<p>Which is more important? I want to know for Caltech mainly, but also HYP and MIT.</p>
<p>ie. Would it be better for me to take all math and science courses and all math and science clubs, and few humanities to show I have a passion in math and science</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>Take a balanced schedule of math and science and humanities to show I am well rounded</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Take what you want to take. Don't try to seem like something you're not, it'll be pretty obvious. If you like some humanities classes, take those. If you'd rather take all math and science, go for that. Just remember to take a minimum of math/science.</p>
<p>I've gotten the impression that very few colleges are really looking for someone well-rounded.. Last year an admission lady at Stanford explained this while I was there and said they want a well-rounded class, which could possibly include well-rounded students but would mostly be made up of unique individuals with different passions. (Or something along those lines)</p>
<p>Yes. Sometime in the mid-80s, well-meaning but informationally deficient high school counselors decided that well-roundedness would help you get into top colleges. It won't. Typically, passion in one or two particular areas combined with competence everywhere else is "the best" profile.</p>
<p>Well-roundedness is important for mediocre students applying to mediocre colleges, because the alternative in that case is to be REALLY BAD somewhere (since by definition of mediocre they're not REALLY GOOD anywhere).</p>
<p>Anyway what Joey said is right. Don't aim to be the kind of person who gets into college X. Just do what you enjoy.</p>
<p>unless you enjoy getting into colleges,...</p>
<p>Thanks, I'm really into math and science... Just wondering because I'm taking so many math and science courses.</p>
<p>"informationally deficient"
What a marvellous phrase (which I don't think I've ever heard before).</p>
<p>It's sort of like "vertically challenged." Have you heard that one before?</p>
<p>I am the well-rounded student. I was not this way intentionally, I just am that type of person. </p>
<p>I got rejected from M S and P.</p>
<p>Waitlisted at caltech.</p>
<p>(Got in eventually! :D )</p>
<p>Well-roundedness sucks.</p>
<p>Go with what you like. I tried to be "well-rounded" senior year and took Spanish. Bottom line, I hated the class and it kind of put a damper on my senior year when I could have taken another math or self-studied some physics. I also seriously doubt that taking AP Spanish got me into Caltech in the first place ;-).</p>
<p>My experience:</p>
<p>Simply put, I'm a chemist. I am good at chemistry and proficient enough in physics, calculus, etc. But chemistry is my strong point. This was my hook.</p>
<p>About humanities...well, I got around a 700 in SAT I verbal, dropped Latin after 3 years (one more and I wouldve gone insane), and have taken the absolute minimum number of humanities courses required to graduate high school.</p>
<p>Did I get into Caltech? Oh, yeah.</p>
<p>Although I should note that MIT didnt want me. And, according to the WAFT, Im in the bottom quarter in terms of English ability (even though Im virtually a native speaker).</p>
<p>Moral of the story: be well-lopsided. In other words, be good at one thing and good enough in the rest.</p>
<p>They induced a lot of typos and crappy construction in the editing process, but I wrote an article about this subject in Next Step Magazine that might be worth reading: <a href="http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/NSMPages/articledetails.aspx?articleid=2635%5B/url%5D">http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/NSMPages/articledetails.aspx?articleid=2635</a></p>