Well-rounded or pointy?
A common assumption my student clients bring to our first few consulting sessions is the belief that they're not involved in enough extracurricular activities to be considered at highly selective colleges. In most cases this narrative is incorrect. Here's why:
When parents of today’s college applicants applied to college, the conventional wisdom for many students was to try to gain admission to the most selective college possible, and to do this meant becoming a "well-rounded" student. The hallmarks of a successful applicant at a highly selective college or university were things such as two varsity sports, participation in several clubs, and membership in National Honor Society.
Most colleges today will welcome well-rounded applicants of this kind. The most selective schools, however, now prefer “pointy” students: those who have pursued a particular interest deeply rather than being superficially involved in a variety of disconnected activities. Top colleges want students who are committed to projects they genuinely care about.
High school is a perfect time to explore and try new things, but if you already have a deep interest, I say pursue it with gusto. Let's suppose you're passionate about skateboarding, and you're trying to decide between, on the one hand, joining the Latin Club to make yourself appear well-rounded, and on the other hand, spending multiple hours each week learning how to build your own custom skateboard. In this scenario, I lean heavily toward the latter. Not only will it not harm your prospects of being accepted to a highly selective college, but it likely will enhance those prospects. That will be especially true if you have something to show for it—a personal statement reflecting on the experience, for example, or a YouTube channel dedicated to the sport, or a short video chronicling your experience. More good news is that this type of deep involvement in a single activity or subject promotes healthy brain development.
To learn more about planning for, and applying to, the college or university of your dreams, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free one-hour consultation.
