Transcript

CHRIS BELL:
The advice to college applicants used to be: Be a well-rounded, whole person. The ideal was a circle without any rough edges.

Somewhere between the time that parents applied to college and now, the advice changed. It used to be “well-rounded.” Now it’s specialized.

People have tried to come up with a term for the opposite of “well-rounded.” Some say “pointy.” Others say “spiked.” The one that seems to be most popular these days is “angular.” Your goal is to be like that kind of student.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a shot at being that cool—but specialization really has become a key idea in admissions. Tonight, we’ll dig into what that actually means with a longtime expert and writer in college admissions. Let’s go.

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ANNOUNCER:
It’s The College Talk Show!
Today’s theme: Well-Rounded vs. Angular
With special guest Lee Bierer.
And now, here’s your host—Chris Bell!

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Interview with Lee Bierer

CHRIS:
Tonight’s guest is Lee Bierer, founder of Bierer College Consulting and a nationally recognized expert in the field. I am thrilled to have her here. Lee, thanks for joining me.

LEE BIERER:
Thanks for having me. I’m excited to chat with you.

CHRIS:
We’re talking today about this concept of “well-rounded versus angular.” How do you explain the difference between the two?

LEE:
It was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me when I realized this was one of the biggest changes in college admissions from when I applied. Back then, the buzzword was to be well-rounded.

You wanted to be the candy striper, and you wanted to be in student government, and you wanted to play a sport—and you wanted to dabble, dabble, dabble. The idea was to do a little bit of everything.

What I learned from visiting many colleges over the years is that the “angular” student—the more focused student—is now what many colleges are looking for. Someone who has gone deeper in one or two areas and really made a contribution.

CHRIS:
Is there any risk in focusing too narrowly?

LEE:
If there’s an academic bent to it, I don’t think there’s harm in going all the way. As you know, “passion” is another admissions buzzword. Colleges want to see passion, and one of the best ways students can show that is by getting more deeply involved—not spreading themselves so thin that they never make a real impact anywhere.

CHRIS:
How do colleges actually view the “well-rounded” side of things now? Is it still a plus, or has “well-rounded” become a vague or even negative label?

LEE:
What colleges are really looking for is impact. Where has a student made a contribution—to their school, their community, their family, their work?

The Common App specifically asks: How many hours per week? How many weeks per year? That’s there for a reason. They’re trying to get a sense of commitment and depth, not just a list of activities.

For students who have a real passion, it makes sense to pursue it and go for depth—what we’re calling “angular.” But there are many students who don’t yet know what they’re interested in. They’re still exploring.

CHRIS:
Right. How can students use their high school years to figure out what genuinely interests them, especially if they don’t have that “one big thing” yet?

LEE:
I actually think it’s great that many students don’t know their passion in 8th or 9th grade. Very few do.

So I usually recommend this progression:

• 9th grade:
  Dabble. It’s okay to be more of a jack-of-all-trades. Try debate, Model UN, theater, robotics—whatever sparks your curiosity.

• 10th grade:
  Start to narrow. Winnow the list down to something more manageable so you can invest more time and energy in fewer activities.

• 11th grade:
  Ideally, you have some kind of leadership role or higher level of responsibility in one, maybe two organizations. One is plenty if you’re dedicating a lot of time and making a real impact there.

• 12th grade:
  It’s often fine to back off a bit from heavy leadership. If you were president as a junior, let someone else step up. You can be the senior statesperson and free up time and energy for your applications while still staying involved.

CHRIS:
That progression makes so much sense. This conversation has been terrific. I’m sure people will want to see more of your thoughts. Where can people find your writing or get in touch with you?

LEE:
I post my columns every week on my website, bierercollegeconsulting.com. I also appear weekly in High School Counselor Week. So families, students, and counselors can find my work there as well.

CHRIS:
You’ve always been incredibly generous with your insights—locally and nationally—so thank you for all you contribute to the field, and thanks for this conversation today. I think we’ve learned a lot.

LEE:
Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.

CHRIS:
Stick around. We’ll be right back.

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Chris’s Closing Reflection & Top Tips

ANNOUNCER:
This episode is brought to you by Bell College Consulting. Visit bellcollegeconsulting.com to learn more.

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CHRIS:
Lee had great advice and made a strong case that, as you progress through your high school years, you should focus on one or two things rather than dabbling at the surface level in a bunch of activities.

I find this to be a delicate topic, because I want high schoolers to be their authentic selves. I don’t want you to do something just because you think it will look good to colleges. I want you to pursue what actually interests you—even if that’s a lot of things.

If you do that in a way that’s true to yourself, you’ll be better prepared for college and beyond.

At the same time, if there is something you’re really into, I don’t want you to limit yourself because of your age. Never say—or even think—the words, “I won’t do ___ because I’m just a high schooler.”

I see people put up barriers for themselves all the time.

If you have one or two things you’re really into, ask yourself:
What would going big in this area look like?
What would it mean to make an impact, as Lee mentioned?

So the advice really boils down to: find the things you’re into, and go big where it makes sense. The key part that I hope relieves some stress is this: you don’t need to go big in ten different areas. One or two is enough.

And now it’s time for a sort of summary of the main points from tonight’s show. I call it Top Tips.

Top tips.
Top tips.
Kind of a summary, but we call it top tips.

Here we go—Top Tips related to well-rounded versus angular.

Number six:
It used to be all about being “well-rounded.” These days, colleges tend to value students who are more “angular” or focused.

Number five:
Don’t spread yourself too thin with activities.

Number four:
Making an impact is a good goal. Contribution matters more than sheer volume.

Number three:
For each activity you list, the Common App asks how many hours per week and how many weeks per year. That’s how colleges gauge depth and commitment.

Number two:
It’s rare for high schoolers to know their passions right away. A realistic progression:

• 9th grade – dabble and explore

• 10th grade – narrow and begin to focus

• 11th grade – aim for leadership or higher responsibility

• 12th grade – stay involved, but it’s okay to step back a bit to make room for applications

And your number one tip related to well-rounded versus angular is:
When you have something that you’re genuinely into, ask yourself, “What would going big in this area look like?”

And that’s your list. Thank you to Lee Bierer for her excellent advice and counsel.

And remember—college is awesome.