Breaking Down the Well-Rounded Myth

When you imagine a well-rounded student, you're probably picturing a Disney-channel style "popular kid" who's student body president, has A's in every subject, and is in every activity from archery to the school paper. The good news is that you don't have to be well-rounded to get into a good school, including the UC system. The bad news is that you have to do something else to be the kind of student top universities are looking for.

Image Courtesy of BBC Glasgow

What makes a unicorn special? The answer may seem obvious, the horn, but this is what you need to get into your dream school! While you don't have to turn into a mythical creature, you need to have something other students don't, commonly referred to as a "spike". Think of your spike as a unicorn's horn, something that sets you apart from everyone else. It's a skillset, accomplishment, or commitment that you build over time.

An extreme example of students with a spike include Olympic athletes like Nathan Chen from Yale (men's Olympic figure skating champion) or Eileen Gu from Stanford (Olympic freestyle skiing champion). These athletes have honed their careers from the time they were children, showing dedication that most people can only dream of, and becoming some of the best in the world at their craft.

Building a Spike

Obviously, not everyone has the physical or financial wherewithal to become an Olympic athlete, but everyone can find something they care about and build a success story around it. Some common areas students create spikes in include:

• Research (STEM or humanities)

• STEM Olympiads, competitions, or fairs

• Public speaking (Model UN, mock trial, speech & debate, TEDx talks)

• Computer science (app or web development, AI model creation, content creation)

• Performance (theatre, music, dance, traditional arts)

• Sports

• Visual arts (photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.)

• Writing (fiction or nonfiction)

• Community service (volunteering, non-profit work, legal advocacy, activism)

• Business or entrepreneurship

• Career focused work or internships

• Foreign language or intercultural skills

Every student's spike is going to look a little bit different, but the point is that the spike has depth and impact. You can be in a club all 4 years of high school, but that does not make it a spike. Spikes include impressive metrics (money, time, awards) and impact (changed your life or your community). Take a look at these student profiles:

Sara, pre-vet major: Volunteered 10 hours per week for 5 years at the local animal shelter, led annual campaigns raising money for pet food for local food pantries, certified in veterinary first aid by a local veterinarian's office

Jason, business major: Interned for 3 summers at a corporate office in his town, took 3 introductory business courses at the local college, runs an online business where he sells custom Excel templates for entrepreneurs and small businesses

These students have completely different interests, but have a clear narrative built with their activities inside and outside of the classroom. Their activities are not passive, but required active commitment of both time and practice, and both can list their metrics; Sara has helped over 200 pets get adopted and rehabilitated 50 injured animals during her volunteering time, and Jason has helped with 7 major projects resulting in 30% more profit for the office, and he's made a respectable $8,500 off of his online shop. Neither student is an Olympian, but they've shown their dedication and colleges will take note when reviewing their application. Additionally, both have had a broader impact in a community they are a part of, and they have changed and grown as people throughout this process.

If you want to develop a spike but aren't sure how, you can follow this process:

1. Take stock of your interests and activities. Think about what you're good at, and ask friends and family what they think if you're stuck. Find 1-3 main interests you have some skill in.

2. Start learning the basics if you haven't already. Take a class, do a summer program, and research successful individuals in the field to find out what it takes to "get good" at the area you're interested in.

3. Set yourself up for success by becoming active with your spike. Invest your free time into learning and getting better at your activity, and think of other related tasks or groups you could start related to the spike.

4. Solidify the impact by going bigger; get a certification in the area, compete in (and win!) more competitions, or host a larger even or initiative.

5. Become a leader in the field by either getting a leadership position or otherwise running the activities surrounding your spike.

This timeline works very well for those who are starting at the beginning of high school, ideally 9th or 10th grade, but if you need to speed up the timeframe, focus on steps 4 and 5 in activities you're already involved in.

Warning

While you don't have to do every activity or be president of every club, you do need to maintain a baseline level for several criteria to still be eligible for college admissions, particularly to the UCs.

• GPA: The UCs require a 3.0 weighted GPA for California residents and a 3.4 weighted GPA for non-residents.

• Coursework standards: You should take advanced or honors courses in your best subjects at least, but ideally you should take overall challenging courses to reflect your educational rigor.

• School standing: You should not have a record of disciplinary measures such as too many unexcused absences or chronic lateness. Avoid getting suspensions, in school or otherwise, at all costs.

• English requirements: For international students or non-native speakers, you must meet the minimum requirements listed here: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements/english-language-proficiency.html

• Honesty: You need to portray yourself well in your application, but under no circumstances should you be cheating, getting work done by external individuals or AI, or lying about awards, activities, or leadership positions. Offers of admission have been rescinded when the truth came out, the most famous example being the Varsity Blues scandal.

Final Thoughts

If you meet these criteria and have a spike, then you are the ideal candidate for UC admission. Developing a spike takes time and dedication, but every motivated student can do it by following the strategies listed earlier. Our counselors can help you decide on a spike to grow, help you polish your skills, and show your spike through your PIQ responses, so schedule a call today!