too many books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @robynschneider

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jessica Cave for TeensReadToo.com

Robyn Schneider's THE SOCIAL CLIMBER'S GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL is a fabulous guide to the average high school experience.

Truth be told, I expected a vain, stuck-up instruction manual teaching the next generation of high school students to be vain, snobbish girls a' la Mean Girls. I stand corrected. It does have its moments of being slightly snooty, but having recently finished high school myself, I found that it was right on the money.

Ms. Schneider gives you hints and tips for a successful high school experience. She covers everything from how to buy fourteen pairs of shoes in a single day (while only spending $240!) to dealing with gossip, classifying cliques, and being smart without being a know-it-all.

I learned the rules to dating (including the rules for who picks up the bill!) and learned how to fake a boyfriend. Other lessons learned include how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton, how NOT to fake-and-bake, what to buy at a thrift store vs. a boutique, and how to D.I.Y. my room to make it socially acceptable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this guide. It's quite accurate and will be a great companion for any girl entering high school.

[Betsy Dadabo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This would only be useful if you went to a school depicted on the CW which is located in New York.

[Deni · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this 0 stars. What a total piece of garbage. This book should be called 'The Bully's Handbook.'

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this is satire, it's really good satire. But unfortunately, I don't think it is.

[Robert B. Miller]

This book is cute and funny! There are so many "A list" things to do in high school. There are charts, drawings, and pros/cons/tips for every high school subject. There is even a Miss Manners type chapter. Who would have known high school could have become so complicated? All in all a fun read if you don't take all the advice seriously. I would recommend this as a totally fluff book on rainy days. (Michele, Fall 2009)

[Hepburn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked this book up at a clearance sale thinking that it was YA fiction I haven't heard of. Turns out it's not, and instead there is some quite dubious commentary on high school. But it is still possible to read it like fiction, and I'd recommend that.

(Also, a problem with writing material like this, is that after a few years, all the tech, cultural & fashion references are outdated. How am I supposed to spot the It Girl now??*)

*sarcasm

[Meghan]

I remember buying and reading this before starting high school. I also remember it being more of a caricature of high school rather than a representation of what those 4 years were actually like. Don't bother with this "guide". Just do your thing and you'll survive.

[Gabbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

very interesting book i like some of the ideas it puts forth to others