You’ve probably heard people say it’s important to be well-rounded but what does that actually mean?
Dean J from the Office of Undergraduate Admission says, “We’re building a well-rounded class. In a well-rounded class, there’s room for all types. Some students are going to be rounded and others are going to be pointy. It all makes the class interesting. Don’t ‘overthink’ things. We’re looking for students who are involved in some things that they find meaningful. There is no checklist and no ‘ideal’ activity list.”
Dean J says well-roundedness at UVA refers to academics. Specifically, “High school is the time to build a great foundation. College is where you solidify that foundation and then leap into specialization. We want you to have a well-rounded academic foundation so you can go any direction once you get to college. Dropping core classes in high school to load up in an area of interest isn’t necessarily going to ‘look good’ to admission officers.”
It’s great if you know early on what you want to study, but it’s best to stay broad in high school because interests change. By giving yourself a broad foundation, you’re ready to roll into any area.
Another term you’ve probably heard is “holistic,” especially in regards to UVA’s application process. The UVA deans read holistically, which means they look at every single piece and part of an application. All of your academics, extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation and anything else included in your application will be read and considered by the deans. Because you are applying first and foremost to be a student, your academics will be the most interesting to the deans. That said, they want to know who you are beyond the numbers.
There are NO rubrics, fractions, or formulas in UVA’s review process. Everything fits together like a puzzle to form a complete picture of you as an applicant.