'Round the Outside! 'Round the Outside!

We have here a word from my friend and de facto little sister Marcia, whose opinions were formed, tainted, and rendered unreliable thanks to nine years under Ceaucescu:

I personally hate the term "well-rounded." Hate it. It just evokes the whole American guidance counselor philosophy on how to get into college by adding as much self-involved, superficial crap as possible such as 'Participated in "Pep Club" and "Cheerleading Squad" and "Student Council" (which evinces one of your favorite qualities: "leadership")' to applications. Oh and it also usually involves volunteering at your church.

You know, it's odd, but I don't have a huge problem with "well-rounded," as long as it's accurate. I do have a huge problem with high school guidance counselors insisting upon students amassing these particular activities for their CV in order to give colleges the oft-false impression that these kids are, in fact, multifaceted. ("The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Suppe is tripping through my brain as I type this.)

Oh, and by the way, kids? If you're not at a parochial school, the National Honor Society admissions committee has a Constitutional obligation to absent religion from its selection process. You probably already knew that, but clearly the folks at the brainwashing pen Marcia and I attended do not. Or maybe they do, and like Ceaucescu, they're just making shit up and ripping the Constitution unit out of the history texts, except for the 2nd Amendment. Wouldn't put it past them. Hey! Teachers! Leave those kids alone!