Home > Plan for College > apply to college > Myth of the well-rounded student

Myth of the well-rounded student

“Lumpy” students actually stand out more when it comes to college applications.

By Joe Jewell who, after notching a perfect SAT score, co-authored a best-selling study guide. In 2001, he also cofounded PrepMe, a premium online test preparation firm.

2/17/2006 9:04:26 AM

Of the many persistent myths and misconceptions surrounding the college application process, there is perhaps none more pervasive than the myth of the “well-rounded” student.

Conventional wisdom holds that colleges seek to admit students who have their toes in a little bit of everything. Thus, the star thespian might be advised to go out for track, the music prodigy feels compelled to run for student council, and the phenomenal athlete joins clubs with reckless abandon.

But here’s the truth: The stereotypical student who seems to have it all (good grades, a sport or two, some volunteer hours, a long list of clubs and doubtless accolades) is not going to stand out at all in a sea of similar college applicants.

“Well-rounded with a lump or two” might be a better description of the truly ideal college applicant. Ivy League and equivalent schools could fill their classes several times over with applicants with excellent grades, high SAT scores and standard activities.

The students whose true passions shine through on their applications are the ones who are likely to be admitted to their top-choice schools.

An admissions committee will immediately discount a laundry list of clubs that demonstrate no authentic commitment or real initiative on your part. Especially if you present a long list of activities you joined only in your junior and senior years.

Universities want to build a well-rounded class—that is, a class full of students who avidly pursue a diverse range of interests—rather than admit individually well-rounded students.

The amateur pianist who ran cross-country and served on the student council might sound like a good applicant, but the musician who performed as a soloist with local orchestras, the athlete who won a state championship in her event, and the young leader who volunteered on half a dozen political campaigns will win out every time, even if their individual profiles are much more unbalanced.

That’s because the time commitment required to pursue one or two activities to a degree of excellence probably precludes spending much time on the usual range of extracurriculars.
Beware of overload, especially if it might hurt your academic achievement. Aside from a few recruited athletes, even the best extracurricular activities will never trump a poor academic record or low test scores.

None of this is meant to imply that you should squash your genuine interests in favor of specializing or appearing more focused. Nothing could be further from the truth. Believe it or not, after reading thousands of applications, admissions officers become quite skilled in teasing apart activities truly pursued out of love from those done “just to look good.”

Especially early on in high school, it’s great to explore a wide range of interests. As you mature, it’s only natural that you’ll love some activities better than others, and you will naturally settle into those pursuits.

When the time comes to do college applications, try to convey your evolution through high school as a person with deepening interests, and knit together your activities where possible. Your unique personality should be the common thread.

In a discussion about extracurriculars with another admissions committee member at a top-10 college, he expressed that it was best for students to follow their own paths. We agreed: A student with passionate interests, even if (in fact, especially if) they are somewhat off the beaten path, is truly the hot commodity in college admissions.

Don’t worry about rounding out your facets. They’re what make you stand out. So polish and play up all your bulges and angles, because in the high-stakes game of competitive college admissions, outstanding is exactly what you want to be.