REEVALUATING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE “WELL-ROUNDED”

WHY STRIVING TO BE “WELL-ROUNDED” SHOULD NOT BE THE GOAL

By Dr. Katie Brophy Miles

“Well-Rounded” vs. “Pointy” Applicants:

In the spirit of college admissions decisions coming out, let’s discuss the concept of well-rounded applicants versus well-rounded classes. This is a topic that I address often with clients, and many families ask the question, “what kind of extracurricular activities and community service should my son or daughter prioritize?”

In a world where there is a ton of pressure from classmates, high school counselors, parents, other parents, and the internet telling you to DO MORE, I’m here to tell you to be more intentional about where you are spending your time. As junior golfers, you are already investing heavily in your time on the golf course and have multiple weekends per month earmarked for competition. If you are specializing in golf or another sport, you are likely a different kind of applicant than many of your high school friends who don’t intend to play college athletics. If you are being supported by a college coach through the admissions office, then you are already a “pointy” applicant because you have specialized in something in a way that will take up a spot in the admissions class. According to an article by College Express, “to be ‘pointy’ is to be truly invested in your passion, whether it’s a sport, activity, or idea. Pointy students go deep into their ‘spike,’ arrange all their other extracurriculars around this, and are able to articulate their narrative around it in their college application.”

Do colleges recruit different kinds of students to round out their classes?

College admissions offices are looking to create “well-rounded” classes, rather than fill their classes with students who have the exact same resume. They need a cellist for the school orchestra, a kicker for the football team, drama majors to field the casts for their plays, and even 2-3 college golfers who will make up the freshmen class for the golf team.

Think about the types of activities where you are spending your time. Are you passionate about them? Would you be excited to speak to an alumni interviewer about said activities? Are you just doing them for the sake of filling your resume? These are important considerations as you decide how to designate your time in 2023. If you are younger and still aren’t sure how you are going to be spending your time outside of school and golf, think about the things that make you happy, and the activities where you have genuine interest. Pursue your passions and listen to that inner voice. I encourage my younger students (2027s, 2026s, and 2025s) to stop and think about the subjects that bring them the most joy and dig deeper into the “why”.

There is a lot of pressure to be like everyone else and do all the things, but wouldn’t you rather be GOOD at a few things than mediocre at everything?